Imagine waking up one morning to the gunfire sounds of radicalised militia attacking your village. You might be a surgeon, a craftsman, a teacher, a child. It doesn’t matter. Your normal routine comes to an abrupt halt.
Imagine your husband dying and your life and those of your children being thrown into danger, because of your gender. You are powerless. Your children’s lives are at risk.
Your safety and that of your family becomes your only priority. You are forced to flee.
Read Let Me Tell You My Story, our debut volume containing the personal stories that we have gathered of the men, women and children who, through no fault of their own, became refugees.
Heartbreaking, hopeful and unapologetically honest, these firsthand accounts highlight the resistance, resilience and grit of the human spirit, and serve as a lesson to us all about compassion and community.
Published by Familius, this 332-page Amazon best-selling hardback book features photographs by Portraitist of France 2017, Christophe Mortier and award-winning UK-based photographer, Lindsay Silsby, and illustrations by award-winning portraitist, Elizabeth Thayer.
“An extraordinary collection of extraordinary lives lived out in extraordinary circumstances. Let Me Tell You My Story is a compelling read and one that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself is finished and set back upon the shelf. A unique and outstanding contribution to our contemporary national discussion over refugees and immigration, Let Me Tell You My Story should be a part of every community and academic library collection in the country.”
- Midwest Book Review
“Common threads are the resilience of the protagonists, the search for a dignified life with the ability to work, the desire to reunite with family, and the inhumanity and exploitation of smugglers. Many stories are incredibly touching and accessible.”
- Kirkus Reviews
“With no political power, refugees are often left without a voice. Let Me Tell You My Story helps refugees reclaim some power and dignity by giving them a platform to tell their stories.”
-Brandon Stanton, author of Humans of New York
“The poignant stories and compelling images in this volume provide a powerful counterpoint to the dehumanization of people on the move in Europe and around the world. Highly recommended.”
- Dr. Reece Jones, author of Violent Borders: Refugees and the Right to Move
“Through paintings and photographs, full of beauty and dignity, we are privileged to meet real people living the tragedy of refugee life. Their loss is palpable, and their courage and yearning to be free shines through on the page. With this book comes hope and a way for readers of all ages to share the emotion and trauma of refugee life and to recognise our shared humanity."
- Karen Lynn Williams, coauthor of Four Feet, Two Sandals and Peace Corp volunteer
“My daughters are in 6th grade and this year they have a new student in their class. She is from Afghanistan.
"So in an attempt to help them understand the country she has come from, I began reading to them these refugee stories of courage and hope. With each handful of words I read [...] they were considering it all. The sting of loss. The darkness of despair. The wrongs of injustice. And the need for compassion. As I finished, I noticed my daughter’s large brown eyes rimmed with tears. That is the power of this book at work in our family.”
- Catherine Arveseth, Author and blogger
