READ OUR OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON THE DETENTION OF REFUGEES AND ONGOING COMMUNITY VIOLENCE
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH DISPLACEMENT, RESETTLEMENT, DEPORTATION, AND ICE #ANONYMOUSAMONGUS

How do refugee stories begin?

For many displaced persons, their stories begin like any other story. "I had a beautiful childhood." "I had a good job". "I was an engineer". "I was a surgeon."

Hazrat
Hazrat  ·  Afghanistan
Salman Etching
Afghanistan

But then the narrative changes: “One day, I received a threatening letter from the Taliban”. “Then one day, my husband was abducted by members of a vicious gang”. “Then one day, ISIS”. “Then one day, bombs."

MYKOLA
Mykola  ·  Ukraine
Ry F408 EQ
Aarash  ·  Afghanistan

The scope of today’s global displacement is overwhelming. The names and places might change, but the dangers are the same. Despite the risks, refugees take desperate measures to save themselves and their families.

Large Ali 2016
Ali  ·  Afghanistan
Zarrin drawing by Elizabeth Benson Thayer
Zarrin  ·  Afghanistan

The distance a refugee might have to travel is staggering.


Edrees, Afghan from Iran
Edress  ·  Afghanistan
Potato Fields
Mothers Running With Families  ·  Syria

As the world experiences a steady increase in the number of refugees, there is upsurge of false narratives about refugees. Refugees are asked why they have claim on the basic human rights of safety, shelter, and work.

Rhenald, Nigeria
Rhenald  ·  Libya
Norina, Afghan from Iran
Norina  ·  Iran

Stories educate us. They show who people are, what they experience, and what they need. Stories can generate meaningful change.

We strive to change the perception of refugees through personal narratives. There is no them, only 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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