if Dallas could talk I was born in 1993 but dreaded and at the year a year full
but dreaded and at the year a year full
but dreaded and at the year a year full of loss and pain that is my birth year I
of loss and pain that is my birth year I
of loss and pain that is my birth year I was born as a result of love that exists
was born as a result of love that exists
was born as a result of love that exists a love between Ann and her niece which
a love between Ann and her niece which
a love between Ann and her niece which made my existence full of peace full of
made my existence full of peace full of
made my existence full of peace full of peace during these that the years my new
peace during these that the years my new
peace during these that the years my new home is in the hands of a ten year old
home is in the hands of a ten year old
home is in the hands of a ten year old Bosnian refugee that ten year old
Bosnian refugee that ten year old
Bosnian refugee that ten year old refugee was me
refugee was me
refugee was me allow me to tell you my story in ten
allow me to tell you my story in ten
allow me to tell you my story in ten minutes
minutes
minutes allow it allow me to tell you the story
allow it allow me to tell you the story
allow it allow me to tell you the story of Bosnia the land of pristine rivers
of Bosnia the land of pristine rivers
of Bosnia the land of pristine rivers beautiful absolutely beautiful mountains
beautiful absolutely beautiful mountains
beautiful absolutely beautiful mountains the land of rich customs and trust me
the land of rich customs and trust me
the land of rich customs and trust me when I tell you incredibly delicious
when I tell you incredibly delicious
when I tell you incredibly delicious food but also to many of us from Bosnia
food but also to many of us from Bosnia
food but also to many of us from Bosnia unfortunately the land of blood and pain
unfortunately the land of blood and pain
unfortunately the land of blood and pain my journey starts in the early 1980s
my journey starts in the early 1980s
my journey starts in the early 1980s when I was born in a small city in
when I was born in a small city in
when I was born in a small city in central Bosnia my life before war it was
central Bosnia my life before war it was
central Bosnia my life before war it was simple it was beautiful it was safe and
simple it was beautiful it was safe and
simple it was beautiful it was safe and predictable just like many many
predictable just like many many
predictable just like many many childhoods around the globe
childhoods around the globe
childhoods around the globe my experiences and and and my memories
my experiences and and and my memories
my experiences and and and my memories were filled with positive birthdays and
were filled with positive birthdays and
were filled with positive birthdays and and holidays and family gatherings as a
and holidays and family gatherings as a
and holidays and family gatherings as a little child I too had dreams many many
little child I too had dreams many many
little child I too had dreams many many dreams amongst many things that war has
dreams amongst many things that war has
dreams amongst many things that war has taken away from me it has taken away
taken away from me it has taken away
taken away from me it has taken away many of my dreams I remember sitting in
many of my dreams I remember sitting in
many of my dreams I remember sitting in school in 2nd grade before war started
school in 2nd grade before war started
school in 2nd grade before war started in Bosnia and thinking I loved being in
in Bosnia and thinking I loved being in
in Bosnia and thinking I loved being in school I loved learning that day our
school I loved learning that day our
school I loved learning that day our teacher sent us back home
teacher sent us back home
teacher sent us back home because it was not safe to stay in
because it was not safe to stay in
because it was not safe to stay in school we could hear grenades in the
school we could hear grenades in the
school we could hear grenades in the nearby distance I look I did not know at
nearby distance I look I did not know at
nearby distance I look I did not know at the time that this would be the last
the time that this would be the last
the time that this would be the last time that I would share space with those
time that I would share space with those
time that I would share space with those very people and that I would share space
very people and that I would share space
very people and that I would share space with that very teacher my family left
with that very teacher my family left
with that very teacher my family left abruptly that several days after that
abruptly that several days after that
abruptly that several days after that and we escaped to a nearby country our
and we escaped to a nearby country our
and we escaped to a nearby country our a country called Croatia this was the
a country called Croatia this was the
a country called Croatia this was the first time that we called ourselves
first time that we called ourselves
first time that we called ourselves refugees this was the first time that we
refugees this was the first time that we
refugees this was the first time that we knew or felt what it was like to be a
knew or felt what it was like to be a
knew or felt what it was like to be a refugee we had nothing absolutely
refugee we had nothing absolutely
refugee we had nothing absolutely nothing but we had each other
nothing but we had each other
nothing but we had each other we had safety which is what most people
we had safety which is what most people
we had safety which is what most people back home in Bosnia didn’t have life in
back home in Bosnia didn’t have life in
back home in Bosnia didn’t have life in Croatia was hard to say the least but at
Croatia was hard to say the least but at
Croatia was hard to say the least but at least there was some sense of
least there was some sense of
least there was some sense of familiarity because Croatia shares a lot
familiarity because Croatia shares a lot
familiarity because Croatia shares a lot of its customs and foods with Bosnia so
of its customs and foods with Bosnia so
