ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Luma Mufleh - Refugee activist
Luma Mufleh does something revolutionary: she coaches soccer. A Jordanian immigrant and Muslim of Syrian descent, Mufleh is determined to empower refugee children everywhere.

Why you should listen

Luma Mufleh is the CEO and Founding Director of Fugees Family, Inc., a nonprofit organization that uses the power of soccer, education and community to empower refugee children to successfully integrate into the United States. Now, she's part principal, part tutor, the head of the first accredited private school dedicated to refugee education in the country, which encompases a summer camp and a college prep program -- and she’s building a community and support network that could be the national model the United States needs.

The Fugees' story began in 2004, when Luma took a wrong turn while driving through the town of Clarkston, Georgia and noticed a group of boys playing soccer in the street. She learned that these children were refugees from war-town countries including Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Burma, Somalia and Sudan. That summer, Luma made fliers announcing tryouts for the Fugees soccer team. In the years that followed, the soccer team grew into something much larger -- a school, a tutoring program, a summer camp, a college prep program, and, most importantly, a community and support network.

A lifelong social entrepreneur, Luma has created several programs and initiatives that have gainfully employed, educated and empowered refugees and immigrants in her community and beyond, with the Fugees Academy serving as a national model for refugee education. While only 20 percent of refugee students graduate from high school in Georgia's DeKalb County, the Fugees Academy has a 90 percent graduation rate. These types of results helped earn Luma the 2016 Cournelle Award for Social Entrepreneurship from the Manhattan Institute.

A Jordanian immigrant and Muslim of Syrian descent, Luma received her U.S. citizenship in 2011. Her story -- and the story of the Fugees -- illustrates both the American dream and the very real challenges of integration and discrimination that so many face today. Luma received her B.A. in Anthropology from Smith College and recently completed the Executive Program in Social Entrepreneurship at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. 

 

 

