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: No ti disparxias po is disterraus, creinci

Filmed:
1,715,610 views

"Eus biu is progressus in totus is aspetus de sa vida nosta - foras de s'umanidadi", narat Luma Mufleh, una imigrada giordana cun originis sirianas musulmanas chi a creau sa prima iscola acreditada po disterraus in America. Mufleh si contat storias de speru e resilientzia, e si ispiegat cumenti est agiudendi is giovunus chi benint de natzionis in gherra cun is tribullias po si fai una domu noa. Custa conferentzia si oberrit su coru po essi personalmenti coinvoltus cun is disterraus.
- 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
0
944
1898
M'arregordu candu apu iscobertu
ca depemu chistionai in d'unu TED.
00:14
I was going to speak at a TED conference.
1
2866
2039
00:16
I ran across the hall
to one of my classrooms
2
4929
2111
Apu cutu in su passaditzu
po lompi in d'una classi
00:19
to inform my students.
3
7064
1429
e ddu nai a is studentis.
00:20
"Guess what, guys?
4
8517
1248
"Ddu scireis, piciocus?
00:21
I've been asked to give a TED Talk."
5
9789
2078
M'anti domandau de fai unu TED".
00:23
The reaction wasn't one I quite expected.
6
11891
2031
Sa reatzioni non fudit
cussa chi mi creemu.
00:25
The whole room went silent.
7
13946
1458
Totus citius.
00:29
"A TED Talk? You mean, like the one
you made us watch on grit?
8
17134
2960
"Unu TED? Cument'a cussus
chi si faint biri in Internet?
00:32
Or the one with the scientist that did
this really awesome thing with robots?"
9
20118
3695
Cussus cun is scientziaus
chi faint cosas bellas cun is robot?"
00:35
Muhammad asked.
10
23837
1166
m'at domandau Muhammad.
00:37
"Yes, just like that."
11
25027
1421
"Eja, propiu cussu".
00:39
"But Coach, those people
are really important and smart."
12
27137
2934
"O Maista, cussa est genti importanti
e abili meda".
00:42
(Laughter)
13
30095
2077
(Arrisu)
00:44
"I know that."
14
32196
1322
"Ddu sciu".
"O Maista, poita ddui chistionas?
00:46
"But Coach, why are you speaking?
You hate public speaking."
15
34793
3717
A ca non ti praxit
a chistionai a genti meda".
00:51
"I do," I admitted,
16
39071
1509
"Est berus", apu nau,
00:54
"But it's important that I speak about us,
that I speak about your journeys,
17
42334
3599
"ma est importanti a chistionai de nosus,
de is biaxius de bosatrus,
00:57
about my journey.
18
45957
1159
de is biaxius cosa mia.
00:59
People need to know."
19
47140
1269
Ddu depint isciri".
01:01
The students at the all-refugee
school that I founded
20
49098
2713
Is istudentis de sa scola po disterraus
chi appu creau
ant detzidiu de serrai
cun fueddus de incoragiamentu.
01:03
decided to end with some
words of encouragement.
21
51835
2392
01:06
"Cool! It better be good, Coach."
22
54251
1819
"Togu! Adessi mellus
chi siasta brava, o Maista!"
01:08
(Laughter)
23
56094
2700
(Arrisu)
01:10
There are 65.3 million people
who have been forcibly displaced
24
58818
3558
Ci funt 65,3 milionis de personas
disterradas a fortza de domu
01:14
from their homes because
of war or persecution.
25
62400
2548
insoru po sa gherra o is persecutzionis.
01:18
The largest number,
11 million, are from Syria.
26
66035
2983
Is prus medas, 11 milionis,
benint de sa Siria.
01:21
33,952 people flee their homes daily.
27
69963
4359
33.952 personas si fuint
de domu insoru dognia diri.
01:28
The vast majority remain in refugee camps,
28
76846
3198
S'un prus abarranta rifugiaus meis campus
01:32
whose conditions cannot be defined
as humane under anyone's definition.
