today I’ll tell you about a refugee it is not the worst story it is not a
is not the worst story it is not a
is not the worst story it is not a unique story it is the story of how a 16
unique story it is the story of how a 16
unique story it is the story of how a 16 year refugee with no English no family
year refugee with no English no family
year refugee with no English no family no friends end up earning a master’s
no friends end up earning a master’s
no friends end up earning a master’s degree at American University this is my
degree at American University this is my
degree at American University this is my story
story
story I was born and raised in the Democratic
I was born and raised in the Democratic
I was born and raised in the Democratic Republic of Congo when I turned 16 the
Republic of Congo when I turned 16 the
Republic of Congo when I turned 16 the country was a war
many families were randomly target as
many families were randomly target as the enemies of the regime one day he was
the enemies of the regime one day he was
the enemies of the regime one day he was my family to scape the police
my family to scape the police
my family to scape the police I hid on a ship that was dug in my
I hid on a ship that was dug in my
I hid on a ship that was dug in my seaport city I only meant to hurt for a
seaport city I only meant to hurt for a
seaport city I only meant to hurt for a couple hours by than my ship sailed
couple hours by than my ship sailed
couple hours by than my ship sailed after a month-long journey across the
after a month-long journey across the
after a month-long journey across the Atlantic the ship said that in New
Atlantic the ship said that in New
Atlantic the ship said that in New Orleans meanwhile back in the Congo
Orleans meanwhile back in the Congo
Orleans meanwhile back in the Congo my father and my a oh brother when
my father and my a oh brother when
my father and my a oh brother when murder in the United States I was a
murder in the United States I was a
murder in the United States I was a refugee with no purpose and soon after I
refugee with no purpose and soon after I
refugee with no purpose and soon after I was taken into custody and sent into
was taken into custody and sent into
was taken into custody and sent into detention in Pennsylvania with the minor
detention in Pennsylvania with the minor
detention in Pennsylvania with the minor children who like myself who had arrived
children who like myself who had arrived
children who like myself who had arrived in the United States and accompanied by
in the United States and accompanied by
in the United States and accompanied by by by in adults I was taken into court
by by in adults I was taken into court
by by in adults I was taken into court but because I didn’t speak any English I
but because I didn’t speak any English I
but because I didn’t speak any English I had no idea what’s happening only years
had no idea what’s happening only years
had no idea what’s happening only years later alone that my request for an
later alone that my request for an
later alone that my request for an asylum had been refused I took classes
asylum had been refused I took classes
asylum had been refused I took classes where I was living in detention center
where I was living in detention center
where I was living in detention center there was a teacher who could pronounce
there was a teacher who could pronounce
there was a teacher who could pronounce my name Kangana
my name Kangana
my name Kangana Tarragona she told me that I’ll be known
Tarragona she told me that I’ll be known
Tarragona she told me that I’ll be known as a journey from Adina
as a journey from Adina
as a journey from Adina I miss the international
I miss the international
I miss the international exposed the condition that we were
exposed the condition that we were
exposed the condition that we were living in the place and the federal
living in the place and the federal
living in the place and the federal government ordered its clothes because I
government ordered its clothes because I
government ordered its clothes because I was minor with no family no friends I
was minor with no family no friends I
was minor with no family no friends I was sent to a foster care in
was sent to a foster care in
was sent to a foster care in Philadelphia the only bright spot of my
Philadelphia the only bright spot of my
Philadelphia the only bright spot of my life during that period where the phone
life during that period where the phone
life during that period where the phone conversation I had with my mother back
conversation I had with my mother back
conversation I had with my mother back in Congo talking to her kept me hopeful
in Congo talking to her kept me hopeful
in Congo talking to her kept me hopeful that one day I’ll be back go home and
that one day I’ll be back go home and
that one day I’ll be back go home and they’d be with her again but when I aged
they’d be with her again but when I aged
they’d be with her again but when I aged out of a first foster care our sense to
out of a first foster care our sense to
out of a first foster care our sense to immigrant group or home in New York
immigrant group or home in New York
immigrant group or home in New York Pennsylvania was living there I receive
Pennsylvania was living there I receive
Pennsylvania was living there I receive a devastating news that my mother had
a devastating news that my mother had
a devastating news that my mother had died when she died I wanted to die too
a social worker contact their local
a social worker contact their local psychologist dr. Elizabeth that people
psychologist dr. Elizabeth that people
psychologist dr. Elizabeth that people change my life the face of my method she
change my life the face of my method she
change my life the face of my method she asked me if my real name was Johnny
asked me if my real name was Johnny
asked me if my real name was Johnny I said no it was Ken Lana and she said
I said no it was Ken Lana and she said
I said no it was Ken Lana and she said never to allow anyone to call you Johnny
never to allow anyone to call you Johnny
never to allow anyone to call you Johnny again at the moment study for change
again at the moment study for change
again at the moment study for change give me my density back as I got to know
give me my density back as I got to know
give me my density back as I got to know doctor River and husband that Alvin
doctor River and husband that Alvin
doctor River and husband that Alvin River there so a lights inside of me
River there so a lights inside of me
River there so a lights inside of me that took me in the home and he adapts
that took me in the home and he adapts
that took me in the home and he adapts me
and they became my parent adoption made
and they became my parent adoption made me feel included the feeling I had not
me feel included the feeling I had not
me feel included the feeling I had not heard since fleeing Congo they provided
heard since fleeing Congo they provided
heard since fleeing Congo they provided educational opportunities and I fell in
educational opportunities and I fell in
educational opportunities and I fell in love with the school I graduated