More profile about the speaker
Luma Mufleh | Speaker | TED.com
TED2017

Luma Mufleh: Don't feel sorry for refugees -- believe in them

Luma Mufleh: Não sinta pena dos refugiados - apoie-os

Filmed:
1,715,610 views

"Temos visto avanços em diversos aspectos das nossas vidas - exceto na nossa humanidade", diz Luma Mufleh, uma imigrante jordaniana e descendente de sírios que fundou a primeira escola para refugiados legalmente autorizada nos Estados Unidos. Mufleh conta histórias de esperança e resiliência, mostrando como ela tem ajudado jovens expulsos de seus países pela guerra a passar pelo difícil processo de construir um novo lar. Inspire-se você também a fazer a diferença na vida dos refugiados com essa palestra poderosa.
- Refugee activist
Luma Mufleh does something revolutionary: she coaches soccer. A Jordanian immigrant and Muslim of Syrian descent, Mufleh is determined to empower refugee children everywhere. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
I remember when I first found out
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Eu me lembro de quando fiquei sabendo
que iria falar em uma conferência TED.
00:14
I was going to speak at a TED conference.
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00:16
I ran across the hall
to one of my classrooms
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Eu corri até uma das minhas classes
para contar aos meus alunos.
00:19
to inform my students.
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"Adivinha, pessoal?
00:20
"Guess what, guys?
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00:21
I've been asked to give a TED Talk."
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Fui convidada para dar uma palestra TED."
00:23
The reaction wasn't one I quite expected.
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A reação não foi bem a que eu esperava.
A sala inteira ficou quieta.
00:25
The whole room went silent.
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"Uma palestra TED? Tipo aquela
que você fez a gente assistir?
00:29
"A TED Talk? You mean, like the one
you made us watch on grit?
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Ou a outra do cientista que fez
coisas incríveis com robôs?",
00:32
Or the one with the scientist that did
this really awesome thing with robots?"
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Muhammad perguntou.
00:35
Muhammad asked.
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"Sim, tipo aquela."
00:37
"Yes, just like that."
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00:39
"But Coach, those people
are really important and smart."
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"Mas treinadora, eram pessoas
importantes e inteligentes."
00:42
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
00:44
"I know that."
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"Eu sei disso."
00:46
"But Coach, why are you speaking?
You hate public speaking."
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"Mas treinadora, você vai falar?
Você odeia falar em público."
00:51
"I do," I admitted,
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"É, odeio!", admiti.
00:54
"But it's important that I speak about us,
that I speak about your journeys,
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"Mas é importante eu falar sobre a gente,
contar sobre as suas histórias,
00:57
about my journey.
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sobre a minha história.
00:59
People need to know."
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As pessoas têm que saber."
01:01
The students at the all-refugee
school that I founded
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Os alunos da escola para
refugiados que eu fundei
01:03
decided to end with some
words of encouragement.
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resolveram então dar
palavras de incentivo.
01:06
"Cool! It better be good, Coach."
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"Legal! Tem que mandar bem, hein?"
01:08
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
01:10
There are 65.3 million people
who have been forcibly displaced
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Há 65,3 milhões de pessoas
que foram expulsas à força
01:14
from their homes because
of war or persecution.
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de suas casas devido
à guerra ou perseguição.
01:18
The largest number,
11 million, are from Syria.
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O maior número, 11 milhões, vem da Síria.
01:21
33,952 people flee their homes daily.
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Trinta e três mil, novecentas e cinquenta
e duas pessoas deixam suas casas por dia.
01:28
The vast majority remain in refugee camps,
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A maioria vai para campos de refugiados,
01:32
whose conditions cannot be defined
as humane under anyone's definition.
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onde as condições não podem ser descritas
como humanas sob nenhum aspecto.
01:36
We are participating
in the degradation of humans.
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Estamos participando
da degradação de humanos.
01:44
Never have we had numbers this high.
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E nunca tivemos números tão altos.
01:46
This is the highest number
of refugees since World War II.
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É o maior número de refugiados
desde a Segunda Guerra Mundial.
01:50
Now, let me tell you why this issue
is so important to me.
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Deixem-me falar por que o assunto
é tão importante para mim.
01:54
I am an Arab. I am an immigrant.
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Eu sou árabe. Sou imigrante.
01:58
I am a Muslim.
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Eu sou muçulmana.
02:00
I've also spent the last 12 years
of my life working with refugees.
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Eu também passei os últimos 12 anos
da minha vida trabalhando com refugiados.
02:03
Oh -- and I'm also gay.
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Ah - e também sou gay.
02:05