29
80068
4025
in conditzionis chi nisciunus
podit cuntziderai umanas.
01:36
We are participating
in the degradation of humans.
30
84686
4350
Seus partecipendi
a sa degradatzioni de is umanus.
01:44
Never have we had numbers this high.
31
92750
1781
Non eus mai biu numerus aici artus.
01:46
This is the highest number
of refugees since World War II.
32
94555
3121
Est su numeru prus artu de disterraus
de is tempus
de sa segundu gherra mondiali.
01:50
Now, let me tell you why this issue
is so important to me.
33
98415
2772
Lassaimiri nai poita custa chistioni
est aici importanti po mei.
01:54
I am an Arab. I am an immigrant.
34
102144
2750
Seu araba. Seu disterrada.
01:58
I am a Muslim.
35
106024
1267
Seu musulmana.
02:00
I've also spent the last 12 years
of my life working with refugees.
36
108006
3774
E traballu de a su mancu 12 annus
cun is disterraus.
02:03
Oh -- and I'm also gay.
37
111804
1442
Ah, e seu gay puru.
Totus cosas chi oi in diri
mi faint agradessia meda.
02:05
It makes me really popular these days.
38
113270
1900
02:07
(Laughter)
39
115194
1891
(Arrisu)
02:09
But I am the daughter of a refugee.
40
117109
1944
Ma seu filla de unu disterrau.
02:12
My grandmother fled Syria in 1964
during the first Assad regime.
41
120056
4498
Aiaia mia s'est fuia de sa Siria
in su 1964, in su primu regimi de Assad.
02:16
She was three months pregnant
when she packed up a suitcase,
42
124578
3447
Fuet pringia de tres mesis
candu at fattu is bagaglius,
02:20
piled in her five children
and drove to neighboring Jordan,
43
128049
3094
pinnigau is cincu fillus
e pigau sa machina fintzas a Giordania,
02:23
not knowing what the future held
for her and her family.
44
131167
3012
chene isciri su chi depiat sutzedu
a issa e a sa famiglia sua.
02:26
My grandfather decided to stay,
not believing it was that bad.
45
134203
3637
Aiaiu iat detzidiu de abarrai,
ca no creiat che fuet aici legia.
02:30
He followed her a month later,
after his brothers were tortured
46
138562
3474
Ndi ddus at sorigau apustis de un mesi,
poita ianta torturau a is fradis
02:34
and his factory was taken over
by the government.
47
142060
2429
e sa fabrica cosa sua
ndi dd'iat pigada su guvernu.
02:37
They rebuilt their lives
starting from scratch
48
145039
2194
Nd'ant torrau a pesai sa vida insoru
02:39
and eventually became independently
wealthy Jordanian citizens.
49
147257
3275
e a s'acabada funti diventaus
citadinus giordanus arricus.
02:43
I was born in Jordan 11 years later.
50
151969
2493
Deu seu nascia in Giordania
apustis de undixi annus.
02:47
It was really important to my grandmother
for us to know our history
51
155431
3310
Aiaia ci teniat chi nosus sciremus
s'istoria e su biaxiu cosa nosta.
02:50
and our journey.
52
158765
1154
02:52
I was eight years old when she took me
to visit my first refugee camp.
53
160883
3617
Tenemu ott'annus candu m'at portau
a biri su primu campu de disterraus.
02:56
I didn't understand why.
54
164524
1440
Non podemu cumprendi poita.
Non podemu cumprendi poita
fuet aici importanti
02:58
I didn't know why
it was so important to her
55
166636
2131
03:00
for us to go.
56
168791
1450
chi nosus ddui andamus.
03:02
I remember walking into the camp
holding her hand,
57
170265
2939
Parit ca mi biu caminendi
a manu pigada cun issa in su campu,
e mi narat
"Bai a giogai cun is pipius",
03:05
and her saying, "Go play with the kids,"
58
173228
1969
03:07
while she visited
with the women in the camp.
59
175221
2503
in su mentris chi issa torrat visita
a is feminas de su campu.