love with the school I graduated
love with the school I graduated valedictorian of my high school as my
valedictorian of my high school as my
valedictorian of my high school as my English improved they saw my potential
English improved they saw my potential
English improved they saw my potential and they supported me to continue my
and they supported me to continue my
and they supported me to continue my education they encouraged me I attended
education they encouraged me I attended
education they encouraged me I attended York College of Pennsylvania where I
York College of Pennsylvania where I
York College of Pennsylvania where I received a Bachelor in international
received a Bachelor in international
received a Bachelor in international relations and they supported my desire
relations and they supported my desire
relations and they supported my desire to earn my master’s degree but because I
to earn my master’s degree but because I
to earn my master’s degree but because I was refusing Asylum here in the United
was refusing Asylum here in the United
was refusing Asylum here in the United States I was not qualified for grant
States I was not qualified for grant
States I was not qualified for grant students loan or any financial aid my
students loan or any financial aid my
students loan or any financial aid my mother dr. Elizabeth over used her
mother dr. Elizabeth over used her
mother dr. Elizabeth over used her savings and a 2-car grant loans to pay
savings and a 2-car grant loans to pay
savings and a 2-car grant loans to pay for my education my only job was to do
for my education my only job was to do
for my education my only job was to do well and I took that very seriously I
well and I took that very seriously I
well and I took that very seriously I put in extra time spending my summer and
put in extra time spending my summer and
put in extra time spending my summer and a winter break getting a head start on
a winter break getting a head start on
a winter break getting a head start on my books for my upcoming semester
reading them three and four times just
reading them three and four times just to understand them
to understand them
to understand them I still wake an eye studying reading and
I still wake an eye studying reading and
I still wake an eye studying reading and writing papers by sticking my feet in
writing papers by sticking my feet in
writing papers by sticking my feet in say the buckets for the ice bucket just
say the buckets for the ice bucket just
say the buckets for the ice bucket just to be awake the method I highly
to be awake the method I highly
to be awake the method I highly discourage you to use it’s painful in
discourage you to use it’s painful in
discourage you to use it’s painful in grad school our commute between DC and
grad school our commute between DC and
grad school our commute between DC and Pennsylvania driving 200 miles every
Pennsylvania driving 200 miles every
Pennsylvania driving 200 miles every three weeks every three days or four
three weeks every three days or four
three weeks every three days or four days sometimes just to save money my
days sometimes just to save money my
days sometimes just to save money my aunt and uncle’s Laurie and Pat Barry
aunt and uncle’s Laurie and Pat Barry
aunt and uncle’s Laurie and Pat Barry who lives in California
who lives in California
who lives in California call me every drive back home just to
call me every drive back home just to
call me every drive back home just to keep me awake and last month I graduated
keep me awake and last month I graduated
keep me awake and last month I graduated with my master’s degree from a School of
with my master’s degree from a School of
with my master’s degree from a School of International Service here at American
International Service here at American
International Service here at American University
[Applause]
[Applause] but I all these much accomplishment to
but I all these much accomplishment to
but I all these much accomplishment to my mother dr. Elizabeth River she saw a
my mother dr. Elizabeth River she saw a
my mother dr. Elizabeth River she saw a light inside of me in the shear allowed
light inside of me in the shear allowed
light inside of me in the shear allowed to Shan my parent believed that wasting
to Shan my parent believed that wasting
to Shan my parent believed that wasting a human life is a tragedy in my country
a human life is a tragedy in my country
a human life is a tragedy in my country the Congo there are a hundred thousand
the Congo there are a hundred thousand
the Congo there are a hundred thousand orphans of a war whose lives have been
orphans of a war whose lives have been
orphans of a war whose lives have been wasted they have been exploited as a
wasted they have been exploited as a
wasted they have been exploited as a charge soldiers and sex slaves the lucky
charge soldiers and sex slaves the lucky
charge soldiers and sex slaves the lucky ones live on the streets many of them
ones live on the streets many of them
ones live on the streets many of them stuff my parents love in a compassion
stuff my parents love in a compassion
stuff my parents love in a compassion inspired me to create the Mary Muhammad
inspired me to create the Mary Muhammad
inspired me to create the Mary Muhammad Iyer foundation I am walking now to
Iyer foundation I am walking now to
Iyer foundation I am walking now to build an orphanage for these children to
build an orphanage for these children to
build an orphanage for these children to give them what ours give him security
give them what ours give him security
give them what ours give him security education and most of all love so that
education and most of all love so that
education and most of all love so that daylight we also shine where you touch
daylight we also shine where you touch
daylight we also shine where you touch by my story were you inspired but what
by my story were you inspired but what
by my story were you inspired but what doctor doctors refer and and often
doctor doctors refer and and often
doctor doctors refer and and often Elizabeth refer and Alfred did for me I
Elizabeth refer and Alfred did for me I
Elizabeth refer and Alfred did for me I hope you are here’s my challenge to you
hope you are here’s my challenge to you
hope you are here’s my challenge to you see each refugees who comes to this
see each refugees who comes to this
see each refugees who comes to this country for the promise that the whole
country for the promise that the whole
country for the promise that the whole city lights in each one of them pay
city lights in each one of them pay
city lights in each one of them pay forward what you have been given
forward what you have been given
forward what you have been given just do what you can through a level to
just do what you can through a level to
just do what you can through a level to help one human being to become who she
help one human being to become who she
help one human being to become who she or he was meant to be thank you
or he was meant to be thank you
or he was meant to be thank you [Applause]
”
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