Why We Speak: Help Spread Refugee Stories

The refugee crisis represents a pressing humanitarian emergency and calls for an empathetic response. At the core of our mission for 15 years, we have prioritized elevating the voices of refugees and demanding change on a global scale to ensure that their stories are acknowledged and recorded.

Experiencing these tragic circumstances are thousands of migrants from Haiti, Venezuela, and an increasing number from Africa and Asia crossing the Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama. This remote passage encompasses over sixty miles of dense rainforests, steep mountains, and expansive swamps, constituting a treacherous journey. “Deep in the jungle, robbery, rape, and human trafficking are as dangerous as wild animals, insects, and the absolute lack of safe drinking water. Week after week, more children are dying, losing their parents, or getting separated from their relatives while on this perilous journey,” said Jean Gough, regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean at UNICEF.

In recent years, the area has become a leading transit point for migrants searching for work and sanctuary in the United States. Most migrants aim for the southern U.S. border, hoping the government and current presidential administration will grant them asylum. Economic insecurity, political turmoil, violence, climate change, and the lifting of COVID-19 border restrictions are among the many reasons propelling migrants from their home countries. 

Our commitment to amplifying the voices of refugees and providing a platform to express themselves remains strong. 3G continues to spread awareness about the plight of refugees and document their stories to get the support and compassion they deserve. To learn more about this and our other issues, please visit our website at 3generations.org and sign up for our newsletter to stay current on 3 Generations news.

3 Generations believes that the refugee situation is a humanitarian crisis that demands a humane response. Amplifying the voices of refugees has been at the forefront of our mission for over a decade; we tell their stories around the world to ensure their struggles are witnessed and documented.

For the past three years, we have hosted the 3 Generations Youth Video Contest to amplify the voices of our young people (15-24) and give them a platform from which to be heard on the issues that matter the most to them. From climate change and racial justice to reproductive rights, youth activists have been at the forefront of our social movements for decades. With 143 submissions from 30 countries, our video contest has a truly global reach. 

War has caused some of our contestants' home nations to become refugee countries, while others live in nations that welcome asylum seekers. One of our contestants documented her summer in Kyiv at the beginning of the Russian’s invasion of Ukraine last year. When we spoke to the contestant about her film, she shared “An air raid siren went off several times during filming, and it eventually made it into the film. The idea of this film is that even during the war life goes on in Kyiv, we all have dreams and we're looking forward to our victory. The war in Ukraine is going on, Russia is bombing Kyiv and other cities and towns. We need support from people all over the world.” 

3 Generations will continue amplifying the voices of refugees and providing them a platform to express themselves. The Youth Video Contest Award Ceremony will be live streamed on Thursday, May 25th. You can sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on 3 Generations news, cast your vote for the Viewer’s Choice award on our website soon and gain access to this exciting event!

The genocidal attacks on the Rohingya people of Myanmar began in August of 2017, and has resulted in the deaths of thousands of men, women and children. The United Nations estimates that approximately 700,000 people were forced to flee the country for safety, and many survivors still live in horrific conditions in camps in Bangladesh. At 3 Generations, we work to bring attention to the devastating effects of this ongoing refugee crisis, as well as support the lives and stories of refugees. 

In our shirt film, A Refugee’s Journey, Imran Mohammad, detailed his personal 7 year journey, over 14,217 miles, across continents,  that finally led him to make his home in Chicago, IL. His is a story of courage in the face of tragedy.  At 3 Generations, we are thrilled to share the progress and achievements that Imran, a Rohingya refugee and member of our advisory board, shares with us as he celebrates his recent marriage. 

“Thank you Azimah for choosing me as your life partner.  I know you are a strong woman and your education in healthcare and passion for helping Rohingya women will be a blessing to our Rohingya community. I am blessed to have you as my wife. We have a long life ahead of us and I am sure we will grow together and become a strong voice for our people here in the U.S. and other places around the world.”

3 Generations continues to tell the stories of the plight of refugees around the world, making certain that their struggles are documented and borne witness to.

The Rohingya Genocide began in August of 2017. This year, in honor of the 5th anniversary of the Rohingya Genoicde, we caught up with Imran Mohammad. 

The genocide attacks on the Rohingya people of Myanmar began 5 years ago today, and has resulted in the deaths of thousands of men, women and children. The United Nations estimates that approximately 700,000 people were forced to flee the country for safety, and many survivors still live in horrific conditions in camps in Bangladesh. 

3 Generations believes that the refugee situation is a humanitarian crisis that demands a more humane response. We will continue to spread awareness about the plight of refugees and document their stories so that they can get the support and compassion that they deserve.

We are honored that Imran sat down with us to share an update on his life, his flourishing journalism career, and his activism in his community in Chicago. Below is a short excerpt from our conversation with Imran: 

Links:

• Catching up with Imran Mohammad

The amount of forcibly displaced people has been rising steadily in the last ten years. In the first half of 2021, there were more than 84 million refugees worldwide. At 3 Generations, we work to bring attention to the devastating effects of this ongoing refugee crisis. 

In 2021, Imran Mohammad, a Rohingya refugee and member of our advisory board, was recognized for his dedication to student journalism and awarded the “In Depth Reporting” award from the Pulitzer Center. Imran is now a writer and activist and has reported on the Rohingya diaspora in the United States as well as writing his own personal account of his 7 year journey from Myanmar to Chicacgo. 

In May 2022, Imran graduated from Truman College with an associate's degree in Political Science. Imran shared his immense joy with this heartfelt message:

“It has been a very emotional day and I still can’t believe that I have my associate's degree in my hand. There have been so many days when I cried thinking that I couldn’t do it.

I came to this nation after living in detention for more than seven years and have prioritized my education over everything. I didn’t have my family around me to cook a meal when I didn’t have any motivation and gave up invitations to do my homework. While most of my friends were having fun, I was doing my homework.

Holding my degree in my hand felt everything that I gave up was worth it.”

Here at 3 Generations, we were overjoyed and humbled by Imran’s story and are extremely impressed by all his achievements. In our short film about Imran, A Refugee’s Journey, he detailed his personal 7 year journey, over 14,217 miles, across continents,  that finally brought him to Chicago. We wish Imran all the best in his continued journey and look forward to continuing to tell his story and support him in any way we can. 

3 Generations believes that the refugee situation is a humanitarian crisis that demands a more humane response. We will continue to spread awareness about the plight of refugees and document their stories so that they can get the support and compassion that they deserve.