03:10
I didn't want to.
60
178606
1212
No bolemu andai.
Cussus pipius non fuenta cumenti a mei.
03:11
These kids weren't like me.
61
179842
1416
03:13
They were poor. They lived in a camp.
62
181282
1778
Fuenta poburus. Biviant in d'unu campu.
03:15
I refused.
63
183084
1340
Mi seu impuntada.
03:16
She knelt down beside me
and firmly said, "Go.
64
184448
2966
Issa s'est inginugada ananta mia
e at nau severa "Bai.
03:19
And don't come back until you've played.
65
187438
2154
E non torris fintzas a candu no as giogau.
Non ti pentzis mai chi is aterus
funti a suta de tui
03:21
Don't ever think people are beneath you
66
189616
2040
03:23
or that you have nothing
to learn from others."
67
191680
2299
o ca non podis imparai
cancuna cosa de is aterus".
03:26
I reluctantly went.
68
194520
1449
Seu andanda, mancai murrungendi.
03:27
I never wanted to disappoint
my grandmother.
69
195993
2288
Non mi praxiat a fai inchietai a aiaia.
03:31
I returned a few hours later,
70
199475
1397
Seu torrada a pustis de cancuna ora,
03:32
having spent some time playing soccer
with the kids in the camp.
71
200896
4630
emu giogau a bocia
cun is pipius de su campu.
03:38
We walked out of the camp,
72
206039
1277
Bessendinci de su campu
03:39
and I was excitedly telling her
what a great time I had
73
207340
2695
fuemu contendiddi tottu prexada
ca mi fuemu spassiada meda
03:42
and how fantastic the kids were.
74
210059
1931
e ca is pipius fuenta togus meda.
03:45
"Haram!" I said in Arabic. "Poor them."
75
213175
2680
"Haram!" apu nau in arabu, "Poberitus".
03:48
"Haram on us," she said,
using the word's different meaning,
76
216648
3087
"Poberus nosus", at nau issa, imperendi
su fueddu cun d'un atru significau,
03:51
that we were sinning.
77
219759
1333
ca fuemus fendi pecau.
03:54
"Don't feel sorry for them;
believe in them."
78
222002
2373
"Non ti dispraxias po issus, creinci".
03:58
It wasn't until I left my country
of origin for the United States
79
226351
3419
Fintzas a candu seu partia
po andai in America
04:01
that I realized the impact of her words.
80
229794
2012
no apu cumprendiu s'importantzia
de cussus fueddus.
04:05
After my college graduation, I applied for
and was granted political asylum,
81
233187
3674
A pustis de s'universidadi,
apu domandau e arriciu s'asilu politicu
04:08
based on being a member of a social group.
82
236885
2092
ca fuemu parti de unu grupu sotziali.
04:11
Some people may not realize this,
83
239710
1690
Cancunu no ddu cumprendit,
04:13
but you can still get the death penalty
in some countries for being gay.
84
241424
3666
ma ci funti logus chi ti podint
cundannai a morti poita ses gay.
04:19
I had to give up my Jordanian citizenship.
85
247077
2044
Apu depiu lassai
sa natzionalidadi giordana.
04:21
That was the hardest decision
I've ever had to make,
86
249145
2449
Est istetia sa decisioni prus dificili
de sa vida mia,
04:23
but I had no other choice.
87
251618
1380
ma non podemu fai atera cosa.
04:29
The point is,
88
257387
1243
Su fatu est
04:31
when you find yourself choosing
between home and survival,
89
259506
3076
ca candu depis scerai a intru
de domu tua o sa sopraviventzia
04:34
the question "Where are you from?"
becomes very loaded.
90
262606
2832
sa pregunta "De innui ses?"
diventat gai meda.
04:38
A Syrian woman who I recently met
at a refugee camp in Greece
91
266772
3267
Una siriana chi apu connotu de pagu
in d'unu campu po disterraus in Grecia
04:42
articulated it best,
92
270063
1268
dd'at nau mellus
candu m'at contau de su momentu
04:43
when she recalled the exact moment
she realized she had to flee Aleppo.
