Where we live
The city of Clarkston, Georgia, east of Atlanta, is known as a refugee haven. Thousands of refugees have moved to Clarkston and now call the city home - more than 40,000 over the past 25 years.
They come from every corner of the globe. In 2017, there were more Congolese than Syrians due to growing restrictions on granting refugee status; past waves of refugee resettlement have brought Bhutanese, Eritreans, Ethiopians, Somalis, Sudanese, Iraqis, Afghans, Liberians, Vietnamese. There are about 150 ethnicities that make up Clarkston today.
Yet within this "Ellis Island of the South," this square mile, the ease at which people live alongside each another is an example for the nation, even the world. Many of these ethnic groups would have considered one another enemies in their home countries. Here, they learn to love each other.
There is a sense of hospitality here that draws the visitor in - some deciding to make it their home, too. Like me.
A community comes together.
GA loves refugees
A Nepali celebration in dance.
A community comes together.
The hub of our community is Refuge Coffee, a non-profit that literally started as a coffee truck. With the community's help, Refuge was able to purchase a former gas station and while keeping the truck, has expanded into a proper coffeehouse. But Refuge Coffee is not just about coffee. It exists to serve our global community through "job creation, job training, social networking and commerce." Located in the center of Clarkston, Refuge hosts many of our community events. It is where we go to celebrate and where we go to mourn.
For me, and for others who have made their home here, Clarkston has a bit of magic. We learn to put aside fear and lean in. We learn to put aside prejudice and have conversations. And while we face our own challenges, at the core of Clarkston is the feeling that everyone belongs because no one does. We are all outsiders in some way. Better to be outsiders together.
If you'd like to find out more about Clarkston, take a look at this short reel, a sneak peak at a documentary being made about Clarkston to be released in fall 2020/winter 2021.