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Refugee Storytellers Collective Collaboration

Amplifying the stories and perspectives of those who are experts in their lived experience

The Refugee Storytellers Collective is a group of individuals across the United States who are experts in their lived experiences. By sharing their stories and perspectives, they speak to the challenges refugees and asylum seekers face and the many ways they give back to society.

RCUSA collaborates with the Refugee Advocacy Lab and other partners to amplify The Refugee Storytellers Collective. The Collective involves individuals from across the U.S. with lived expertise in forced displacement to share their perspectives, build community through storytelling, and strengthen support for refugee resettlement, asylum, and immigration protections through education and advocacy opportunities. Members of the Collective speak to the challenges refugees and asylum seekers face and the contributions they make to our society through media interviews, talks, workshops, panels, and more.

Refugee Leadership Forum

The Refugee Leadership Forum is an annual event that is hosted by the Refugee Advocacy Lab and partners of the Refugee Storytellers Collective encompassing training on the Policy Landscape, Storytelling and Media Engagement, Content Creation for Change/Professional Networking, and Guided Advocacy Practice Sessions.

Highlighted Pieces and Reflections from Members of the Collective

Advocacy Days Reflection: The Travel Ban is Back - But So Is Our Voice

Salimatou Diallo is a Refugee Storytellers Collective member from Guinea and works in program management, community engagement, and equity and inclusivity at the International Rescue Committee.

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Eight Year Anniversary Reflections of 1 Million Rohingya Being Forcibly Displaced from Myanmar in 2017

Yasin Arfat is a former refugee from Myanmar and currently is a refugee advocate uplifting refugee voices and advancing human rights. Yasin is a National Young Adult Leadership Council member and Refugee Storyteller Collective Member who is passionate about raising awareness around the suffering and hopes of displaced people worldwide.

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Biden Should Back Refugee Resettlement to Strengthen America

Bahati Kanyamanza is a former refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo who now serves as the global partnerships director at the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP). “Every day, I meet people from around the world and I am reminded that refugees are some of the most resourceful and entrepreneurial people on this planet.”

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Former refugee draws on lived experience to build a more welcoming community in Washington state

As a Refugee Congress Delegate for Washington state, Tshishiku Henry leverages his expertise and lived experience to advocate for more welcoming policies and programs in his community as well as at the national level. “I’m working each and every day to speak for the voiceless. And I feel so good when I meet with elected officials and tell them the side of the story [about refugees] that they never knew.”

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Refugees make nation stronger

Adam Sadda, a member of the Refugee Storytellers Collective, shares his experience and how it exemplifies the importance of humanitarian protection where ALL people who have been forcibly displaced from their homes deserve safety, stability, and the opportunity to thrive.

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Refugee Storytellers Collective Homepage

Check out the Refugee Storytellers Collective (RSC) Homepage to learn more about the program and members of the collective. The RSC is led by the Refugee Advocacy Lab in partnership with RCUSA, Refugee Congress, WeaveTales, Refugees International, We Are All America, USA for UNHCR.

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