93
271355
3570
chi at cumprendiu
ca si depiat fuiri de Aleppo.
04:47
"I looked out the window
and there was nothing.
94
275277
2258
"Apu castiau a foras de sa ventana
e non ci fuet nudda.
04:49
It was all rubble.
95
277559
1359
Sceti arruinas.
04:51
There were no stores, no streets,
no schools. Everything was gone.
96
279593
3792
Non ci fuenta butegas, arrugas, scolas.
Tottu sciusciau.
04:56
I had been in my apartment for months,
97
284006
2047
Fuemu criada in domu de mesis,
04:58
listening to bombs drop
and watching people die.
98
286077
3070
ascurtendi is bombas arruendi
e castiendi sa genti chi moriat.
05:01
But I always thought it would get better,
99
289771
2063
Ma pentzamu sempri ca iat a essi mellus,
05:05
that no one could force me to leave,
100
293028
2074
ca nisciunus mi nci podiat bogai,
05:07
no one could take my home away from me.
101
295126
2042
ca nisciunu mi ndi podiat pigai sa domu.
05:09
And I don't know why it was that morning,
but when I looked outside,
102
297795
3272
E no sciu cumenti,
unu mengianu apu castiau a foras
e apu cumprendiu ca chi non mi fuemu,
is tres pipius mius iantessi mortus.
05:13
I realized if I didn't leave,
my three young children would die.
103
301091
3138
05:16
And so we left.
104
304253
1389
E seus partius.
05:17
We left because we had to,
not because we wanted to.
105
305666
3004
Si ndi seus fuius poita si depemus fuiri,
no poita si ollemus fuiri.
05:20
There was no choice," she said.
106
308694
1748
No apu tentu scioberu", at nau.
05:23
It's kind of hard to believe
that you belong
107
311978
2278
No fait a ddu crei ca t'agatas
candu non tenis una domu,
05:26
when you don't have a home,
108
314280
1464
05:27
when your country of origin rejects you
because of fear or persecution,
109
315768
4006
candu sa natzioni cosa tua ti nci bogat
po timoria o persecutzioni,
05:31
or the city that you grew up in
is completely destroyed.
110
319798
3904
o sa bidda innui ses istetia pesada
est totu sdarruta.
05:36
I didn't feel like I had a home.
111
324805
2031
No mi pariat de tenni una domu.
05:38
I was no longer a Jordanian citizen,
112
326860
2457
No fuemu prus una citadina giordana,
05:41
but I wasn't American, either.
113
329341
1632
ma no fuemu nimancu americana.
05:43
I felt a kind of loneliness
114
331643
1738
Mi intendemu aici a sola
ca non ddi potzu chistionai ancora.
05:45
that is still hard
to put into words today.
115
333405
2119
05:48
After college, I desperately needed
to find a place to call home.
116
336781
3283
A pustis de s'universidadi,
su disigiu de tenni una domu fuet mannu.
05:52
I bounced around from state to state
117
340546
1716
Seu arrumbulada de stadu in stadu
e d'apu acabada in North Carolina.
05:54
and eventually ended up in North Carolina.
118
342286
2435
05:56
Kindhearted people who felt sorry for me
119
344745
2125
Genti coru bonu, ca ndi ddis pariat mali,
05:59
offered to pay rent
120
347413
1334
mi olianta pagai s'afitu
mi olianta donai a papai o comporai
unu bistiri po s'atobiu de traballu.
06:01
or buy me a meal or a suit
for my new interview.
121
349405
3314
06:04
It just made me feel
more isolated and incapable.
122
352743
3023
Mi seu intendia prus isolada
e bona a nudda.
06:08
It wasn't until I met Miss Sarah,
123
356481
1814
Fintzas a chi tanti apu connotu
a Miss Sarah,
06:10
a Southern Baptist who took me in
at my lowest and gave me a job,
124
358319
3736
una batista chi m'at arregotu de terra
e m'at donau unu traballu,
06:14
that I started to believe in myself.
