🧵 In Today’s Edition

1. The Welcome That Wasn’t
2. The Weekender
3. What We’re Reading

Mangar Manghu at his apartment in Greensboro. (Carolyn de Berry for The Assembly)

The Welcome That Wasn’t

Two days after Christmas 2024, Mangar arrived in Greensboro’s Piedmont Triad International Airport in pouring rain. With him were his pregnant wife, their six children, and four suitcases packed with the weight of 13 years in Kenya’s refugee camps. 

He had never seen North Carolina. His only glimpse came from a pamphlet handed to him by the International Organization for Migration. It mentioned a museum, a coliseum, and some mountains. “This is an old city where people have lived a long time,” he remembered thinking.

Born in 1989 during Sudan’s civil war—a conflict that killed more than 2 million—Mangar is Dinka, part of a Christian minority that bore the brunt of the fighting. At 14, he was placed on a Red Cross flight to Lokichokio in northwest Kenya, then to Kakuma refugee camp, and later was relocated to Dadaab, another settlement in the eastern part of the country.

He waited nearly two decades for a call from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). It finally came when he was 36.

“I knew when a time like that would come, and I’ll just feel prepared in every situation,” he said.

While Mangar folded thick jackets for a winter he’d never known, Stephanie Chandler made calls. She works as a housing program manager at Church World Service Greensboro, helping newly arrived refugee families to find a roof to live under. She found them a three-bedroom unit tucked into a wooded part of central Greensboro, paid the deposit, and covered the first month’s rent. She knew she was racing the clock. The country was about to install a president who had already once halted refugee resettlement—and promised to do it again.

Read the full story here.

— Hope Zhu

Thanks for reading The Thread, a 3x week newsletter written by Greensboro editor Joe Killian and reporters Sayaka Matsuoka and Gale Melcher. Reach us with tips or ideas at greensboro@theassemblync.com.

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The Weekender

Your Guide to Getting Out There This Weekend

This weekend’s events offer plenty of opportunities to get outside. Inside more your speed? We’ve got that covered, too! Everything from prioritizing your mental health and connecting with your kids to dancing to Taylor Swift and a foam party for your pups. Grab your sunscreen and let’s dive in.

FRIDAY, MAY 30

Mental Health Resource Fair @ 931 3rd St.

1-5 p.m.

Take self-care seriously by attending this free mental health resource fair hosted by the county. There will be music, games, food trucks, and ways to connect with mental health resources in the area. 

Taylor Swift Laser Show @ Greensboro Science Center

6-9 p.m.

Swifties, unite! Join other fans at the Greensboro Science Center this Friday evening for a laser show that brings your favorite Taylor Swift hits to life. The shows are each hour starting at 6 p.m. and each costs $10. Learn more here.

Mom’s Night Out @ Pig Pounder Brewery

6:30 p.m.

Have a fun mom’s night out at Pig Pounder Brewery with a free craft activity. Registration is required for the craft portion. Learn more here.

SATURDAY, MAY 31

Rummage Sale @ 300 NC Highway 68 S

Out of the Garden Project is hosting a rummage sale to clear its warehouse of all things that aren’t food. Items will be priced by the pound and include everything from holiday decor to toys to kitchenware, according to the event organizer. 

Family Fishing @ Lake Higgins Marina

10 a.m.-12 p.m.

This family-friendly outing by the city provides bait, poles, and chairs for a catch-and-release fishing program. Registration is required and the cost is $5 per person. 

Montagnard Asian Market @ 415 N. Edgeworth St. Suite 210-A

10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Join the community at this market featuring locally made arts, clothes, plants, and more by the Montagnard community. There will also be a photographer on site taking free graduation photos.

These Streets presents: Greensboro 1891 @ 100 N. Elm Street

12-7 p.m.

This educational program will let registrants dive into what the city looked like more than a century ago. The all-day event will cover the city in four sections. Learn more and register here.

Foam Party @ Doggos Dog Park and Pub

Who says dogs can’t have fun like humans? Join Doggos for a foam party that’s safe for people and pups. There will be a giant foam pit, a photo station, and puppy play zones. More info here.

Alternative Prom @ 520 S. Elm St.

7-10 p.m.

This free, affirming prom night is for LGBTQ+ high school students and allies in the Greensboro area. Hosted by the city’s LGBTQ+ center, the prom is a place to experience the joy of a traditional prom “without the pressure to conform,” according to organizers. This year’s theme is Decades. Registration is required for attendance.

SUNDAY, JUNE 1

Hunt for Mushrooms at the Farm @ Brookhaven Mill Farm

Fungi fanatics will get the opportunity to hunt for mushrooms on Brookhaven Mill’s 10-acre farm. Visitors will be led by a certified mycologist who has been foraging for 25 years. This event is family-friendly and costs $10 per person with no charge for children. Check-in is at 10 a.m. Learn more here.

She Shines: Conversations about Motherhood, Mentorship, and Mental Health @ 1502 Barber Park Dr.

3-6 p.m.

Join other mothers at this ticketed symposium that focuses on motherhood and mental health. Attendees will get a chance to connect with other women, hear from experts on self-care, and enjoy food together. Registration is required.

 — Sayaka Matsuoka

Read this newsletter online or contact The Thread team with tips and feedback at greensboro@theassemblync.com.

What We’re Reading

Damning Testimony: Greensboro parents charged with first-degree murder of their 16-month-old daughter chronically abused her, leaving 10 different head injuries, according to court testimony Wednesday. The News & Record has the story.

Still Struggling in Summerfield: Summerfield town leaders are proposing nearly doubling the town’s tax rate and adding new services as they try to retain its official status as a town recognized by the state. The Rhino Times has the story.

Police Investigating Homicide: Greensboro police are investigating the city’s 15th homicide of 2025. Police say the victim, 32-year-old Celeste Ladisha Harrisa, was found shot in a parking lot in the 1400 block of Adams Farm Parkway. WXII has the story.

Sayaka Matsuoka is a Greensboro-based reporter for The Assembly. She was formerly the managing editor for Triad City Beat, an alt-weekly based in Greensboro. She has reported for INDY Week, The Bitter Southerner, and Nerdist, and is the editorial/diversity chair for AAN Publishers.