Connected Communities

DSC07230 Meredith Kelley
Abeer  ·  Iraq
Shindano1
Shindano Ebengo  ·  Democratic Republic of the Congo

Bonding as Newcomers

We gather together so we don’t lose our culture
Akili1
Akili Issa  ·  Democratic Republic of the Congo
Htay1
Htay Mo  ·  Myanmar

We Don’t Have to Run Anymore

A family flees from genocide in Myanmar
Hau Lian1
Hau Lian Saang  ·  Myanmar

I Want to Depend on Myself

A refugee from Myanmar works hard to learn English and get educated in the US
Claude1
Claude  ·  Democratic Republic of the Congo

I Will Work with Refugees for the Rest of My Life. They are Such Good People.

Finding joy in helping others by providing transportation, translation, and coaching soccer.
Atifa1
Atifa  ·  Afghanistan

It Was Just Me, One Doctor, Four Midwives, and 50 Babies

An OB/GYN describes her journey from medical professional to refugee, and the help she got along the way.
Louise1
Louise  ·  Democratic Republic of the Congo

From Refugee Camp to Building a Community

A refugee from the DRC builds support for others through community health
Anastasiia1
Anastasiia  ·  Ukraine

English is a Language of Opportunities

A lawyer from Ukraine describes her journey learning English
Main
Mediatrice  ·  Burundi

Cultivating Community and Hope

Twenty Years in Refugee Camps Before Finding Home in Kansas City
Souleymane Adam 065
Souleyman  ·  Sudan

Surviving Darfur

We Left it All to Save Our Lives
Mahdi
Mahdi  ·  Afghanistan
DSC06518 Meredith Kelley
Muhammed  ·  Afghanistan

We Are Thirsty For Opportunity

If you want a job, go out and look! Finding employment as a refugee.
Sana Kawoon
Sana Kawoon  ·  Afghanistan

Every Girl Needs Education in Every Country

Teenagers from Afghanistan advocate for education for those who were left behind.
Hilary Cohen
Hilary Cohen Singer  ·  United States
Sarah Merwin
Sarah Merwin  ·  United States
Ryan Hudnell
Ryan Hudnell  ·  United States

I See You, I Want to Know You

How Refugees Weave Color into Our Communities
Leisa McDonald Executive Director
Leisa McDonald  ·  United States

Matthew House Creates Community Where Community is Missing

Leisa McDonald and Her Welcome Teams Fill the Gaps with Friendship and Housing
IMG 2681
Elwaad Samatar  ·  United States

Advocacy through Storytelling

A college student uses her voice to fight for others
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What would you do if you had to leave everything behind?

By the end of 2025, more than 117.8 million people worldwide had been forcibly displaced by war, persecution, or human rights abuses — and 45 million of them are children.

They arrive in refugee camps and countries seeking safety and carrying little: legal papers, if they're lucky. A backpack. A child's hand in theirs.

What they carry that we can't see is heavier: fractured families, homes they'll never return to, professions they loved, friends and relatives they may never see again.

In a climate where immigrant stories are often ignored or twisted, we believe stories are a form of justice. When someone shares what they survived, they reclaim their voice. When we amplify it through film, photography, and advocacy, the world listens. Hearts soften. Policy begins to shift.

Because when a lawmaker sees a person instead of a statistic, and a neighbor understands instead of fears, rebuilding becomes possible.

Your support helps us share these stories where they matter most.

— Kristen Smith Dayley, Executive Director, Their Story is Our Story

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