It makes me really popular these days.
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Isso tudo me faz popular esses dias.
02:07
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
02:09
But I am the daughter of a refugee.
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Mas eu sou filha de refugiados.
02:12
My grandmother fled Syria in 1964
during the first Assad regime.
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Minha avó deixou a Síria em 1964
durante o primeiro governo de Assad.
02:16
She was three months pregnant
when she packed up a suitcase,
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Ela estava grávida de três meses
quando fez uma mala,
02:20
piled in her five children
and drove to neighboring Jordan,
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juntou os cinco filhos,
e dirigiu até a vizinha Jordânia,
02:23
not knowing what the future held
for her and her family.
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sem ideia do que o futuro reservava
para ela e para sua família.
02:26
My grandfather decided to stay,
not believing it was that bad.
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Meu avô decidiu ficar, porque
não achou que seria tão ruim.
02:30
He followed her a month later,
after his brothers were tortured
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Ele a seguiu um mês mais tarde,
depois que os irmãos foram torturados
02:34
and his factory was taken over
by the government.
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e sua fábrica foi tomada pelo governo.
02:37
They rebuilt their lives
starting from scratch
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Eles reconstruíram suas vidas do zero
02:39
and eventually became independently
wealthy Jordanian citizens.
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e, por fim, se tornaram
prósperos cidadãos jordanianos.
02:43
I was born in Jordan 11 years later.
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Eu nasci na Jordânia 11 anos depois.
02:47
It was really important to my grandmother
for us to know our history
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Era muito importante para minha avó
que conhecêssemos nossa história
02:50
and our journey.
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e a nossa jornada.
02:52
I was eight years old when she took me
to visit my first refugee camp.
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Eu tinha oito anos quando ela me levou
para ver meu primeiro campo de refugiados.
02:56
I didn't understand why.
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Eu não entendi o por quê.
02:58
I didn't know why
it was so important to her
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Não entendi por que era importante
para ela que nós fôssemos.
03:00
for us to go.
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03:02
I remember walking into the camp
holding her hand,
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Lembro-me de andar pelo acampamento
segurando sua mão, e ela dizer:
03:05
and her saying, "Go play with the kids,"
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"Vai brincar com as crianças",
enquanto ia visitar outras mulheres ali.
03:07
while she visited
with the women in the camp.
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03:10
I didn't want to.
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Eu não queria.
03:11
These kids weren't like me.
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As crianças não eram como eu.
03:13
They were poor. They lived in a camp.
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Eram pobres, viviam num acampamento.
03:15
I refused.
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Eu me recusei.
03:16
She knelt down beside me
and firmly said, "Go.
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Ela se ajoelhou do meu lado
e disse com firmeza: "Vai.
03:19
And don't come back until you've played.
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E não volte enquanto não tiver brincado.
03:21
Don't ever think people are beneath you
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Nunca pense que qualquer
pessoa é inferior
03:23
or that you have nothing
to learn from others."
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ou que você não tem nada
a aprender com outros".
03:26
I reluctantly went.
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Relutante, eu fui.
03:27
I never wanted to disappoint
my grandmother.
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Nunca iria desapontar minha avó.
03:31
I returned a few hours later,
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Voltei horas mais tarde,
03:32
having spent some time playing soccer
with the kids in the camp.
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depois de passar um tempo
jogando futebol com as crianças.
03:38
We walked out of the camp,
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Nós fomos embora do campo,
03:39
and I was excitedly telling her
what a great time I had
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e eu contava animada para ela
como tinha sido legal
03:42
and how fantastic the kids were.
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e como as crianças eram fantásticas.
03:45
"Haram!" I said in Arabic. "Poor them."
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"Haram!" eu disse em árabe. "Coitadas."
03:48
"Haram on us," she said,
using the word's different meaning,
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"Haram para nós," ela disse,
usando o outro sentido da palavra,
03:51
that we were sinning.
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sobre nós estarmos pecando.
03:54
"Don't feel sorry for them;
believe in them."
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"Não sinta pena deles; apoie-os."
03:58
It wasn't until I left my country
of origin for the United States
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Foi só quando deixei meu país de origem
e vim para os Estados Unidos
04:01
that I realized the impact of her words.
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que entendi o impacto dessas palavras.
04:05
After my college graduation, I applied for
and was granted political asylum,
