How do you celebrate a holiday that is completely new?
Yashgin Momeni knows.
“I understand it because I was once in that situation, in that position, so it means a lot for me,” Momeni said.
This Thanksgiving marks her second in the U.S. Momeni is a refugee from her native Iran. She fled to Turkey to escape religious persecution. After waiting eight years, she arrived in North Texas last year.
“Everyone deserves honor. Everyone deserves respect, attention, especially when you’re new.”
NBC 5 News
NBC 5 News
Yashgin Momeni
At Saint Matthew’s Cathedral in Dallas, there is a lot of “new” for families from around the globe. It’s what Dennis Page with Gateway of Grace has done for more than two decades.
The nonprofit ministry works with newly arrived families, providing both citizenship and English as a Second Language (ESL) courses.
But it’s Thanksgiving lunch, featuring both traditional turkey and trimmings, alongside dishes reflecting a shared global heritage, that Page said stand out on a uniquely American holiday.
NBC 5 News
NBC 5 News
Dennis Page, left, talks with NBC 5’s David Goins, right.
“It’s a joy to be able to introduce them to Thanksgiving, not just the history of the holiday, but the Cowboys game, the turkey trot, the shopping, Macy’s, all of that,” Page said.
“All about being thankful,” Momeni said.
It’s a message Momeni said she can now share with new families arriving in the U.S., ready to call North Texas home.
“I really love to serve these people and this land, because it’s going to be my home,” Momeni said.