I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. I do not have much personal experience with refugees other than some of the students who come through my classes. Some of the families I work with, I have heard a lot of their story, but others, I just know that they have moved from places that had conflict. I learned a lot from reading the personal stories in this book. It definitely sparked my interest in possibly volunteering somewhere to learn more where to get more involved in general.

Asylum Speakers by Jaz O’Hara gives a voice to so many of the voiceless – voiceless because they are learning new languages and may not be able to communicate, or they weren’t able to complete the journey and thus their stories must live on through others.

This collection of stories provides a portrayal of a community that is judged harshly by most – and gives the bittersweet truth of a path to asylum many would never envision. O’Hara has chosen a wide selection of refugees with a variety of experiences, and I appreciate the way she wove the stories together. There is a heaviness in what is read, however, as the stories unfold, the beauty of triumph and hope seems to overwhelm the sadness and difficulty. There are not always happy endings, but a silver lining of hope shines through. I also enjoyed the highlighted organizations that have assisted the refugees; showcasing the generosity strangers can provide when faced with the need of others in crisis.

I have always found that you cannot change someone’s mind until the issue becomes personal to them. This is a book that will make the refugee crisis real to those who read it. For those who may be concerned about a political leaning one way or another, there really isn’t much of one. Outside of an initial discussion of seeing the rise in negative stories from conservative media as a precursor for wanting to share these stories, O’Hara truly allowed the refugees to share their stories and let their truth be told. I would encourage everyone to read this book (and the others listed at the end). These are stories that need to be remembered.

READ THIS BOOK!
What a fantastic overview of global human rights!
A touching tribute to so many different heroes that have had to flee their own countries but are committed to making the world safer for others. Jaz O'Hara is the podcast host of Asylum Speakers and this book is a collection of many of the stories of refugees she has interacted with or been inspired by. The book is put together beautifully with multiple pictures of the asylum seekers and sometimes the camps or cities they had to flee. Each story is it's own odyssey. What is most poignant is that all of the interviewees want to return to their war torn countries to help.

I can't say enough about this work of art and look forward to sharing with many many people. Look up the podcast, sign up on the website and purchase this book for yourself or a friend (in my case, my school). Thank you JAZ!
Worldwide Tribe#DK #Asylumspeakers #Jazohara

YES! Omg I am so happy to have gotten NetGalley access to this one because of my love for collected stories, especially from those seeking refuge and asylum and this is just so memorable and important for these narratives to be told.