of its customs and foods with Bosnia so at least there was that sense of
at least there was that sense of
at least there was that sense of similarity we were in Croatia for about
similarity we were in Croatia for about
similarity we were in Croatia for about eight months and during this time many
eight months and during this time many
eight months and during this time many different things happened
different things happened
different things happened amongst one of the things that I want to
amongst one of the things that I want to
amongst one of the things that I want to share with you is that during this time
share with you is that during this time
share with you is that during this time my aunt who was still in Bosnia at the
my aunt who was still in Bosnia at the
my aunt who was still in Bosnia at the time had managed to smuggle my doll with
time had managed to smuggle my doll with
time had managed to smuggle my doll with a convoy of refugees that came to
a convoy of refugees that came to
a convoy of refugees that came to Croatia I remember the day that this
Croatia I remember the day that this
Croatia I remember the day that this doll arrived to me I remember thinking
doll arrived to me I remember thinking
doll arrived to me I remember thinking this is the only normal piece of
this is the only normal piece of
this is the only normal piece of childhood that I have left at that time
childhood that I have left at that time
childhood that I have left at that time this was the only toy that I had my
this was the only toy that I had my
this was the only toy that I had my family once again had to leave as we
family once again had to leave as we
family once again had to leave as we were given 24 hours to evacuate to
were given 24 hours to evacuate to
were given 24 hours to evacuate to literally leave Croatia as conflict
literally leave Croatia as conflict
literally leave Croatia as conflict arose between Bosnian and Croatian
arose between Bosnian and Croatian
arose between Bosnian and Croatian government at that time we were
government at that time we were
government at that time we were literally loaded onto buses to go to a
literally loaded onto buses to go to a
literally loaded onto buses to go to a land that I always say so faraway land
land that I always say so faraway land
land that I always say so faraway land called Pakistan I remember being at the
called Pakistan I remember being at the
called Pakistan I remember being at the buses with my mom and dad and my brother
buses with my mom and dad and my brother
buses with my mom and dad and my brother and just feeling a sense a sense of fear
and just feeling a sense a sense of fear
and just feeling a sense a sense of fear uncertainty we were we did not know what
uncertainty we were we did not know what
uncertainty we were we did not know what to expect we didn’t know we were going
to expect we didn’t know we were going
to expect we didn’t know we were going but again we had each other and we were
but again we had each other and we were
but again we had each other and we were safe we arrived at the airport where the
safe we arrived at the airport where the
safe we arrived at the airport where the crowd was even larger people were even
crowd was even larger people were even
crowd was even larger people were even more afraid children were screaming they
more afraid children were screaming they
more afraid children were screaming they were running people didn’t know what to
were running people didn’t know what to
were running people didn’t know what to expect
expect
expect they put us on an airplane there was
they put us on an airplane there was
they put us on an airplane there was three hundred and seventy five of us on
three hundred and seventy five of us on
three hundred and seventy five of us on a plane that probably carries 200 people
a plane that probably carries 200 people
a plane that probably carries 200 people as you can imagine people were sitting
as you can imagine people were sitting
as you can imagine people were sitting on each other’s laps
on each other’s laps
on each other’s laps again children was crying mothers were
again children was crying mothers were
again children was crying mothers were crying but and fathers were crying
crying but and fathers were crying
crying but and fathers were crying because they didn’t know where and what
because they didn’t know where and what
because they didn’t know where and what was awaiting them and we took off to
was awaiting them and we took off to
was awaiting them and we took off to Pakistan where is Pakistan when we
Pakistan where is Pakistan when we
Pakistan where is Pakistan when we landed in Pakistan the first thing and
landed in Pakistan the first thing and
landed in Pakistan the first thing and the thing that I remember best is the
the thing that I remember best is the
the thing that I remember best is the heat it was March and it was already 90
heat it was March and it was already 90
heat it was March and it was already 90 degrees there were so many people at the
degrees there were so many people at the
degrees there were so many people at the airport there was representatives from
airport there was representatives from
airport there was representatives from the bosnian embassy waiting there for us
the bosnian embassy waiting there for us
the bosnian embassy waiting there for us to take us to a refugee camp as we
to take us to a refugee camp as we
to take us to a refugee camp as we loaded the buses once again we headed to
loaded the buses once again we headed to
loaded the buses once again we headed to a small city town that that is where our
a small city town that that is where our
a small city town that that is where our refugee camp was situated experiences in
refugee camp was situated experiences in
refugee camp was situated experiences in Pakistan oh my goodness to put it in
Pakistan oh my goodness to put it in
Pakistan oh my goodness to put it in perspective and in ten minutes I can’t
perspective and in ten minutes I can’t
perspective and in ten minutes I can’t even begin to do that there when we
even begin to do that there when we
even begin to do that there when we arrived we didn’t know what to expect we
