dreams of refuge

Lara, age 4, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD: ‘When I grow up, I want to be Elsa from Frozen.’
Lara, age 4, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD: ‘When I grow up, I want to be Elsa from Frozen.’
Lara, age 4, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD: ‘When I grow up, I want to be Elsa from Frozen.’
Lara, age 4, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD: ‘When I grow up, I want to be Elsa from Frozen.’
Lara, age 4, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD: ‘When I grow up, I want to be Elsa from Frozen.’
Lara, age 4, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD: ‘When I grow up, I want to be Elsa from Frozen.’
Lara, age 4, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD: ‘When I grow up, I want to be Elsa from Frozen.’
Lara, age 4, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD: ‘When I grow up, I want to be Elsa from Frozen.’
Tala, age 7, future emergency doctor in the U.S. and in Jordan, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD.
Tala, age 7, future emergency doctor in the U.S. and in Jordan, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD.
Tala, age 7, future emergency doctor in the U.S. and in Jordan, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD.
Tala, age 7, future emergency doctor in the U.S. and in Jordan, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD.
Lara, age 4, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD: ‘When I grow up, I want to be Elsa from Frozen.’
Lara, age 4, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD: ‘When I grow up, I want to be Elsa from Frozen.’
Tala, age 7, future emergency doctor in the U.S. and in Jordan, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD.
Tala, age 7, future emergency doctor in the U.S. and in Jordan, from Syria and Hyattsville, MD.
Balar, age 4, from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Hyattsville, MD: ‘When I grow up, I want to be a Cheetah.’
Balar, age 4, from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Hyattsville, MD: ‘When I grow up, I want to be a Cheetah.’
Balar, age 4, from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Hyattsville, MD: ‘When I grow up, I want to be a Cheetah.’
Balar, age 4, from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Hyattsville, MD: ‘When I grow up, I want to be a Cheetah.’
Bahra, age 6, future baker and world traveler from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Hyattsville, MD.
Bahra, age 6, future baker and world traveler from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Hyattsville, MD.
Bahra, age 6, future baker and world traveler from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Hyattsville, MD.
Bahra, age 6, future baker and world traveler from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Hyattsville, MD.
Zahra & Hasina
Zahra & Hasina
Hasina, age 9, future pediatrician, from Afghanistan and Reston, VA.
Hasina, age 9, future pediatrician, from Afghanistan and Reston, VA.
Zahra, age 7, future neurologist, from Afghanistan and Reston, VA.
Zahra, age 7, future neurologist, from Afghanistan and Reston, VA.
Zahra, age 7, future neurologist, from Afghanistan and Reston, VA.
Zahra, age 7, future neurologist, from Afghanistan and Reston, VA.
hope
hope
Ahmed Sulaiman, age 6, from Afghanistan and Alexandria, VA: ‘I really don’t like home works. When I grow up I want to have my own office.’
Ahmed Sulaiman, age 6, from Afghanistan and Alexandria, VA: ‘I really don’t like home works. When I grow up I want to have my own office.’
Ahmed Sulaiman, age 6, from Afghanistan and Alexandria, VA: ‘I really don’t like home works. When I grow up I want to have my own office.’
Ahmed Sulaiman, age 6, from Afghanistan and Alexandria, VA: ‘I really don’t like home works. When I grow up I want to have my own office.’
Munaza, age 4, future fine artist, from Afghanistan and Alexandria, VA.
Munaza, age 4, future fine artist, from Afghanistan and Alexandria, VA.
Youssef, age 13, future cricket player from Afghanistan and Alexandria, VA.
Youssef, age 13, future cricket player from Afghanistan and Alexandria, VA.
Roseline, age 8, future private investigator, from the Central African Republic and Riverdale, MD: ‘I want to be like Ms. O in the TV show Odd Squad and investigate strange things happening through math.’
Roseline, age 8, future private investigator, from the Central African Republic and Riverdale, MD: ‘I want to be like Ms. O in the TV show Odd Squad and investigate strange things happening through math.’
Judicael, age 10, future soccer star, from the Central African Republic and Riverdale, MD.
Judicael, age 10, future soccer star, from the Central African Republic and Riverdale, MD.
Judicael, age 10, future soccer star, from the Central African Republic and Riverdale, MD.
Judicael, age 10, future soccer star, from the Central African Republic and Riverdale, MD.
Delphin, age 6, future batman, from the Central African Republic and Riverdale, MD: ‘I want to save the world and help people.’
Delphin, age 6, future batman, from the Central African Republic and Riverdale, MD: ‘I want to save the world and help people.’
Adelphe, age 2, future dinosaur from the Central African Republic and Riverdale, MD.
Adelphe, age 2, future dinosaur from the Central African Republic and Riverdale, MD.
Irvin, Arcangel & Suri
Irvin, Arcangel & Suri
Irvin Rafael, age 11, future minotaur, from El Salvador and Riverdale, MD with his little sister.
Irvin Rafael, age 11, future minotaur, from El Salvador and Riverdale, MD with his little sister.
Irvin, Suri and their little sister
Irvin, Suri and their little sister
Irvin & Arcangel
Irvin & Arcangel
Arcangel Elias, age 8, future pediatrician, from El Salvador and Riverdale, MD.
Arcangel Elias, age 8, future pediatrician, from El Salvador and Riverdale, MD.
Suri Ailin, age 7, future music teacher, from El Salvador and Riverdale, MD.
Suri Ailin, age 7, future music teacher, from El Salvador and Riverdale, MD.
Suri Ailin, age 7, future music teacher, from El Salvador and Riverdale, MD.
Suri Ailin, age 7, future music teacher, from El Salvador and Riverdale, MD.
Suri Ailin, age 7, future music teacher, from El Salvador and Riverdale, MD.
Suri Ailin, age 7, future music teacher, from El Salvador and Riverdale, MD.
Little sister
Little sister
Little sister
Little sister
Rachel, age 10, future nurse or scientist, from Cuba and La Plata, MD.
Rachel, age 10, future nurse or scientist, from Cuba and La Plata, MD.
Rachel, age 10, future nurse or scientist, from Cuba and La Plata, MD.
Rachel, age 10, future nurse or scientist, from Cuba and La Plata, MD.
This project gives a voice to the next generation by exploring the dreams of children that arrived in the Washington DC metro area as refugees.
The story of each family may be different but the children share similar hopes of a future where they can be whatever they want to be.
Balar, four years old from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, wants to be a cheetah when she grows up. Lara, four years old from Syria, simply wants to be five to finally start school.
The intent is to realize that children are children and that their place of birth is not the only thing defining them. Look the kids in the eyes, connect with them through a smile and find our common humanity. Within the children’s eyes, you will find your own inner child. Take a moment to reflect and listen:
Have you become what you dreamed to be?