Interview with Essa Bakaar Sey, June 25, 2016
Project: African Immigrants in the Bluegrass Oral History Project
Interview Summary
Essa Bakaar Sey began his interview talking about his father's emphasis on education, values, and culture. He attended primary school in a small village and then a colonial era secondary school for chiefs' sons. After working for a British NGO for two years he served in the Gambian army for five years, received an associate level degree in French in Senegal and then was chosen to study linguistics in France. He returned to The Gambia and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, serving in France, Taiwan, at the United Nations, and then as Ambassador to the U.S. in 2002. He speaks of friendship with President Bush and Bush's respect for Islam. He speaks about his efforts to have The Gambia included in the Africa Growth and Economic Act countries. He talks about meeting an American couple who worked in The Gambia and their support following his leaving the Gambian Foreign Service and remaining in the U.S. He learned that the U.S. succeeds "not by heavy-handed control but by being nice and very effective in lobbying its positions." He has worked in Louisville schools, served on task forces to the chief of police, Office of Globalization, and marched with the mayor of Louisville to support immigrants. He has worked for Walmart, Bank of America, as a substitute teacher, and now works for Mid A Professionals as an analyst for the Department of Defense.Interview Accession
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Sey, Essa Bakaar Interview by Jack Wilson. 25 Jun. 2016. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Sey, E.B. (2016, June 25). Interview by J. Wilson. African Immigrants in the Bluegrass Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
Sey, Essa Bakaar, interview by Jack Wilson. June 25, 2016, African Immigrants in the Bluegrass Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
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