KANSAS CITY, Mo. – It’s been said the United States is a nation of immigrants.
Over the next three days, Americans will celebrate the most patriotic of our holidays. That includes employees at one local factory where the stars and stripes are mass-produced.
The sound of busy sewing machines reflects a lot of patriotic pride. More than 100 employees work at Allied Materials in downtown Kansas City, many of whom sew American flags. Company leaders say around half of their workforce is made of immigrants, naturalized U.S. citizens representing 13 foreign nations.
Ron Cole, Allied Materials’ chief operating officer, says his employees appreciate what it means to be Americans, since many of them survived challenges in their home countries to enter the United States.
“Many of these people spent 15, 18 even one of them spent 39 years in an immigration camp waiting to come to this country. When they get here, they truly know what freedom is,” Cole said.
The United States government contracts with Allied Materials. The company creates 7,000 flags each week – a quarter of a million every year — knowing some of them will end up draping the caskets of fallen U.S. military servicemen and women. The company’s warehouse is filled with boxes awaiting shipment to Veterans Administration to be used to honor fallen patriots.
Wally Pham, the flag production center’s floor supervisor, was born in Vietnam, but he’s called Kansas City his home since the early 1990’s. He’s describes his workspace as a melting pot, made of hardworking people whose differences make them strong Americans.
“White people, at one time, were immigrants too. To me, sooner or later, you came here first or later. This is the land of opportunity,” Pham beamed.
Deki Yangzom left her native Bhutan five years ago, choosing a life in Kansas City. Unlike many of her co-workers, Yangzom didn’t have previous experience in sewing, but she learned quickly, and sewing the American flag is a beautiful sight to her.
“I love the stars. They’re very beautiful stars and the stripes. They’re nice too,” Yangzom said. “I’m happy. I’m happy to be here.”
While everyone in the flag production area speaks stars and stripes, English isn’t everyone’s go-to tongue. Cole says eight different languages are used daily in this sewing operation, and he sees the workforces differences as what makes it truly American.
“Many of them are immigrants,” Cole said. “Who better to make these flags than those people?”
They’re an overall reminder that everything, and everyone, comes from someplace.
Many of Allied Materials employees were placed there by Jewish Vocation Services. The company has been creating American flags since 1999. You can see more of its products at this website.