2023
10 women activists and leaders making the world a better place IRC
“Celebrating brave women who won’t wait for change to happen for their families and communities.” (3/7/23)
Ukraine teen refugee finds violence at San Francisco school so bad she wants to go back Firstpost
“Yana, who escaped the war, became a bullying target. She alleged that her mobile phone was stolen and a group of students persistently threatened her.” (2/22/23)
Young digital activists help Ukrainian refugees and Turkey quake survivors find homes CBS
“Harvard student helps more than 100,000 people in Ukraine, Syria and Turkey find places to live, after war and earthquakes cost them their homes.” (5/17/23)
There could be 1.2 billion climate refugees by 2025. Here’s what you need to know Zurich
“Extreme weather, rising seas and damaged ecosystems are threatening the lives of millions of climate refugees. A collective effort is needed to solve the issue of climate migration and help the “world’s forgotten victims” of climate change.” (6/3/23)
Choosing Courage in the Face of New Challenges UNHCR
“Seventeen-year-old Rojina Rai was born in a refugee camp in Nepal after her family was forced to flee persecution in Bhutan. Now a high school student living in Ohio, Rojina is finding strength from her personal journey to overcome challenges in her new community after being resettled to the United States.” (3/7/23)
Refugee Teenagers: escape and protection from persecution and war UNHCR
“Every day, somewhere on this planet, teenagers become refugees. These are young people who have fled their home countries to escape persecution or war. The persecution could be physical violence, harassment and wrongful arrest, or threats to their lives. […] Sometimes all they have left is their dreams, their hopes, their will to survive.” (6/20/23)
The story of one Afghan teen who was separated from his family while evacuating Kabul NPR
“As Kabul fell to the Taliban in 2021, a teenager was separated from his family at the airport and wound up on a plane without them. He's been in the U.S. ever since — alone.” (7/4/23)
'Harder than I expected': Here's what happened when a group of rural Minnesotans welcomed a refugee family CNN
“A three-generation family from Africa is the first to arrive in the US — to a rural Minnesota community — under a new program called Welcome Corps, which allows groups of private citizens to sponsor refugees.” (7/14/23)
At age 12, he fled the Taliban to try to save his family. Then he faced years in US custody USA Today
“I just wanted to get my family out of Afghanistan. I wanted to go anywhere.” (8/13/23)
An act of Congress could grant legal status to thousands of Afghan allies. What’s the holdup? Vox
“Two years after Kabul fell, tens of thousands of Afghans are still stuck in limbo in the US.” (8/15/23)
UNHCR: more than 7 million refugee children out of school UNCHR
“More than seven million refugee children are out of school globally according to UN data – that’s more than half the world’s population of displaced, school-aged children.” (9/8/23)
Ukrainian teen, back home a year later: 'I didn’t have time to be a kid' MSNBC
“While in Poland, Ali met a 15-year-old Ukrainian refugee named Anastasiia Shpot, or Nastia as she is known. She had been forced to flee her eastern Ukrainian hometown of Pershotravensk in eastern Ukraine, about halfway between Dnipro and Donetsk. Now Ali is back in Ukraine, and visited Nastia at her home with her family, not far from the front lines.” (2/25/23)
“Don’t Leave Me Behind: Stories of Young Ukranian Survival” Documentary to appear on MTV, commercial-free Deadline
“Ukrainian teens are the focus of the new documentary Don’t Leave Me Behind: Stories of Young Ukrainian Survival, which will premiere on MTV on February 21, just days before the war’s one-year anniversary. MTV is airing the film commercial-free.” (2/6/23)
2022
Photos of Ukrainian Refugees Offer Window Into Their Daily Lives in Poland Teen Vogue
This article includes firsthand descriptions of what life is like as a Ukrainian refugee. (4/20/22)
'Kids need kids': Program connects Afghan refugee children with Milwaukee buddies to help ease transition to life in America Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“The “Be a Buddy” program, run by the Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition, has a bit of language-learning and cultural orientation in its twice-monthly Saturday events. But its main goal, organizers say, is simple: to let the kids have fun and make friends.” (3/18/22)