arrived we didn’t know what to expect we
arrived we didn’t know what to expect we were placed in a room that is about half
were placed in a room that is about half
were placed in a room that is about half of the size of this theatre there was
of the size of this theatre there was
of the size of this theatre there was four other families in this room we were
four other families in this room we were
four other families in this room we were placed there to sleep and eat this was
placed there to sleep and eat this was
placed there to sleep and eat this was our new home with literally nothing but
our new home with literally nothing but
our new home with literally nothing but again we had each other and we had
again we had each other and we had
again we had each other and we had safety which is much more than people in
safety which is much more than people in
safety which is much more than people in Bosnia had at that time we were
Bosnia had at that time we were
Bosnia had at that time we were surrounded by walls so we couldn’t
surrounded by walls so we couldn’t
surrounded by walls so we couldn’t really move in and move in and out every
really move in and move in and out every
really move in and move in and out every time we wanted to leave the camp we had
time we wanted to leave the camp we had
time we wanted to leave the camp we had to be accompanied by police escort but
to be accompanied by police escort but
to be accompanied by police escort but we had I went to school I learned
we had I went to school I learned
we had I went to school I learned English again I had some sort of
English again I had some sort of
English again I had some sort of normalcy some sort of normal childhood
normalcy some sort of normal childhood
normalcy some sort of normal childhood which is much more than Bosnia the Kint
which is much more than Bosnia the Kint
which is much more than Bosnia the Kint dead kids in Bosnia had during my time
dead kids in Bosnia had during my time
dead kids in Bosnia had during my time in Pakistan there’s many positive things
in Pakistan there’s many positive things
in Pakistan there’s many positive things that I can share with you and many
that I can share with you and many
that I can share with you and many negative things the one that I wanted
negative things the one that I wanted
negative things the one that I wanted that I chose to share with you is the
that I chose to share with you is the
that I chose to share with you is the one that inspired me the most during
one that inspired me the most during
one that inspired me the most during this time I met my first American
this time I met my first American
this time I met my first American scholar a woman by the name of Julie she
scholar a woman by the name of Julie she
scholar a woman by the name of Julie she had arrived to Pakistan with a couple of
had arrived to Pakistan with a couple of
had arrived to Pakistan with a couple of other people to collect information on
other people to collect information on
other people to collect information on Bosnian refugees she was writing a book
Bosnian refugees she was writing a book
Bosnian refugees she was writing a book on experiences of Bosnian refugees in
on experiences of Bosnian refugees in
on experiences of Bosnian refugees in Pakistan this picture that’s behind me
Pakistan this picture that’s behind me
Pakistan this picture that’s behind me was actually taken by Julie that’s a
was actually taken by Julie that’s a
was actually taken by Julie that’s a picture of my family
picture of my family
picture of my family and some of their friends she was I
and some of their friends she was I
and some of their friends she was I remember as a little girl sitting next
remember as a little girl sitting next
remember as a little girl sitting next to her and thinking to be so powerful to
to her and thinking to be so powerful to
to her and thinking to be so powerful to be so educated and to care so much about
be so educated and to care so much about
be so educated and to care so much about people who often feel like they have no
people who often feel like they have no
people who often feel like they have no voice because to be a refugee you can’t
voice because to be a refugee you can’t
voice because to be a refugee you can’t imagine that such negative things can
imagine that such negative things can
imagine that such negative things can take place on this planet and you can’t
take place on this planet and you can’t
take place on this planet and you can’t wrap your head around the fact that it’s
wrap your head around the fact that it’s
wrap your head around the fact that it’s happening and the world is not doing
happening and the world is not doing
happening and the world is not doing anything about it that’s what it feels
anything about it that’s what it feels
anything about it that’s what it feels like and that’s when I said to myself I
like and that’s when I said to myself I
like and that’s when I said to myself I too want to be like Julie I too want to
too want to be like Julie I too want to
too want to be like Julie I too want to get an education I too want to be able
get an education I too want to be able
get an education I too want to be able to give a voice to those who feel like
to give a voice to those who feel like
to give a voice to those who feel like they have lost it to those who feel like
they have lost it to those who feel like
they have lost it to those who feel like something or somebody has taken it away
something or somebody has taken it away
something or somebody has taken it away from them little did I know at the time
from them little did I know at the time
from them little did I know at the time that I would end up in the United States
that I would end up in the United States
that I would end up in the United States of America my family had many other
of America my family had many other
of America my family had many other options in terms of relocation we could
options in terms of relocation we could
options in terms of relocation we could have gone to Germany we could have gone
have gone to Germany we could have gone
have gone to Germany we could have gone to Canada my family thought there would
