Luma Mufleh: Don't feel sorry for refugees -- believe in them
لوما موفلح: برای پناهنده ها متاسف نباشید-بهشون باور داشته باشید
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.
to one of my classrooms
کلاس هایم دویدم
you made us watch on grit?
مجبورمون کردید درگریت ببینیم؟
this really awesome thing with robots?"
فوق العاده با ربات انجام می داد؟»
are really important and smart."
و باهوش بودند.»
You hate public speaking."
شما که از صحبت کردن در جمع متنفرید.»
that I speak about your journeys,
صحبت کنم،در مورد مسیری که طی کردید،
school that I founded
که من تاسیس کردم
words of encouragement.
تشویق تمام کنند.
who have been forcibly displaced
شدند ترک وطن کنند
of war or persecution.
11 million, are from Syria.
میلیون نفر از سوریه است.
اردوگاههای پناهندگان می مونند،
as humane under anyone's definition.
انسانی نمی تونه باشه.
in the degradation of humans.
تحقیر می کنیم.
بالایی رو نداشتیم
of refugees since World War II.
از زمان جنگ جهانی دوم.
is so important to me.
برام انقدر مهمه.
of my life working with refugees.
صرف کار کردن با پناهنده ها کردم.
during the first Assad regime.
در زمان اولین رژیم اسعد فرار کرد.
when she packed up a suitcase,
سه ماهه باردار بود،
and drove to neighboring Jordan,
و به کشور همسایه، اردن، رفت
for her and her family.
برای خودش و خانوادش داره.
not believing it was that bad.
به نظرش خیلی بد نبود.
رفت بعد از اینکه بردارانش شکنجه شدند
after his brothers were tortured
by the government.
starting from scratch
شروع کردند
wealthy Jordanian citizens.
پولداری شدند.
for us to know our history
که ما درباره تاریخ
to visit my first refugee camp.
اولین کمپ پناهندگیمون برد تا ببینم.
it was so important to her
holding her hand,
بودم وارد کمپ شدم،
with the women in the camp.
and firmly said, "Go.
قاطعانه میگفت، «برو.
برنگرد.
از تو پایین ترند
to learn from others."
از دیگران یاد بگیری.»
my grandmother.
مادربزرگمو ناامید کنم.
with the kids in the camp.
تو کمپ فوتبال بازی میکردم.
what a great time I had
خوبی داشتم
«بیچاره اونها.»
using the word's different meaning,
از معنی متفاوت اون کلمه استفاده کرد،
believe in them."
باورشون داشته باش.»
of origin for the United States
آمریکا ترک نکرده بودم
تقاضای پناهندگی سیاسی کردم وبه من اعطاشد
and was granted political asylum,
in some countries for being gay.
به خاطر همجنس خواه بودن محکوم به مرگ بشی
I've ever had to make,
مجبور شدم بگیرم،
between home and survival,
زنده موندن می بینی،
becomes very loaded.
کنایه دار میشه.
at a refugee camp in Greece
در یونان ملاقاتش کردم
she realized she had to flee Aleppo.
بایداز حلب فرار کنه رو به یاد آورد.
and there was nothing.
و هیچی نبود اونجا.
no schools. Everything was gone.
همه چی ناپدید شده بود.
and watching people die.
و مرگ مردم رو تماشا میکردم.
but when I looked outside,
اما وقتی بیرونو نگاه کردم،
my three young children would die.
سه تا فرزند کوچکم میمیرند.
not because we wanted to.
نه به خاطر اینکه دلمون میخواست.
that you belong
because of fear or persecution,
به خاطر ترس یا آزار و شکنجه،
is completely destroyed.
کاملا خراب شده.
to put into words today.
پیداکنم که خونه صداش بزنم.
to find a place to call home.
میرفتم وبرمیگشستم
سر در آوردم.
حالم میسوخت
برای مصاحبه جدیدم بخرند.
for my new interview.
more isolated and incapable.
منزوی و ناتوان میکرد.
یه باپتیست جنوبی، روملاقات کردم،
at my lowest and gave me a job,
وضع بودم به من جا و کار داد،
in the mountains of North Carolina.
کوههای کارولینای شمالی داشت.
of my privileged upbringing
تربیت ثروتمند وممتازم
to manage the restaurant.
the value of hard work.
بهم نشون داده شده بود.
I felt valued and embraced.
با ارزشم و پذیرفته شدم.
Ramadan with me.
بگم همجنس خواهم عصبی بودم...
about coming out to her --
you know that I'm gay."
