Recent immigrants experience first Thanksgiving at annual St. Louis event

ST. LOUIS — Hundreds of people gathered in a Tower Grove East gymnasium on Sunday to welcome new refugees and introduce them to an American tradition: Thanksgiving.

The Thanksgiving potluck, held since the 1980s, is put on by the International Institute of St. Louis and other local organizations. It asks volunteers and guests to bring a dish to share, whether it’s a traditional Thanksgiving food or a dish from their home countries.

“It’s an opportunity to come together and to have a welcoming atmosphere and to bring everyone together in community whether they’re from the United States, like many of our volunteers are, or whether they are immigrants and to showcase some of the hospitality and welcoming that we have to offer here in St. Louis,” said Krissy Durant, the institute’s director of communications.

The International Institute of St. Louis provides English classes, employment, orientation and citizenship preparation to refugees and also hosts events that promote inclusiveness and respect between immigrants and St. Louisans.

A nearly 20-foot glowing globe sat at the front of the institute’s gymnasium on Sunday as a five-person string orchestra played on stage and people milled about. It wasn’t long before the tables lining the walls began to fill up with American classics: green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, pumpkin pie and, of course, turkey.

Volunteer Marianne Baer brought salad, Brussels sprouts and bread.

She works in the organization’s warehouse, which provides refugee families with basic necessities. She said she hopes the dinner brings a sense of hospitality and belonging to the new St. Louis residents.

Daniel Anthony, who moved to St. Louis from India in 2007 for school, brought a green bean casserole to Sunday’s dinner. He laughed as he recalled his first Thanksgiving in America, just four months after moving to the country, when he was two hours late because he was still figuring out public transportation and culture norms.

“For the new refugees, I hope they feel welcome and they know that the community cares about them,” he said. “I hope they experience connection and warmth and an evening full of joy and laughter.”

Just over 1,000 refugees settled in the St. Louis area in 2022, according to a report published by the institute. The majority of those refugees came from Ukraine and Afghanistan.

Riz Khan, an Indian immigrant and president of the meal-providing nonprofit Little Angels Foundation, also recalled his first Thanksgiving after moving to St. Louis — he said he hosted his friends in a furniture-less duplex. He refers to his life now, almost 20 years later, as the American dream.

“They came with just one plastic bag,” Khan said of the city’s refugees. “This is an amazing journey for them, I believe. It’s been an amazing journey for me — people are wonderful and I’m blessed to be here.”