Written by Margo Watson
Growing up, I remember our table always had a variety of guests with diverse backgrounds, cultures, passions and stories. All were welcome in my parent’s home. I grew up loving differences, so it was not a surprise that my son in middle school said, “Mom our home is like a Forrest Gump home," meaning that every time he came down to breakfast, there was someone new staying with us. It could be a Japanese exchange student, or a Russian student trying to get into college, or dancers from Vietnam, or a family from Asia getting medical treatments for their son, or Ukrainian girls from an orphanage waiting for adoption, or Burmese refugees working so hard for their own home. They all had stories, fears, needs, passions, similarities and I loved being a part of their journey. It wasn’t always fun. It wasn’t always easy. But it was always rewarding.
When I learned about Their Story Is Our Story’s mission to spread the stories of refugees' tragedies, survival, grit, determination, and hope, I wanted to be apart of sharing their journey too. Because at the end of every story, I realize as does the reader or viewer of the amazing pictures accompanying these heroic individuals, they want the same things I want: Safety from dangers; Opportunities for themselves and their children; To be seen and acknowledged; To believe that their efforts would result in something better than their past allowing themselves and their loved ones, to be whole again.
As a young person, I too faced tragedy with the sudden deaths of a fiancé, then a husband but wanted my children to understand from the Gethsemanes I faced, that we can’t always choose what happens to us but we can choose how we respond to it. Like the refugees, my children learned they can do hard things; they can overcome and be their best selves and help others along the way. I plan to help those currently without a voice to be heard so they will be whole again. Hopefully, my background in media relations, broadcasting, marketing, public relations, music, theater and film performance will provide venues of opportunity to help with their journeys.