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It’s no news that Clarkston, GA is home to the most diverse population in the country as the city is a major destination for refugees and asylum seekers from all around the world. These new Americans have brought their home country’s culture and language to the small city.

To make the situation easier on new Americans, Sagal Radio was founded. The radio station broadcasts news, events, and information on important resources in five different languages: Somali, Swahili, Afaan Oromo, Bhutanese and Arabic.

“[Sagal’s mission] is to be a platform, a service, and a resource to the many communities growing in Clarkston who contribute a lot to the community as a whole,” said Lindsay Harper, the Board Chair of Sagal. “Sagal is there to support, inform and educate both the refugee and immigrant communities and the people who are born here as well.”

In honor of their volunteers, radio hosts, listeners, and supporters, Sagal hosted a community celebration with live entertainment and a speech from councilman Kwanza Hall.

“We held the event to say thank you to the community of immigrants and refugees and supporters of Sagal who’ve helped to create an environment where Sagal has been able to thrive and survive,” said Harper.

Furthermore, the event was held for participants to make connections within the community in order to enrich and help one another integrate and develop. Harper acknowledged the many benefits immigrants and refugees have contributed to Clarkston and to Georgia as a whole.

Increasing resources to these communities will “radiate back out to neighboring metro counties and to the state of Georgia,” said Harper, making Atlanta a gem city in the South.

You can listen in to Sagal online at www.sagalradio.org and through the PBS video app on your phone.

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