How many kurds in nashville

I could see why. As they were about to embark on the last leg of their journey to the U. In , the Trump administration instituted its majority-Muslim-country travel ban, including those from Iraq, temporarily halting their progress in Cairo. Fuad and his family were forced to return to their hometown of Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan until the ban was overturned.

Only then would they finally realize their ambitions of coming to America and settling in Nashville. Her children laughed when I repeated the name, saying it sounds like their mother prepares exotic animals instead of traditional Kurdish fare. While many folks welcomed Fuad and his family in Nashville, they have also experienced their share of discrimination aimed at immigrants such as themselves, particularly those who are Muslim.

Our discussion for the rest of the evening centered on the festering resentment for immigrant communities in some parts of Postindustrial America and what can be done to rectify it.

Unfortunately, none of us could formulate a ready answer to this growing dilemma. The author tries on some patriotic cowboy boots on Broadway, a popular tourist attraction, in downtown Nashville. Later we rode out of the city to escape the midday swelter and headed for a nearby lake, where we took a dip with a curiously unafraid flock of ducklings, though we kept a respectful distance from the youngsters so as to not invoke the ire of their protective parents swimming nearby.

Nashville is commonly referred to as "Music City" and draws aspiring country music stars and thousands of tourists every year. The author swimming with the ducks. We sped past Vietnamese, Salvadoran, and Mexican restaurants. We chose one area-favorite Mexican joint to meet Kurdish immigrant and former U. Army translator Mohammed Berwari.

But his opinions took a surprising turn when he expressed admiration and support for President Donald Trump, who has taken a hard-line stance to dramatically limit the number of immigrants coming to the United States. He said he registered to vote. Former U. Army translator Mohammed Berwari enjoys tacos and talking about his affinity for Trump. After several days of riding around Nashville visiting with various Kurds, we felt like we were getting a handle on the community.

Some we spoke with expressed the importance of passing along the Kurdish traditions and language to the younger generations, particularly those born in the United States. Others, often younger Kurds, appeared to prioritize Americana over the ways of a world they either left behind or never knew.

The Kurdish people were promised an independent state that never materialized and since then have been systematically marginalized and persecuted by numerous leaders of the nations they call home. By , a Kurdish revolution attempt aimed at carving an autonomous Kurdistan out of northern Iraq had failed, precipitating the first wave of Kurdish immigration to the United States.

Among those who arrived here was a young Gundi and his family. Now 58, he recalls those difficult early days. Dark times descended on the Kurdish community in Iraq.

The Hussein regime used chemical weapons to kill 50, to , Kurds. Meanwhile back in Iraq, Saddam Hussein came to power in and began ramping up the pressure on the Kurdish community there. Less than a decade later, Gundi was a Tennessee State University graduate with a degree in computer science and a minor in mathematics. He accepted a position teaching at a local high school. Photo: Eric England. Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification.

Manage followed notifications. Close Followed notifications. Please log in to use this feature Log In. Don't have an account? Sign Up Today. Like what you read? DW's Carla Bleiker reports.

Friday, just before noon — the call to prayer echoed across the anteroom of the Kurdish Salahadeen Center. Two little boys in suits peered into the women's prayer room before they ran off, giggling.

A few stragglers quickly took off their shoes before dashing into the prayer room for men and women and taking a seat on the floor.

Some of the women talked quietly amongst themselves but when the Imam began to speak, the adults in the prayer rooms fell silent. After prayer, people gathered in the Salahadeen Center's anteroom, helping themselves to baklava pastries and chatting. Others walked to their cars, parked in front of a mural of a bazaar scene.

The scent of grilled meat and freshly baked bread wafted through the air. After a few hours at the Salahadeen Center, you could almost forget you were not in the Kurdish areas of Iraq or Turkey. This cultural center, however, is located in the southern US state of Tennessee — it is the heart of Nashville's Little Kurdistan, the largest Kurdish community in the country.

Read more : Why Turkey wants a military assault on Syrian Kurds. About 15, Kurds, a third of the total Kurdish population in the US, live in Nashville, otherwise known as the capital of country music. Many of them are US citizens who have lived in the country for decades. Donald Trump has thoroughly ruined his chances with these potential voters.

Just a few days after the US president announced the withdrawal of troops from northern Syria, Turkish forces launched a military operation against the Kurdish YPG militia. The group has been an important US ally in the fight against the Islamic State group.

The Turkish government has declared the YPG a terrorist organization. The people of Little Kurdistan are horrified and disappointed. Who should become president instead? We feel betrayed.