Announcement
Yasir was forced to flee his home country due to violence and persecution. After rebuilding in the Seattle area, he is now standing up for the rights of other refugee and immigrant families.
Photo: IRC/Andrew Oberstadt
In Baghdad, Yasir Magsoosi enjoyed a successful career as a journalist and interpreter for international news outlets, including The New York Times. Like many Iraqis working with U.S. entities, however, Yasir became the target of violent threats. Fearing for his family’s safety, Yasir sought refuge in the U.S. With support from his new community, Yasir now works as a paraprofessional educator with Tukwila School District – one of the most diverse school districts in the United States – and as an ESL teacher at a local community college. Yasir recently travelled to Washington, D.C., joining refugee community leaders and other advocates from across the country to call on Congress to fight for the rights of refugees. He shares about his experience in D.C. with us here:
I have a lot of heroes who inspire me every single day: Martin Luther King Jr., my family, and my students. Dr. King left an impact not just on Americans, but the world. Without his movement, I wouldn’t be here right now. My family has always been there for me despite the challenges, the dangers we faced. My adult students who I teach English to inspire me every night. They come from work, exhausted. Many have experienced unimaginable terrors from their home country. Many of their parents were deported. But they leave that all behind and come ready to learn.
This is why I decided to stand up for refugee rights in the U.S. I’ve seen and experienced firsthand what a welcome can do for people who’ve spent most of their lives living in fear. I just learned that shortly after our meeting with her office, Senator Murray decided to cosponsor the GRACE Act, which will set the minimum annual refugee admissions at 95,000!
I am lucky to have a chance to come to the U.S, but my happiness is bittersweet because I think of the refugees left behind—and the many who I have lost. The best advice I ever received was from my high school teacher who said, “Always show love, even more to the people who hate you.”
Don’t be discouraged by people who underestimate you or put you down because of your background or accent. It’s what makes you special.
Thank you, Yasir, for sharing your story with us and for representing Washington at Refugee Voices Advocacy Day!
Join Yasir in calling on Congress to stand for welcome: Learn more & take action.