to Canada my family thought there would
to Canada my family thought there would be best for us to be in the United
be best for us to be in the United
be best for us to be in the United States in terms of opportunities we also
States in terms of opportunities we also
States in terms of opportunities we also already had family here so that helped
already had family here so that helped
already had family here so that helped with our relocation process my family
with our relocation process my family
with our relocation process my family arrived here in 1995 so we have been
arrived here in 1995 so we have been
arrived here in 1995 so we have been here for 22 years and it has not been an
here for 22 years and it has not been an
here for 22 years and it has not been an easy road just like many refugees and
easy road just like many refugees and
easy road just like many refugees and immigrants we to face our daily
immigrants we to face our daily
immigrants we to face our daily challenges I was once again faced with a
challenges I was once again faced with a
challenges I was once again faced with a new education system yet another school
new education system yet another school
new education system yet another school yet another continent language was a
yet another continent language was a
yet another continent language was a barrier learning the system was a
barrier learning the system was a
barrier learning the system was a barrier everything was a barrier but
barrier everything was a barrier but
barrier everything was a barrier but again I have a desk I had a book I could
again I have a desk I had a book I could
again I have a desk I had a book I could go to school which is more than we can
go to school which is more than we can
go to school which is more than we can say for so many kids back home in Bosnia
say for so many kids back home in Bosnia
say for so many kids back home in Bosnia or even anywhere else around the world
or even anywhere else around the world
or even anywhere else around the world so living in the United States has not
so living in the United States has not
so living in the United States has not been easy but I have managed like many
been easy but I have managed like many
been easy but I have managed like many other refugees and immigrants to
other refugees and immigrants to
other refugees and immigrants to accomplish quite a bit in 2007 I married
accomplish quite a bit in 2007 I married
accomplish quite a bit in 2007 I married the love of my life
the love of my life
the love of my life please somewhere in here
please somewhere in here
please somewhere in here and in 2014 I conferred my doctoral
and in 2014 I conferred my doctoral
and in 2014 I conferred my doctoral degree in psychology this was a big deal
degree in psychology this was a big deal
degree in psychology this was a big deal [Applause]
thank you thank you so much this is a
thank you thank you so much this is a big deal for me obviously and for my
big deal for me obviously and for my
big deal for me obviously and for my family this gives me a formal voice to
family this gives me a formal voice to
family this gives me a formal voice to give to those who don’t have one or feel
give to those who don’t have one or feel
give to those who don’t have one or feel that they don’t have one this gives me
that they don’t have one this gives me
that they don’t have one this gives me the power to research and this gives me
the power to research and this gives me
the power to research and this gives me the power to share and spread knowledge
the power to share and spread knowledge
the power to share and spread knowledge on in areas that are often forgotten so
on in areas that are often forgotten so
on in areas that are often forgotten so this meant a lot to me and continues to
this meant a lot to me and continues to
this meant a lot to me and continues to mean a lot to me and to my family then
mean a lot to me and to my family then
mean a lot to me and to my family then in 2015 I became a mother to a beautiful
in 2015 I became a mother to a beautiful
in 2015 I became a mother to a beautiful baby girl who is now the owner of my
baby girl who is now the owner of my
baby girl who is now the owner of my doll to her it’s a boy to me was a girl
doll to her it’s a boy to me was a girl
doll to her it’s a boy to me was a girl and through this journey I hope to teach
and through this journey I hope to teach
and through this journey I hope to teach my daughter things that war has taught
my daughter things that war has taught
my daughter things that war has taught me amongst many things they have lost I
me amongst many things they have lost I
me amongst many things they have lost I have also learned a couple of things to
have also learned a couple of things to
have also learned a couple of things to say the least it has made me who I am it
say the least it has made me who I am it
say the least it has made me who I am it has learned it has taught me how to love
has learned it has taught me how to love
has learned it has taught me how to love it’s taught me how to hate it’s taught
it’s taught me how to hate it’s taught
it’s taught me how to hate it’s taught me to appreciate and most importantly
me to appreciate and most importantly
me to appreciate and most importantly and what I hope to leave with you
and what I hope to leave with you
and what I hope to leave with you tonight here it has taught me to inspire
tonight here it has taught me to inspire
tonight here it has taught me to inspire it has taught me that you never know who
it has taught me that you never know who
it has taught me that you never know who you’re gonna inspire you never know
you’re gonna inspire you never know
you’re gonna inspire you never know whose day you’re gonna change by giving
whose day you’re gonna change by giving
whose day you’re gonna change by giving them just as something as simple as a
them just as something as simple as a
them just as something as simple as a smile Julie did this for me
smile Julie did this for me
smile Julie did this for me 20 years ago thank you so much
20 years ago thank you so much
20 years ago thank you so much [Applause]
”
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