History classes taught me how our country earned its freedom. My brother fought for our freedom while he served in Iraq, and my grandfather did the same in World War II. My experience with freedom, as I knew it, was second-hand. You could say that I’ve taken it for granted, and I would be willing to bet maybe you have too.
Imagine with me, that our lives began differently. We were born in a war-torn country, oppressed by another group of people who believe that we not only do not deserve freedom, but we also do not deserve to live. We are forced to flee our homes. Safety is our first concern and freedom is only a dream. We are refugees, taking shelter where we can, with the hope that tomorrow will be better than today.
Imagine how different our stories could be. Imagine how you might feel if one day, after years of struggling, you were given your freedom. Would it feel the same for you as it does now? How would you leverage your freedom to help others? I asked myself these questions recently after I sat down to interview four refugees working at PRIER Products.
What began as an interview blossomed into a therapy session between new friends. My intent was to write up personal profiles, asking the typical ‘get to know you’ questions, and I was left in complete awe of these four men.
Over a few hours’ time, we laughed, cried, and broke down barriers. The awkward silences in between questions and answers eventually turned into moments of raw emotion and honest connection. Their stories are unimaginable, but their hope for freedom and the American Dream is so real.
Join me over the next few weeks as we hear their stories, told firsthand by the very people we are imagining. But first, let me introduce you to the program that has facilitated this incredible privilege.
JVS (Jewish Vocational Service) was established in 1949 to assist Holocaust survivors, refugees and those returning from WWII, enabling them to build better lives in the United States. Today, JVS’s programs meet the needs of all who face barriers to employment. Whether it is coaching a client on how to request a disability accommodation from their employer or helping a newly arrived refugee enroll their children in school, JVS works to empower people to address challenges to their self-sufficiency. Their mission is to engage, encourage and empower people to achieve social, cultural and economic integration. Last year JVS helped close to 500 refugees make America their new home and served over 8,400 individuals.
PRIER has partnered with JVS to employ refugees who may have otherwise struggled to find work. With the help of employment specialists, case managers, and very patient interpreters, we have the chance work alongside some very special people from countries that couldn’t provide them with the same opportunity. And these refugees now have a real chance at pursuing the life they have been fighting for.
Check back next week for our first profile on a charismatic young man named Zaki, whose journey began in Sudan and is still unfolding here in Kansas City.
