Reflections of Let Me Tell You My Story by Kate Farrell
Written by Megan Carson
Kate Farrell, Director of Marketing and PR at Familius, has been an invaluable source of vision and energy in helping us launch our book, Let Me Tell You My Story. We are so grateful for the efforts and talents she brings to helping us share the stories of our friends seeking refuge. Here are some of her thoughts about working on this project with us:
“When I was in college, I studied how storytelling through media can create communities and inspire social change. I know that this book will prompt long-lasting ripples of powerful dialogue.
“I’ve always had access to an education, a bed, and my family to hug. I learned about other cultures primarily through two other luxuries: books and travel. I cared deeply about others, and always tried to listen to others when I met them. As I grew, I increasingly realized that this wasn’t quite enough. Many of the media platforms that I admired and wanted to learn about diversity from were dominated by people who had access to the same things that I did growing up, and who often looked very similar to me.
“As I learned, listened, and grew, I searched for answers and tried to listen to stories created by people of all backgrounds, something that became increasingly important as my awareness of life outside of my small town grew too.
“Speaking with and supporting the TSOS team, reading these refugees’ stories, and promoting this book makes me feel like I am fighting for a better future.
“Everyone deserves a platform to tell their stories. We must listen to and acknowledge the coexisting pain and the love in the journeys of those around us. We must learn about one another’s cultural backgrounds, hardships, and personal victories (if our friends are willing to share) so we know how we may best love and support each other as humans with commonalities, but also beautiful, wonderful differences.
“I feel the TSOS team is my family, and I am extremely grateful to them for laboring over this book for years before I joined the project. I am also extremely grateful to every refugee who was willing to share their story and their voice for their project. Your bravery and vulnerability is beautiful, and you are strong beyond what I could ever hope to be. I hope that this book will take readers’ breath away and compel them to take moments out of distractingly busy lives to connect with the people within these pages. Human stories are what life is about- I’m just lucky to be able to work with and share them.”
-- Kate Farrell, Director of Marketing and PR at Familius
Official Statement on the Detention of Refugees and Ongoing Community Violence
With another death in Minnesota and continued violence toward individuals and groups standing up for their communities, we acknowledge the profound fear and uncertainty people are feeling--not just locally, but across the country.
On top of this, there are reports that refugees invited and admitted to our country through the U.S. Refugee Admission Program are now being detained, meaning that our new friends and neighbors feel that fear most acutely.
Refugees have already fled violence and persecution once. They came here legally, seeking safety. In moments like these, we reaffirm our commitment to building communities where refugees and immigrants can live without fear. Where they can go to work, send their children to school, and build lives of dignity and belonging.
We call for due process, accountability, and humanity in all immigration enforcement operations. We call upon our leaders to demand the demilitarization of our neighborhoods and cities. And we call on all of us to continue the work of welcoming and protecting those who have been forcibly displaced from their homes.