READ OUR OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON THE U.S. FY2026 REFUGEE ADMISSIONS CAP AND PRIORITIZATION
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH DISPLACEMENT, RESETTLEMENT, DEPORTATION, AND ICE #ANONYMOUSAMONGUS

Refugee Physicians Advocacy Coalition

Refugee Physicians Advocacy Coalition

Advancing Careers: VCU and RPA Launch Medical English and Cultural Competencies Course for International Physicians

Foreign-trained doctors bring invaluable medical expertise, but navigating communication and cultural differences in the U.S. healthcare system can be a challenge. That’s why the @Refugee Physicians Advocacy Coalition #RPA has partnered with @Virginia Commonwealth University’s #VCU Global Education department to co-design a new course: “Medical English and Cultural Competencies in the U.S. Healthcare System.

June 23, 2025

Refugee Physicians Advocacy Coalition

The U.S. Healthcare Workforce Shortage Is Growing — But So Is The Solution

Virginia is short 770 primary care physicians today — and that number will near 1,000 by 2035. The strain is real: longer wait times, physician burnout, and limited care, especially in rural and underserved communities.

There’s a solution hiding in plain sight: International Medical Graduates (IMGs).

IMGs are highly trained professionals with deep clinical experience and a commitment to primary care. Studies show they perform as well as or better than U.S.-trained doctors in managing chronic conditions and improving patient outcomes — especially for diverse and immigrant populations.

June 18, 2025

Refugee Physicians Advocacy Coalition

RPA Founders Present at the 2024 National Afghan Medical Professionals Association of America Scientific Conference

Dr. Sarah Kureshi and Brandi Kilmer, co-founders of the Refugee Physicians Advocacy (RPA) Coalition, presented at the 2024 National Afghan Medical Professionals Association of America (AMPPA) Scientific Conference in October. Their topic “Strengthening the Medical Workforce with Skilled International Physicians” resonated strongly with an audience of over 50 Afghan professionals who share an interest in advancing the medical careers of displaced Afghans.

January 2, 2025

Refugee Physicians Advocacy Coalition

Refugee Doctors Advocate for Legislative Change

The inspiring journey of refugee doctors advocating for legislative changes to ease their path back into medical practice in the U.S. Discover how their efforts led to the unanimous passing of House Bill 995 in Virginia, offering a temporary licensure pathway for International Medical Graduates (IMGs).

October 21, 2024

Refugee Physicians Advocacy CoalitionPress Release

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.

April 11, 2024
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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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Their Story is Our Story is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization under the United States Internal Revenue Code. All donations are tax-deductible. Our tax identification number is 812983626.