An ethnic minority in Myanmar (formerly called Burma), the Karen have been fighting against the military-led government for years. Many are now in refugee camps in Thailand, and roughly 1,000 have immigrated to Minnesota. Many Karen have lived on St. Paul's East Side for several years, but some have recently started finding housing in the suburbs. More than 100 now attend school in Roseville, which helped push the district's enrollment to more than 6,400 (up from 6,245 last year). The Karen Community of Minnesota expects more refugees to arrive next summer.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
The Roseville School District is still looking for people to mentor Karen families. The tasks can include tutoring and helping adults understand the American infrastructure, transportation and financial aid. Contact cultural services manager Peg Kennedy at 651-604-3771 or peg.kennedy@isd623.org.
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