من همجنس خواهم.»
that I will never forget.
و هرجایی نباش.»
Just don't be a slut."
still trying to find my home.
و هنوز تلاش میکردم خونمو پیداکنم.
three years later,
playing soccer outside.
دیدم که داشتند فوتبال بازی میکردند
into this apartment complex,
فوتبال بازی میکردند.
outside playing soccer.
فوتبال پاره پوره بازی میکردند
with a raggedy soccer ball
انداختند که در خیابانهای اردن
I grew up playing soccer
with my brothers and cousins.
فوتبال بازی میکردم.
about letting me join it,
منوبه بازی راه بدهند،
girls don't know how to play.
که چطور بازی کنند.
ever played on a team.
but that they would love to.
که تیمی بازی کنند.
and we formed our first team.
و اولین تیممون رو شکل دادیم.
a crash course in refugees, poverty
فقر، پناهندگی و
Roohullah, Noorullah and Zabiullah --
نورالله و ذبیح الله-
to find the field completely deserted.
و دیدم زمین کاملا خالیه.
ran out from behind a dumpster,
زباله دانی بیرون دویدند
What do you mean he got beat up?"
منظورتون چیه کتک خورده؟»
and beat him up, Coach.
کتکش زدند، مربی.
and drove over to Rooh's apartment.
به سمت آپارتمان «روح» رفتیم.
to talk to him, see if he's OK."
ببینم حالش خوبه.»
He's refusing to come out."
or if we need to go to the hospital."
باید بریم بیمارستان.»
a split lip,
لبش پاره شده بود،
to call for their mom,
to the hospital with him.
and she started screaming in Farsi.
و شروع کرد به فارسی جیغ کشیدن.
funny about this.
وجود نداشت.
was a Muslim and a woman."
to be either to her.
نمیرسیدم در نگاه او.
shorts-wearing, non-veiled woman,
پوشیده و بی حجابه
فرار کرده بودند.
a shell of the man he once was.
که قبلا بود برگشت.
age eight and 10 at the time,
و دیگری ده ساله
to provide for their family.
تا خانوادهشون رو تامین کنند.
that they had been approved
آمریکا تایید شده
who get to do that.
که میتونند همچین کاری رو انجام بدهند.
has had some version of this.
روایت های این چنینی داشتند.
their fathers' fingers sliced off.
و انگشتان پدرشون قطع شده.
put in his grandmother's head,
به سر مادربزرگش اصابت کرده بود،
take him to be a child soldier.
نوهشو به عنوان سرباز کودک ببرند.
is hope, resilience, determination,
امید، مقاومت، اراده،
to rebuild their lives.
زندگیشون رو دوباره بسازند.
after cleaning 18 hotel rooms in one day.
در یک روز تمیز کرده بود اومد.
of her once he graduated.
از مادرش مواظبت خواهد کرد.
We are lucky to be here."
خوش شانسیم که اینجا هستیم.»
an escalating anti-refugee sentiment.
روز افزون ضد پناهنده ها هستیم.
because we do nothing to prevent it
ما هیچ کاری برای جلوگیری
from coming into our countries.
به کشورمون بشه.
not forcing them to leave their own.
کشور خودشون رو ترک کنند.
forced out of their homes
blame and reject them
ظلم و وحشی گری ای که
absolutely nothing to do with,
و طردشون میکنیم،
them into our countries.
بهشون خوشامد بگیم و دوستانه رفتار کنیم
and treat them like criminals.
و طوری رفتار میکنیم انگار مجرمند.
a couple of weeks ago.
because we are refugees,
چون ما پناهنده هستیم،
to reassure my students
به دانش آموزانم اطمینان بدم
does not hate refugees.
متنفر نیستند.
tried to rip off her mother's hijab
سعی کردند حجاب از سر مادرش وردارند
team called her a terrorist
صداش زد تروریست
where she came from.
ازش اومدی.
military as an interpreter
آمریکا خدمت میکنه
as an American citizen.
آمریکایی ارزشمند میکنه.
در سراسر جهان جا دادیم.
رو اسکان دادیم.
more than them.
به ما سود میرسونند.
is considered something to be dirty,
و چیزی که باید ازش شرمساربود
خاطرش شرمسار باشند.
in every aspect of our lives --
پیشرفتهایی داشته ایم--
who have been forced out of their homes
وطنشون رو ترک کنند
شرمسار باشیم.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Luma Mufleh - Refugee activistLuma 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.
Luma Mufleh | Speaker | TED.com