Voices from Ukraine: The Story of 4 Refugees Scholastic
“Polish journalist Gabriela Sanek and Scholastic interviewed four Ukrainian teens forced to flee after Russia invaded their country in February 2022. Read more about their harrowing experiences and the history between Russia and Ukraine in Junior Scholastic magazine.” (11/14/22)
An Afghan refugee’s difficult journey in Missouri leads to his death Propublica
“When Kabul fell, Biden promised to rescue Afghan allies. For 14-year-old Rezwan Kohistani and his family, that meant being sent to a remote Missouri town where no other Afghans lived. “We’d been left alone,” said Rezwan’s father.” (11/19/22)
Review of “The Swimmers” RogerEbert.com
“Based on the true story of Yusra and Sara Mardini, two Syrian refugee sisters, is a touching portrait of their fight to survive and achieve the impossible.” (11/23/22)
From Afghanistan to Austin, One Refugee Boy’s Experience Education Week
“One Austin middle schooler who arrived from Afghanistan in 2021 and has been enrolled in school for a year, shares his experience.” (12/1/22)
“I Try Not to Cry”, teenage refugee copes with leaving parents in Ukraine CNN
“CNN's Matt Rivers shares the story of 17-year-old Alla Renska, a Ukrainian teen refugee sent to Budapest, Hungary, by her parents to escape the war.” (4/4/22)
Afghan teen leads family into new life in America Youth Today
“17-year-old Shahrukh Khalilbeak shares his story as he navigates his and his family’s journey in the United States.” (5/12/22)
The difficulty of integrating into an American School WEBZ Chicago
“Last fall, 18-year-old Omar showed up at Sullivan High School in Rogers Park without papers or ID. As more students followed, teachers rebuilt school from scratch.” (5/27/22)
Through her eyes: A Ukrainian Teenager’s Video Diary UNICEF
“In the early days of the war in Ukraine, 16-year-old Oleksandra began keeping a video diary. By turns frightened, determined and hopeful, the diary offers a glimpse into the war as seen through the eyes of a teenager from Zaporizhzhia — from the weeks living in bomb shelters to her current life as a refugee in Poland with her mother, Anna, her grandmother Olga and little sister, Katya.” (6/13/22)
One year after evacuating Afghanistan, teen refugee pursues musical dreams PBS
“This month marks one year since the U.S. withdrawal of military forces from Afghanistan, leading to the evacuation of tens of thousands of Afghan nationals since last August. Now, one teen refugee is pursuing her musical dreams thanks to a guitar donated through a youth-led organization in Phoenix.” (8/13/22)
2021
Thousands of Afghan children and teenage refugees will soon be enrolled in America’s public schools Washington Post
“Thousands of refugee children and teenagers are about to enter new schools in the United States, here’s what to know.” (11/12/21)
Thousands of Syrians fled to the US. Ten years later, their lives tell stories of resilience NorthJersey.com
This article shares the stories of Syrian refugees who fled to the United States. (12/20/21)
1,450 Afghan kids were evacuated to the US without their parents. Some are ‘never going to be reunited with family’ CNN
This article talks about the over 1,000 children who fled Afghanistan as refugees without their parents, and the struggles they’re presently facing. (12/27/21)
Climate Refugees—the World’s Forgotten Victims WeForum
“As the global climate crisis worsens, an increasing number of people are being forced to flee their homes due to natural disasters, droughts, and other weather events. These people are sometimes called “climate refugees”. Who are these climate refugees? And how can the international community properly address this issue?” (6/18/21)
Inside “Refugee High” a book about new teenagers in America” an excerpt from the book by Elly Fishman Chalkbeat Chicago
“Examining the lives of refugee teenagers in their respective high schools in Chicago.” (8/10/21)
Children are 40 percent of Afghan refugees. Nonprofits are tasked to find them homes NPR
“Scott Simon speaks with Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, about how her organization helps Afghan refugee children resettle in the U.S.” (10/30/21)
Why So Many Kids Cross the Border Alone CNN
“Here are some of the facts that we know about why children are leaving their homes as refugees alone.”(3/17/21)