Every year, some 700 refugees arrive in Charlotte hoping to start a new life. They are all fleeing horrific, usually violent, persecution.
They come from places such as Afghanistan and Syria, Eritrea and Iraq. They do not speak English, and they are dumped into a city they’ve never heard of with a culture that is entirely alien. They strive to find work and establish a more sustainable life for their families in this new, foreign world.
That is made easier by groups like Refugee Support Services. Last month, the group held a giant birthday party for more than 250 refugees from more than a dozen countries. Many refugees don’t know their birthdate and are assigned Jan. 1 as their birthday upon arrival in the United States. In a chaotic world and with anti-immigrant status in the U.S. at a fever pitch, it was a reminder of the humanity we should all show to people this country has long welcomed. And it was a small moment that made Charlotte’s newest residents feel just a little bit more at home.