Sunayana Dumala says she continues to live in the US for the future generation of immigrants to “safely dream their American dreams.”
The wife of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was killed by a white nationalist at the Austins Bar & Grill in Olathe, KS, a year ago February 2017, says she continues to live in the United States for the future generation of immigrants to “safely dream their American dreams.”
Sunayana Dumala, who almost got deported from the country after her dependent visa expired, wrote in a guest commentary in the Kansas City Star that she has witnessed the best and worst of America during her stay in the country.
Also Read: Widow of Indian national Srinivas Kuchibhotla nearly gets deported
The act of one person – her husbands’ killer – should be looked upon as violence committed by a xenophobic man who was looking for a victim to vent his hatred, she wrote.
The vacuum created by the sudden death of her husband also took along with it the American dream that she shared with her husband, she added.
Dumala, who was one of the beneficiaries of the H-4 work visa program implemented by the Obama administration, wrote her husband supported her in getting a job at Intouch Solutions’ office in Overland Park.
Dumala said when she left America for the funeral of her husband she was not sure if she would ever return to the United States. But with the support of her family and husband’s colleagues, she returned and continues to pursue her American dream.
“I returned for the 18,011 people who donated to a GoFundMe campaign to cover Srinu’s funeral expenses, to bring him back to India and for our family’s recovery,” Dumala wrote.
Also Read: Srinivas Kuchibhotla’s wife appeals for justice
In the days following the death of her husband, Dumala publicly questioned the immigrant community’s place in the United States, asking “Do we belong?”
She has created a community organization named “Forever Welcome” with the help of the Intouch Solutions where she works to show empathy and understanding for people who are immigrants in the United States by bringing their personal journey and contributions to light.