Beyond Fear and Suspicion: The New Americans in Little Ethiopia, by Vicky Pinpin-Feinstein

“Vicky doesn’t just tell these stories; she brings them to life, making you feel as if you’re walking alongside each person as they navigate their new reality.” – Aymen Tabir, Executive Director of Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition (TASSC) International

What happens when a Filipino immigrant tries to know her Ethiopian neighbors? A journey through the heart of Little Ethiopia in a Washington, DC suburb, Beyond Fear and Suspicion: The New Americans in Little Ethiopia braids the stories of former refugees, asylum seekers, students, and diversity visa recipients through forced exits out of their native land, all while still reeling from the traumatic effects of wars, famine, and repressive regimes.

Returning to her DC area home after living in Sydney, Vicky Pinpin-Feinstein found that many Ethiopians had moved to the suburb of Silver Spring. In this enriching story of a Filipino American’s curious desire to know these people living and working in what was once an iconic American hometown, fear and suspicion greeted her at every turn. But Vicky was determined. Traveling to Ethiopia, she discovered a fresh perspective on identity, belonging, and the labyrinthine workings of a people divided by ethnicity, politics, and trauma.

Beyond Fear and Suspicion: The New Americans in Little Ethiopia chronicles the connections and tensions between “others” struggling to find their way in, illuminates the often-shifting ground of who and what is an American in the 21st century, and reveals the emotional truths behind their courage, redemption, persistence, and hope.