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Stories

United States

Daniel Bainbridge
Daniel Bainbridge  ·  United States

The Rohingya: Cultural Celebration, Human Connection, and Every Day Life

How one photographer uses his art to build connections with people around the world.
Lorri Haden
Lorri Haden  ·  United States

Representing Asylum

A lawyer describes one woman's legal journey to asylum
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Lanell Stedman  ·  United States

I'll Never Get Over Watching That Plane Land

How bringing refugees to America and giving them work builds a North Dakota community
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Julie Robinson  ·  United States

RISE-ing Voices

A Librarian Makes English Accessible to Newcomers
Maddie edited
Maggie  ·  United States

Connecting Communities with ESL

Tracy Dunn edited
Tracy Dunn  ·  United States

The Delights of the Classroom

A school teacher describes her experiences teaching English to children of refugees, and the unexpected joys that come with it.
Kristin Selby
Kristin Selby  ·  United States

Financial Independence Through Farming

A farming training program offers sustainability and employment for newcomers
Jack Kohlman
Jack Kohlman  ·  United States

I Don’t Want to be Idle. I Want to Love the People Around Me.

Katie Moran
Katie Moran  ·  United States

A Hub of Giving

Local communities can make a difference in re-housing newcomers and creating a home
Elwaad and Edman
Edman  ·  United States

“My Journey, My Family’s Journey, and My Community Have All Shaped Who I Am.”

Olivia Marshall
Olivia Marshall  ·  United States

I am Part of Something Much Bigger Than Myself

Matthew house
Amy Ulrickson  ·  United States

Regaining a Sense of Self and Individuality

Matthew House combats isolation and provides a sense of accomplishment through a student-led education curriculum
Claire Peterson
Claire Peterson  ·  United States

Volunteer Commitment and Community Buy-in is the Key to a Refugee’s Success

“Ask us how to help! We will find a place for you. There are so many things people could do for us.”
Sarah Kolsto1
Sarah Kolsto  ·  United States

Volunteers: The Key to Successful Refugee Integration

“I want volunteers who are going to be advocates for our families and to do this work for their whole lives.”
Lauren Weinhold 1
Lauren Weinhold  ·  United States

Hard Work is Heart Work

Kansas City’s biggest resettlement agency welcomes newcomers with warm homes and hope for integration
Hilary Cohen
Hilary Cohen Singer  ·  United States

The Difference Between Politics and People

Sarah Merwin
Sarah Merwin  ·  United States

Bridging Gaps and Fostering Hope in Kansas City

Ryan Hudnell
Ryan Hudnell  ·  United States

I See You, I Want to Know You

How Refugees Weave Color into Our Communities
Leisa McDonald Executive Director
Leisa McDonald  ·  United States

Matthew House Creates Community Where Community is Missing

Leisa McDonald and Her Welcome Teams Fill the Gaps with Friendship and Housing
Elwaad Samatar
Elwaad Samatar  ·  United States

Advocacy through Storytelling

A college student uses her voice to fight for others
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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?

Support Monthly Give Once
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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.