THE 'GOOD LIFE' PROJECT
When drivers cross into the Nebraskan countryside they see rolling hills dressed in wild grasses, perfect rows of corn as far as the eye can see, the giant dunes of the great Sandhills and the cherished green tourism sign welcoming them into “The Good Life.”
As far back as the 1970s, Nebraskans have claimed “The Good Life” as their unofficial state motto, and they are darn proud of it. Recently, when the Nebraska Tourism Commission announced that they were changing Nebraska’s state motto—the new campaign is called “Nebraska Nice”—citizens erupted with concern over losing their beloved motto. Regardless of the official change, Nebraska remains “The Good Life” to the vast majority of its citizens.
But what exactly does “The Good Life” mean, and what all does it entail, especially to the newest Nebraskans who are entering the state by the thousands?
Last year, 1,046 refugees were resettled in Nebraska, and the trend influx continues. They come from of variety of backgrounds and are often fleeing violence or a lack of freedom back home. Refugees from Sudan flee machete slaughterings and child soldiers. Refugees from Burma flee the violent Burmese army and the unimaginable conditions of the Thai refugee camps. Refugees from Iraq flee ISIS militants and a weak government.
So how do these people define “The Good Life?”
The following portrait series depicts the values and comforts sought by those who have faced incredible hardship, who have come to Nebraska seeking a new home and who now, along with nearly 2 million others, call Nebraska “The Good Life.”
AlKazafi Abdu, 31, Sudan, Cook at Amigos
“For me, the best life is good health. That is because health is the key of life, if you don’t have health you can’t do anything. You can’t love, you can’t collect money, you can’t eat, you can’t do anything. So for me, the best life is the health. And then, the love and then money. So the first is health, and then you have to love somebody and after that money is good to complete other stuff. If you want to do anything you need money, but it is not the first one.”
Habad Hassan (Name changed for protection of source), 27, Iraq, Employment Specialist at Catholic Social Services
“A good life is to have a house, to have a sort of degrees that you can find a good job and at the same time be a good example for your kids, your wife, your girlfriend or whatever. A good life is to stay out of trouble and to be involved with the community and to help people, not even financially, but even just giving them a ride to the grocery store … To have a good life it’s based on you because no one is going to give you a good life. Maybe one case in a billion win the lottery but you have to work and earn a good life, that’s how it works. If you work on it hard and build a good life then your kids and your kid’s kids will follow the same way and have a good life.”
Khairi Zandinan, 25, Iraq, Smart Chicken Employee
“The good life is when you are safe and you see good people, that’s the good life. Especially when you see your family is okay and you don’t need something. Especially nice people, if every day you see nice people and good country, this is the good life. Look at other countries, really if you see a bombing here and people fighting and killing you will say, ‘Oh life, I hate this life’ and you will make a crime. But if you see nice people walking around and driving nice, this is the good life.”
Poe Dee, 24, Burma, University of Nebraska-Kearney Math and History Student
“I think the good life is a life where you have full rights, where you have peace, where you have independence, where you have money, where you’re with family, where you are in a situation where you have everything you need.”
Ferial Hasan, 18, Iraq, Customer Service Representative at Nelnet
“The good life, I think, is having family. My life revolves around my family a lot. We’re very family oriented. My whole immediate family lives here and we all live only a few blocks away from each other.”
Mohmad Yahya, 26, Sudan, English Student
“Living in a welcoming community is very important to me. Also living somewhere that is beautiful and peaceful, like Nebraska.”
Abubaker Khamis, 43, Sudan, Assembly Operator and Inspector at Molex
“My good life, if I get some money and I complete my studying, I get a good certificate or skill for any technical skill, like computer or mechanical or anything. If I get this, I get a job easy. This is my good life if it is like this.”
Khu Htoo, Burma, UNL Business Student
“What do you want to be your legacy? What do you want to leave behind that the world will know about you? That’s what makes a good life. If you leave a good legacy, when you die you might not seem as important as you were when you were in the world, but if you leave a good legacy people will know you were a good person.”
Karthoum Mohamed, Sudan, 25, Amigos Manager
“For me, the good life means being in a country that I feel important in—the country cares about me. It’s not about having food three times a day, it’s being part of a country that says, ‘This is my citizen and I am behind them,’ Because when you are a human the first thing you need is a homeland.”
Lar Lah, Burma, 23, LanguageLine Interpreter
“The good life is having a job and education. A job gives you money to pay for rent and things you need and education can improve your language so you can speak English and go anywhere. If we don’t speak English we cannot do anything. Educating is very important.”
Basir Ahmed (Name changed for protection of source), 23, Iraq, English Student
“If I am healthy and my family is healthy, and go to university. I want to have big restaurant, it’s a dream, and I have good husband and good children, that’s good.”
Aamina Ahmed (Name changed for protection of source), 21, Iraq, English Student
“If I am healthy and have a family and all my family is healthy and good, if I have all my life to be healthy, I want this and I want this for my family. If I go to university and if I have a good husband and two child, it’s good.”
Pa Naw Dee, Burma, Director of the Karen Society of Nebraska
“For me it is to achieve a happy life, to be successful. A happy life to me is when we have enough of something in our family or if we have success in education. That could bring our happiness.”