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Blog → March 14, 2022

Idaho Conference on Refugees: Belonging Begins with Us

Idaho Conference 2022

When you’re part of a virtual organization like ours sprinkled throughout parts of the U.S., UK, EU, Africa and South America, it can be challenging to feel a sense of connection and camaraderie with other TSOS teammates and even more difficult to measure the impact of the work you are doing. So last week when three of us--Brandi from Washington D.C., Sherianne from Montana, and Robin from Arizona--were able to meet in person at the Idaho Conference of Refugees, we were almost giddy! Added to that, we each felt such a deep sense of satisfaction to be able to share stories from our Global Refugee Archive Mental Health collection to a packed house of like-minded individuals who strongly affirmed our message and mission.

Idaho has strong engagement from many organizations who are supporting refugee newcomers to successfully integrate. During this two-day event, we made connections with and learned from community partners like: Idaho Office For Refugees, One Refugee, International Rescue Committee of Idaho, Jannus Economic Opportunity, Global Talent,Idaho Commission On The Arts, College of Southern Idaho, and others.

We plan to incorporate the things we learned and expand our storytelling opportunities in the Idaho region. Special thanks to the Idaho Office of Refugees for inviting TSOS to help create communities of welcome and belonging for all who have been displaced.

Global Refugee Archive TSOS 1
Global Refugee Archive TSOS

If you have a story you would like to contribute to the Global Refugee Archive or to discuss a special collaborative project contact us.

What would you do if you had to leave everything behind?

By the end of 2024, more than 123.2 million people worldwide had been forcibly displaced from their homes due to war, persecution, or human rights abuses.

An increase of 7.2 million over 2023, that’s more than 19,619 people every day — roughly one person every 4.4 seconds.

They arrive in refugee camps and other countries, like the US, seeking the one thing they’ve lost: safety.

Fleeing political imprisonment, ethnic violence, religious persecution, gang threats, or war crimes, they come with what little they managed to carry:

Legal papers – if they’re lucky.

A single backpack.

Sometimes a child’s hand in theirs.

They also carry the weight of what they left behind: fractured families, homes they’ll never return to, professions they loved, friends and relatives they may never see again.

They carry loss most of us can’t imagine – but also the truth of what they’ve endured.

At TSOS, we believe stories are a form of justice. When someone shares their experience of forced displacement, they reclaim their voice. And when we amplify that voice – through film, photography, writing, and advocacy – the world listens. Hearts soften. Communities open. Policy begins to shift.

That shift matters. Because when neighbors understand instead of fear…

when lawmakers see people, not politics…

when a teacher knows what her student has survived…

Rebuilding life from the ashes becomes possible.

We’re fighting an uphill battle. In today’s political climate, refugee stories are often twisted or ignored. They’re reduced to statistics, portrayed as national threats, or used to score political points.

The truth – the human, nuanced truth – gets lost, and when it does, we lose compassion.

We are here to share their truth anyway.

At TSOS, we don’t answer to headlines or algorithms. We are guided by a simple conviction: every person deserves to be seen, heard, and welcomed.

Our work is powered by the people we meet — refugees and asylum seekers rebuilding after loss, allies offering sanctuary, and communities daring to extend belonging.

Your support helps us share their stories — and ensure they’re heard where they matter most.

“What ultimately persuaded the judge wasn’t a legal argument. It was her story.”

— Kristen Smith Dayley, Executive Director, TSOS

Will you help us keep telling the truth?

No donation is too small — and it only takes a minute of your time.

Why give monthly?

We value every gift, but recurring contributions allow us to plan ahead and invest more deeply in:

  • New refugee storytelling and advocacy projects
  • Resources to train and equip forcibly displaced people to share their own stories
  • Public education that challenges fear with empathy
  • Local efforts that help communities welcome and integrate newcomers

As our thank-you, monthly supporters receive fewer fundraising messages — and more stories of the impact they’re making possible.

You don’t have to be displaced to stand with those who are.

Can you give today — and help carry these stories forward?

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