RadioActive: Refugee Stories are Our Stories
Written by Megan Carson
One of the co-founders of Their Story Is Our Story, Melissa Dalton-Bradford, was recently in Utah to receive a much-deserved award and recognition for her Service to Family from her alma mater, Brigham Young University.
While in town for the events surrounding that, she filled her schedule to the maximum humanly possible with events to spread the stories of our refugee friends and promote the recently released book of their stories, Let Me Tell You My Story.
Among the events that Melissa participated in, she was interviewed on the radio show Radio Active with Executive Producer/Host Lara Jones.
Here’s just one quote from that interview:
“How am I going to answer the upcoming generation? How am I going to leave some sort of small legacy so I could say, ‘I could not do everything, I’m sorry that I couldn’t do everything, but could I do something? Could I do something, just one small thing?’ It’s an accumulation of all of these one small things, that literally do shift history.”
Now, go and listen to the whole thing: Radio Active Interview with Melissa Dalton-Bradford. You can find it at 17:40 through 45:20. Absolutely worth the time to listen to!
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.