Investing in refugee resettlement is investing in America’s future. I’m proof of that | Opinion

This article was originally published by the Idaho Statesman.

This month, President Joe Biden will sign a new Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions, which sets the goal for refugee resettlement this coming year. Around the world, this number is recognized as an important sign of America’s commitment to refugees and protecting the most vulnerable.

Years ago, one of those refugees was me. I was born in Dadaab, the largest refugee camp in Kenya, where my mother and older siblings ended up in 1992 after fleeing the civil war in Somalia. The camp was safer than the war, but it was a hard place to grow up. Most people didn’t have enough food or water, and we only survived because of my mother’s work as a midwife.

When I was nine years old, we resettled in Boise. The transition wasn’t always easy. I was the only Black person in my class and had to learn a new language. It was especially difficult for my mother, who wasn’t able to continue her career in the United States despite her many credentials. However, it was also thrilling. We met many people in Idaho who supported us, and I learned the power of self-advocacy.

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