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Blog

In The News

KSL TV: Global refugee archive collecting the stories of the world’s displaced

KSL TV covers the launch of the Global Refugee Archive in a segment that aired during the evening news on October 21, 2021.

October 21, 2021

In The News

KSL News: BYU library now hosts archive of refugee stories from Their Story is Our Story

KSL News covers the launch of the Global Refugee Archive, hosted by Brigham Young University's library.

October 21, 2021

Puget Sound Welcome Back Center: Creating Career Pathways for High-Skilled Refugees

Imagine years of experience in a career as a doctor, or engineer, or pharmacist being cut short in your prime. Puget Sound Welcome Back Centers offer career path solutions for refugees.

October 19, 2021

Press Release

Their Story is Our Story Announces Launch of Global Refugee Archive

Their Story is Our Story (TSOS) today announced the launch of the Global Refugee Archive, a database of refugee stories from around the world. The archive is housed at Brigham Young University’s Harold B. Lee Library ScholarsArchive and is available to the public, academic researchers, and humanitarians alike.

October 18, 2021

Book Review

My Name is Tani...and I Believe in Miracles by Tanitoluwa Adewumi

An amazing true story following the journey of Tanitoluwa Adewumiand and his family as they resettle in the United States from Nigeria. My Name is Tani… and I Believe in Miracles: the Amazing True Story of One Boy’s Journey From Refugee to Chess Champion has three editions. Read more to learn about which book is just right for your family!

October 13, 2021

Book Review

Book Review: Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian-My Story of Rescue, Hope and Triumph

A perfect book for high schoolers or adults looking for an uplifting story of how hard work and grit pay off. Dive into this story of Yusra Mardini's journey from Syria to Germany to the Olympics.

September 30, 2021

Book Review

Book Review: When Stars are Scattered

A beautifully illustrated graphic novel sharing the story of Omar and his brother as they find friendship, love, family, and hope.

September 30, 2021

Book Review

Book Review: The Boy at the Back of the Class

A story of friendship, bravery, and speaking up. Follow along with Ahmet, a Syrian refugee, and his new friends.

September 30, 2021

Book Review

Book Review: When Jessie Came Across the Sea

When Jessie Came Across the Sea recounts the story of Jessie, a young teen from eastern Europe who was given the opportunity by her rabbi to travel to America and start a new life there.

September 27, 2021

Book Review

Book Review: A Different Pond

A Different Pond is author Bao Phi's dedication to his childhood and the part his parents played in seeking safety and providing for their family of eight.

September 27, 2021
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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.