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Depois que me formei na faculdade,
pedi e recebi asilo político,
04:08
based on being a member of a social group.
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por pertencer a um grupo
social específico.
04:11
Some people may not realize this,
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Algumas pessoas podem não se lembrar,
04:13
but you can still get the death penalty
in some countries for being gay.
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mas em alguns países você ainda pode
ser condenado a morte por ser gay.
04:19
I had to give up my Jordanian citizenship.
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Tive que desistir da cidadania jordaniana.
04:21
That was the hardest decision
I've ever had to make,
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Foi a decisão mais difícil que já tomei,
mas eu não tive escolha.
04:23
but I had no other choice.
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04:29
The point is,
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O ponto é,
04:31
when you find yourself choosing
between home and survival,
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quando você tem que decidir
entre seu país e sua sobrevivência,
04:34
the question "Where are you from?"
becomes very loaded.
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a pergunta "De onde você é?"
ganha um peso muito maior.
04:38
A Syrian woman who I recently met
at a refugee camp in Greece
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Uma síria que conheci recentemente,
num campo de refugiados na Grécia,
04:42
articulated it best,
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conseguiu explicar melhor
04:43
when she recalled the exact moment
she realized she had to flee Aleppo.
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quando ela relembrou o momento
que percebeu que teria que deixar Aleppo.
04:47
"I looked out the window
and there was nothing.
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"Olhei pela janela e não vi nada.
04:49
It was all rubble.
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Eram só destroços.
04:51
There were no stores, no streets,
no schools. Everything was gone.
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Não tinha lojas, ruas, escolas.
Tudo tinha sumido.
04:56
I had been in my apartment for months,
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Eu passei meses dentro do meu apartamento,
04:58
listening to bombs drop
and watching people die.
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ouvindo as bombas caindo
e vendo pessoas morrerem.
05:01
But I always thought it would get better,
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Mas sempre achava que tudo ia melhorar,
05:05
that no one could force me to leave,
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que ninguém ia me obrigar a ir embora,
ninguém podia tirar meu lar de mim.
05:07
no one could take my home away from me.
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Não sei por que, naquela manhã,
quando olhei para fora
05:09
And I don't know why it was that morning,
but when I looked outside,
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05:13
I realized if I didn't leave,
my three young children would die.
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percebi que se eu não fosse embora,
meus três filhos morreriam.
05:16
And so we left.
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Então nós fugimos.
05:17
We left because we had to,
not because we wanted to.
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Fugimos porque fomos obrigados,
não porque quisemos.
05:20
There was no choice," she said.
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Não havia outra escolha.", ela disse.
05:23
It's kind of hard to believe
that you belong
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É difícil sentir-se parte de um lugar
quando você não tem um lar,
05:26
when you don't have a home,
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05:27
when your country of origin rejects you
because of fear or persecution,
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quando seu país de origem te rejeita
por causa de medo ou perseguição,
05:31
or the city that you grew up in
is completely destroyed.
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ou a cidade na qual você cresceu
está completamente destruída.
05:36
I didn't feel like I had a home.
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Eu não me sentia em casa.
05:38
I was no longer a Jordanian citizen,
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Eu não era mais uma cidadã jordaniana,
mas também não era americana.
05:41
but I wasn't American, either.
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05:43
I felt a kind of loneliness
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Eu sentia um tipo de solidão
que ainda hoje é difícil de definir.
05:45
that is still hard
to put into words today.
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05:48
After college, I desperately needed
to find a place to call home.
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Depois da faculdade, precisava achar
um lugar para chamar de lar.
05:52
I bounced around from state to state
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Eu pulei de estado em estado
e acabei chegando na Carolina do Norte.
05:54
and eventually ended up in North Carolina.
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Pessoas muito boas sentiram pena de mim
05:56
Kindhearted people who felt sorry for me
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05:59
offered to pay rent
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e quiseram pagar meu aluguel
ou comprar comida ou roupas novas
para minha entrevista de emprego.
06:01
or buy me a meal or a suit
for my new interview.
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06:04
It just made me feel
more isolated and incapable.
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Isso me fez sentir ainda mais
sozinha e incapaz.
06:08
It wasn't until I met Miss Sarah,
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E foi só quando conheci a Sra. Sarah,
06:10
a Southern Baptist who took me in
