Christelle, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, is an aspiring actress and model, a college student, and a resettlement assistant at the IRC, helping other refugees start their new lives. She is also a cherished friend to some of the first people who welcomed her to Boise, including Janna Brown, 29, and Charlee Andree, 16.

It takes great courage to open your heart and share your experience. That’s why this World Refugee Day (June 20), we are celebrating refugee artists who remind us that refugees are courageous. Muyambo Marcel Chishimba is a Congolese refugee resettled by the International Rescue Committee in Elizabeth, New Jersey. As a young boy, he was taught to paint by his uncle, acclaimed Congolese artist Kabemba Albert Stounas.