Refugee Integration in Virginia is a project supported by Virginia Humanities designed to inspire through storytelling to capture refugees and community members’ experiences in building community together and showcase the two-way process of integration.
“We recognize that we cannot undo hundreds of years of history or things that may happen elsewhere, but at least here in our community [Arlington], we can affirmatively stand up and say that not only do we believe that all are welcome, but we are going to build our local community to make that so….”
Nabil didn’t know what to expect when he first arrived in central Wisconsin. He and his wife Amina had just navigated through a flight transfer at Chicago O’Hare alone, with their two young daughters in tow. The family certainly didn’t expect to be greeted at the tiny Wisconsin airport by a group of volunteers as well as refugee resettlement staff.