at my lowest and gave me a job,
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uma batista que me acolheu no meu pior
momento e me deu um emprego,
06:14
that I started to believe in myself.
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que comecei a acreditar em mim mesma.
06:16
Miss Sarah owned a diner
in the mountains of North Carolina.
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A Sra. Sarah tinha um restaurante
nas montanhas da Carolina do Norte.
06:21
I assumed, because
of my privileged upbringing
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Achei que, por causa da minha criação
e da minha educação privilegiada,
06:24
and my Seven Sister education,
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06:25
that she would ask me
to manage the restaurant.
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ela ia me pedir para gerenciar o lugar.
06:27
I was wrong.
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Eu estava errada.
06:29
I started off washing dishes,
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Comecei lavando pratos,
06:31
cleaning toilets and working the grill.
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limpando banheiros e fritando na chapa.
06:34
I was humbled; I was shown
the value of hard work.
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Fiquei arrasada: estava aprendendo
o valor do trabalho pesado.
06:37
But most importantly,
I felt valued and embraced.
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Mas, mais importante,
me senti valorizada e acolhida.
06:40
I celebrated Christmas with her family,
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Passava os Natais com sua família,
06:42
and she attempted to observe
Ramadan with me.
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e ela tentava me acompanhar no Ramadan.
Lembro-me de que fiquei nervosa
ao contar a ela que era gay,
06:46
I remember being very nervous
about coming out to her --
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06:48
after all, she was a Southern Baptist.
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afinal, ela era batista e sulista.
06:50
I sat on the couch next to her
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Sentei no sofá perto dela
06:52
and I said, "Miss Sarah,
you know that I'm gay."
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e disse: "Sra. Sarah, sabe que sou gay".
06:55
Her response is one
that I will never forget.
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A reação dela eu nunca vou me esquecer.
06:57
"That's fine, honey.
Just don't be a slut."
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"Tudo bem, querida.
Só não seja uma vadia."
06:59
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
07:03
(Applause)
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(Aplausos)
07:05
I eventually moved to Atlanta,
still trying to find my home.
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Eu acabei me mudando para Atlanta,
ainda à procura de um lar.
07:12
My journey took a strange turn
three years later,
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Minha vida tomou um rumo
inesperado três anos depois,
07:14
after I met a group of refugee kids
playing soccer outside.
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quando eu vi um grupo
de crianças jogando futebol.
07:18
I'd made a wrong turn
into this apartment complex,
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Eu entrei numa rua errada
num complexo de prédios,
07:20
and I saw these kids
outside playing soccer.
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e vi essas crianças jogando futebol.
07:23
They were playing barefoot
with a raggedy soccer ball
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Jogavam descalços, com uma bola rasgada
e pedras como traves dos gols.
07:26
and rocks set up as goals.
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07:27
I watched them for about an hour,
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Fiquei observando por quase uma hora,
e no fim eu estava sorrindo.
07:29
and after that I was smiling.
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Eles me faziam lembrar de minha casa.
07:31
The boys reminded me of home.
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07:33
They reminded me of the way
I grew up playing soccer
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De como eu cresci jogando bola
07:35
in the streets of Jordan,
with my brothers and cousins.
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nas ruas da Jordânia,
com meus irmãos e meus primos.
07:39
I eventually joined their game.
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Eu acabei entrando no jogo deles.
07:41
They were a little skeptical
about letting me join it,
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Eles ficaram meio relutantes
em me deixar participar,
07:44
because according to them,
girls don't know how to play.
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porque, segundo eles,
mulheres não sabiam jogar.
07:47
But obviously I did.
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1346
Mas eu obviamente sabia.
07:48
I asked them if they had
ever played on a team.
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2244
Perguntei se já tinham
jogado em algum time.
07:51
They said they hadn't,
but that they would love to.
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2434
Eles disseram que não, mas que adorariam.
07:53
I gradually won them over,
and we formed our first team.
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Aos poucos fui conquistando-os
e formamos nosso primeiro time.
07:57
This group of kids would give me
a crash course in refugees, poverty
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4884
Esse grupo de crianças me daria
um curso intensivo em refugiados, pobreza
08:03
and humanity.
165
471997
1232
e humanidade.
08:06
Three brothers from Afghanistan --
Roohullah, Noorullah and Zabiullah --
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3555
Três irmãos do Afeganistão:
Roohullah, Noorullah and Zabiullah,
08:09
played a major role in that.
167
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1624
foram essenciais para isso.
08:12
I showed up late to practice one day
