BYU Magazine: "Strangers No More" Article Rated #1 in 2016
BYU Magazine readers rated TSOS founding member Melissa Dalton-Bradford’s article titled “Strangers No More” their most popular article in 2016. In her article, Melissa documented the story of the Khan family and their long, terrifying flight from Afghanistan to Germany where she connected with them in a refugee camp:
https://magazine.byu.edu/article/top-10-byu-magazine-stories-of-2016/
About the success of her article, Melissa says, “If this type of article resonated with readers, I believe it should be accredited to the Khan family and to the readers. The Khans, with their resilience and cohesion in spite of horror and deprivation, speak to us because we share a human heart. I’m grateful I was able to transmit this story to others and I hope to write many more such stories.“
Melissa began working in refugee camps in the Frankfurt, Germany area in the fall of 2015. She continues to be personally involved in assisting displaced individuals in the asylum and integration process. Watch for more of Melissa’s articles in 2017 as she continues to share insights and stories of other migrants seeking a safe place to live.
The Khan family and Melissa Dalton-Bradford first connected in a tent refugee camp with over 500 residents an hour away from her home. (Melissa, in the bottom right-hand corner, took this selfie.) The camp has since been closed and the Khans and other residents have been housed in various types of living quarters in communities throughout the state of Hessen in Germany.
My First Asylum Case: An Attorney's Perspective on Asylum in the United States
I took my first asylum case in 2016, when our national dialog on immigration took a decidedly negative turn. As a corporate attorney, I had no experience in immigration law, but my license allowed me to represent individuals fleeing severe persecution and I signed with a local non-profit to offer my help. My first asylum client was a young mother and her two small daughters. I could see myself in Saba.
Their Story is Our Story Applauds the Signing of Virginia House Bill 995 and Continues Efforts to Open Doors for Foreign-trained Medical Professionals in Other States
Their Story is Our Story (TSOS), a non-profit organization that collects and shares the experiences of refugees to deepen understanding and influence action, applauds the signing of Virginia House Bill 995 into law by Governor Glenn Youngkin, after its unanimous passage through the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate. It will create a pathway for foreign-trained doctors who have immigrated to the state, including those whose careers were interrupted by forcible displacement, to fill workforce gaps in medically underserved communities.
Idaho One Refugee Conference
Last fall I was able to attend the 1Refugee Conference in Idaho. The event was well organized and everyone who approached our table was interested in what we did and wanted to know how to get involved. There were at least 100 students majoring in a variety of things who attended the event and we had 20 students give us their contact information. Most were interested in our internship programs.