to find the field completely deserted.
168
480380
3568
Certo dia, cheguei atrasada no treino
e encontrei o campo totalmente vazio.
08:15
I was really worried.
169
483972
1181
Fiquei muito preocupada.
08:17
My team loved to practice.
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1611
O time adorava jogar.
08:18
It wasn't like them to miss practice.
171
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2607
Não era do feitio deles perder o jogo.
08:21
I got out of my car, and two kids
ran out from behind a dumpster,
172
489443
3088
Quando saí do carro, dois deles
saíram de trás da lixeira
08:24
waving their hands frantically.
173
492555
1583
acenando freneticamente.
08:27
"Coach, Rooh got beat up. He got jumped.
174
495095
2047
"Treinadora, o Rooh apanhou. Bateram nele.
Tinha sangue em todo lugar."
08:29
There was blood everywhere."
175
497166
1578
08:30
"What do you mean?
What do you mean he got beat up?"
176
498768
2455
"Como assim? Quem bateu nele?"
"Uns moleques encheram ele de porrada.
Todo mundo fugiu com medo."
08:33
"These bad kids came
and beat him up, Coach.
177
501247
2073
08:35
Everybody left. They were all scared."
178
503344
2226
Entramos no meu carro e fomos
até o apartamento de Rooh.
08:37
We hopped into my car
and drove over to Rooh's apartment.
179
505594
2718
08:40
I knocked on the door, and Noor opened it.
180
508336
2499
Bati à porta e Noor abriu.
08:43
"Where's Rooh? I need
to talk to him, see if he's OK."
181
511589
2752
"Cadê o Rooh? Preciso falar
com ele, ver se está bem."
08:46
"He's in his room, Coach.
He's refusing to come out."
182
514365
2936
"Está no quarto, treinadora.
Ele não quer sair."
08:49
I knocked on the door.
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517325
1167
Eu bati à porta.
08:50
"Rooh, come on out. I need to talk to you.
184
518516
2426
"Rooh, vem aqui. Preciso falar com você.
08:52
I need to see if you're OK
or if we need to go to the hospital."
185
520966
3051
Preciso ver se você está bem,
se tem que ir para o hospital."
08:56
He came out.
186
524041
1151
Ele saiu do quarto.
08:57
He had a big gash on his head,
a split lip,
187
525216
2262
A cabeça estava muito ferida,
o lábio cortado,
09:00
and he was physically shaken.
188
528019
1751
e estava muito abalado.
09:02
I was looking at him,
189
530514
1333
Enquanto olhava para ele,
09:03
and I asked the boys
to call for their mom,
190
531871
2559
pedi para os meninos chamarem sua mãe
09:06
because I needed to go
to the hospital with him.
191
534454
2412
porque eu precisava levá-lo a um hospital.
09:08
They called for their mom.
192
536890
1307
Eles chamaram a mãe, ela veio,
09:10
She came out.
193
538608
1192
eu estava de costas
e ela começou a gritar em farsi.
09:12
I had my back turned to her,
and she started screaming in Farsi.
194
540239
3579
09:16
The boys fell to the ground laughing.
195
544577
2075
As crianças morreram de rir.
09:18
I was very confused,
196
546676
1152
Eu fiquei confusa
09:19
because there was nothing
funny about this.
197
547852
2074
porque não havia nada de engraçado ali.
09:22
They explained to me that she said,
198
550390
2000
Eles me explicaram que ela disse:
09:24
"You told me your coach
was a Muslim and a woman."
199
552414
2814
"Vocês falaram que a treinadora
era muçulmana e mulher!"
09:27
From behind, I didn't appear
to be either to her.
200
555252
2369
De costas, não parecia
nem uma coisa nem outra.
09:29
(Laughter)
201
557645
3633
(Risos)
09:33
"I am Muslim," I said, turning to her.
202
561302
2236
"Eu sou muçulmana", disse,
me virando para ela.
09:35
"Ašhadu ʾan lā ʾilāha ʾilla (A)llāh,"
203
563562
1931
"Ašhadu ʾan lā ʾilāha ʾilla (A)llāh,"
09:37
reciting the Muslim declaration of faith.
204
565517
2369
recitei a declaração de fé muçulmana.
09:40
Confused,
205
568587
1304
Confusa,
09:43
and perhaps maybe a little bit reassured,
206
571208
1990
mas talvez um pouco convencida,
09:45
she realized that yes,
207
573222
1155
ela percebeu que sim,
09:46
I, this American-acting,
shorts-wearing, non-veiled woman,
208
574401
3291
eu, essa mulher que parecia americana,
usando shorts e sem véu,
09:49
was indeed a Muslim.
209
577716
1190
era mesmo uma muçulmana.
09:52
Their family had fled the Taliban.
210
580166
1950
A família dela tinha fugido do Taliban.
09:55
Hundreds of people in their village
211
583687
1704
Centenas de pessoas
foram assassinadas na vila dela.
09:57
were murdered.
212
585415
1246
09:58
Their father was taken in by the Taliban,
213
586685
2213
O pai deles foi capturado pelo Taliban,
10:00
only to return a few months later,
a shell of the man he once was.
214
588922
3801
só para retornar meses depois,
uma casca do homem que tinha sido.
10:06
The family escaped to Pakistan,
215
594738
2411
A família fugiu para o Paquistão,
10:09
and the two older boys,
age eight and 10 at the time,
216
597173
3568
e os dois filhos mais velhos,
de oito e dez anos à época,
10:12
wove rugs for 10 hours a day
to provide for their family.
217
600765
3237
faziam tapetes dez horas por dia
para sustentar a família.
10:16
They were so excited when they found out
that they had been approved
218
604926
3757
Eles ficaram muito animados
ao descobrir que tinham sido aprovados
10:20
to resettle in the United States,
219
608707
2492
para se mudarem para os Estados Unidos,
10:23
making them the lucky 0.1 percent
who get to do that.
220
611223
3253
fazendo deles aquele 1% de sortudos
que conseguem isso.
10:26
They had hit the jackpot.
221
614500
1590
Tinham tirado a sorte grande.
10:28
Their story is not unique.
222
616930
1570
A história deles não é única.
10:31
Every refugee family I have worked with
has had some version of this.
223
619085
3908
Toda família de refugiados com a qual
trabalhei tem sua versão dessa história.
10:35
I work with kids
224
623017
1340
Eu trabalho com crianças
10:37
who have seen their mothers raped,
their fathers' fingers sliced off.
225
625206
3859
que viram suas mães serem estupradas,
seus pais terem os dedos amputados.
10:41
One kid saw a bullet
put in his grandmother's head,
226
629089
2955
Uma criança viu sua avó
tomar um tiro na cabeça,
10:44
because she refused to let the rebels
take him to be a child soldier.
227
632068
4038
porque se recusou a deixar os rebeldes
levarem-na para virar um soldado.
10:49
Their journeys are haunting.
228
637943
1541
Suas histórias são assustadoras.
10:51
But what I get to see every day
is hope, resilience, determination,
229
639940
5774
Mas o que eu tenho visto todos os dias
é esperança, resiliência, determinação,
amor à vida
10:57
a love of life
230
645738
1185
e gratidão por serem capazes
de reconstruir suas vidas.
10:58
and appreciation for being able
to rebuild their lives.
231
646947
2844
11:03
I was at the boys' apartment one night,
232
651607
2125
Eu estava no apartamento deles uma noite
11:05
when the mom came home
after cleaning 18 hotel rooms in one day.
233
653756
4810
quando a mãe chegou, depois de limpar
18 quartos de hotel naquele dia.
11:10
She sat down, and Noor rubbed her feet,
234
658590
2293
Ela sentou e Noor massageou os pés dela,
11:13
saying that he was going to take care
of her once he graduated.
235
661679
3075
dizendo que ele cuidaria dela
depois que se formasse.
11:16
She smiled from exhaustion.
236
664778
1494
Ela sorriu de exaustão.
11:18
"God is good. Life is good.
We are lucky to be here."
237
666296
3408
"Deus é bom. A vida é boa.
Somos afortunados de estar aqui."
11:23
In the last two years, we have seen
an escalating anti-refugee sentiment.
238
671001
4795
Nos últimos dois anos temos visto aumentar
um sentimento contra os refugiados.
11:28
It's global.
239
676219
1219
É global.
11:30
The numbers continue to grow
because we do nothing to prevent it
240
678579
3244
E os números continuam a crescer,
pois não fazemos nada para prevenir
11:33
and nothing to stop it.
241
681847
1701
ou impedir isso.
11:35
The issue shouldn't be stopping refugees
from coming into our countries.
242
683572
3552
A questão não deveria ser impedir
refugiados de virem para nossos países,
11:39
The issue should be
not forcing them to leave their own.
243
687148
2988
e sim, impedir que eles sejam
forçados a deixar os deles.
11:42
(Applause)
244
690160
4435
(Aplausos)
11:58
Sorry.
245
706510
1325
Desculpem.
11:59
(Applause)
246
707859
3928
(Aplausos)
12:09
How much more suffering,
247
717917
2525
12:12
how much more suffering must we take?
248
720466
2045
Quanto sofrimento mais temos que aguentar?
12:15
How many more people need to be
forced out of their homes
249
723255
2771
Quantas pessoas mais terão
que ser expulsas das suas casas
12:18
before we say, "Enough!"?
250
726050
1381
antes de dizermos: "Chega!"?
12:19
A hundred million?
251
727455
1209
Cem milhões?
12:21
Not only do we shame,
blame and reject them
252
729125
2826
Não estamos apenas culpando
e rejeitando essas pessoas
12:25
for atrocities that they had
absolutely nothing to do with,
253
733245
2833
por atrocidades que elas não têm
absolutamente nada a ver.
12:29
we re-traumatize them,
254
737012
1155
Nós as re-traumatizamos
12:30
when we're supposed to be welcoming
them into our countries.
255
738191
2965
quando devíamos estar
recebendo-as de braços abertos.
12:35
We strip them of their dignity
and treat them like criminals.
256
743291
3303
Tiramos delas toda sua dignidade
e as tratamos como criminosas.
12:38
I had a student in my office
a couple of weeks ago.
257
746618
2706
Eu estive com uma estudante
umas semanas atrás.
12:41
She's originally from Iraq.
258
749348
1816
Ela era iraquiana,
12:43
She broke down crying.
259
751188
1439
e começou a chorar.
12:45
"Why do they hate us?"
260
753595
1628
"Por que eles nos odeiam?"
12:47
"Who hates you?"
261
755247
1174
"Quem odeia vocês?"
12:48
"Everyone; everyone hates us
because we are refugees,
262
756445
2771
"Todo mundo. Todos odeiam
a gente porque somos refugiados
12:51
because we are Muslim."
263
759240
1356
e muçulmanos."
12:54
In the past, I was able
to reassure my students
264
762019
2336
Antigamente, eu podia garantir a eles
12:56
that the majority of the world
does not hate refugees.
265
764379
2637
que boa parte do mundo
não odiava os refugiados.
12:59
But this time I couldn't.
266
767040
1385
Mas hoje eu não posso mais.
13:00
I couldn't explain to her why someone
tried to rip off her mother's hijab
267
768868
3480
Não pude explicar a ela por que alguém
tentou arrancar o hijab da mãe dela
13:04
when they were grocery shopping,
268
772372
1785
quando elas estavam fazendo compras,
13:06
or why a player on an opposing
team called her a terrorist
269
774181
3244
ou por que um jogador do time
adversário a chamou de terrorista
13:09
and told her to go back
where she came from.
270
777449
2483
e disse para ela voltar
de onde tinha vindo.
13:11
I couldn't reassure her
271
779956
1762
Eu não podia garantir
13:13
that her father's ultimate life sacrifice
272
781742
2339
que o sacrifício que o pai dela fez
13:16
by serving in the United States
military as an interpreter
273
784105
3120
servindo como intérprete
para o exército americano
13:19
would make her more valued
as an American citizen.
274
787249
2710
iria torná-la mais aceita
como cidadã americana.
13:23
We take in so few refugees worldwide.
275
791051
2872
Nós recebemos tão poucos
refugiados de todo o mundo.
13:26
We resettle less than 0.1 percent.
276
794949
2686
Acolhemos menos de 0,1%.
13:30
That 0.1 percent benefits us
more than them.
277
798778
3200
E esse 0,1% faz mais bem
a nós do que nós a eles.
13:34
It dumbfounds me how the word "refugee"
is considered something to be dirty,
278
802797
3786
Fico estarrecida em saber que a palavra
"refugiado" é considerada algo ruim,
13:38
something to be ashamed of.
279
806607
1613
algo para se envergonhar.
13:40
They have nothing to be ashamed of.
280
808244
1864
Eles não têm nada que sentir vergonha.
13:45
We have seen advances
in every aspect of our lives --
281
813827
2723
Temos visto avanços em vários
aspectos das nossas vidas,
13:48
except our humanity.
282
816574
1378
exceto na nossa humanidade.
13:50
There are 65.3 million people
who have been forced out of their homes
283
818523
4439
Há 65,3 milhões de pessoas que foram
obrigadas a deixar suas casas
13:54
because of war --
284
822986
1244
por causa da guerra.
13:56
the largest number in history.
285
824685
1849
O maior número em toda a história.
13:59
We are the ones who should be ashamed.
286
827110
2057
Nós é que devíamos estar envergonhados.
14:01
Thank you.
287
829712
1155
Obrigada.
14:02
(Applause)
288
830891
6529
(Aplausos)
Translated by Paulo Gorniak
Reviewed by Maricene Crus

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Luma Mufleh - Refugee activist
Luma Mufleh does something revolutionary: she coaches soccer. A Jordanian immigrant and Muslim of Syrian descent, Mufleh is determined to empower refugee children everywhere.

Why you should listen

Luma Mufleh is the CEO and Founding Director of Fugees Family, Inc., a nonprofit organization that uses the power of soccer, education and community to empower refugee children to successfully integrate into the United States. Now, she's part principal, part tutor, the head of the first accredited private school dedicated to refugee education in the country, which encompases a summer camp and a college prep program -- and she’s building a community and support network that could be the national model the United States needs.

The Fugees' story began in 2004, when Luma took a wrong turn while driving through the town of Clarkston, Georgia and noticed a group of boys playing soccer in the street. She learned that these children were refugees from war-town countries including Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Burma, Somalia and Sudan. That summer, Luma made fliers announcing tryouts for the Fugees soccer team. In the years that followed, the soccer team grew into something much larger -- a school, a tutoring program, a summer camp, a college prep program, and, most importantly, a community and support network.

A lifelong social entrepreneur, Luma has created several programs and initiatives that have gainfully employed, educated and empowered refugees and immigrants in her community and beyond, with the Fugees Academy serving as a national model for refugee education. While only 20 percent of refugee students graduate from high school in Georgia's DeKalb County, the Fugees Academy has a 90 percent graduation rate. These types of results helped earn Luma the 2016 Cournelle Award for Social Entrepreneurship from the Manhattan Institute.

A Jordanian immigrant and Muslim of Syrian descent, Luma received her U.S. citizenship in 2011. Her story -- and the story of the Fugees -- illustrates both the American dream and the very real challenges of integration and discrimination that so many face today. Luma received her B.A. in Anthropology from Smith College and recently completed the Executive Program in Social Entrepreneurship at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. 

 

 

More profile about the speaker
Luma Mufleh | Speaker | TED.com
THE ORIGINAL VIDEO ON TED.COM