125
362079
1893
e apu cumentzau a crei
ca ci dda podemu fai.
06:16
Miss Sarah owned a diner
in the mountains of North Carolina.
126
364695
3797
Miss Sarah teniada una tratoria
meis montis de North Carolina.
06:21
I assumed, because
of my privileged upbringing
127
369856
2169
Mi pentzamu, poita
m'anti pesau privilegiada
06:24
and my Seven Sister education,
128
372049
1519
e seu andada a iscolas bonas,
06:25
that she would ask me
to manage the restaurant.
129
373592
2204
ca mi adessi domandau
de dirigi sa tratoria.
06:27
I was wrong.
130
375820
1208
Mi isbagliamu.
06:29
I started off washing dishes,
131
377972
1703
Apu cumentzau sciacquendi su strexiu,
06:31
cleaning toilets and working the grill.
132
379699
1979
allichidendi is bagnius
e traballendi a sa cardiga.
06:34
I was humbled; I was shown
the value of hard work.
133
382247
3085
M'at apocau, apu cumprendiu
ita olit nai a traballai diaderus.
06:37
But most importantly,
I felt valued and embraced.
134
385356
2610
Ma, pruschetotu,
mi seu intendia apretzada e acullia.
06:40
I celebrated Christmas with her family,
135
388924
1880
A Paschixedda fuemu
cun sa familia cosa sua
06:42
and she attempted to observe
Ramadan with me.
136
390828
2352
e issa at provau a fai
su Ramadam cun mei.
06:46
I remember being very nervous
about coming out to her --
137
394236
2670
Fuemu nervosa meda prima
de ddi nai ca seu gay -
06:48
after all, she was a Southern Baptist.
138
396930
2042
issa fuet una batista de su sud.
06:50
I sat on the couch next to her
139
398996
1460
Setzia in su divanu acant'e issa
06:52
and I said, "Miss Sarah,
you know that I'm gay."
140
400480
2531
dd'apu nau: "Miss Sarah,
fostei ddu scidi ca seu gay".
06:55
Her response is one
that I will never forget.
141
403035
2186
Non m'apu mai a scaresci
s'arrisposta cosa sua.
06:57
"That's fine, honey.
Just don't be a slut."
142
405715
2199
"Andat beni, sa pipia.
Ma no fetzas sa bagassa"
06:59
(Laughter)
143
407938
3172
(Arrisu)
07:03
(Applause)
144
411134
2675
(Tzarracamanus)
07:05
I eventually moved to Atlanta,
still trying to find my home.
145
413833
5912
A s'acabada sei andada a Atlanta,
ancora circhendi sa domu mia.
07:12
My journey took a strange turn
three years later,
146
420261
2379
A pustis de tres annus,
su biaji miu est cambiau
07:14
after I met a group of refugee kids
playing soccer outside.
147
422664
3233
a pustis d'essi connotu pipius
disterraus gioghendi a bocia.
Non emu intzetau sa 'ia
e dd'emu acabada in d'unu condominiu,
07:18
I'd made a wrong turn
into this apartment complex,
148
426318
2540
07:20
and I saw these kids
outside playing soccer.
149
428882
2215
custus pipius fuenta
gioghendi a bocia in sa 'ia.
07:23
They were playing barefoot
with a raggedy soccer ball
150
431496
2563
Fuenta scrutzus e gioganta
cun d'una bocia de tzapulu
e cun is perdas po fai sa porta.
07:26
and rocks set up as goals.
151
434083
1452
07:27
I watched them for about an hour,
152
435559
1700
Ddus apu castiaus po casi un'ora
e apustis fuemu arriendi.
07:29
and after that I was smiling.
153
437283
1578
07:31
The boys reminded me of home.
154
439296
1587
Cussus pipius m'anti fatu pentzai a domu.
07:33
They reminded me of the way
I grew up playing soccer
155
441368
2478
M'anti arregordau de candu
giogamu a bocia
meis istradas de sa Giordania
cun fradis e fradilis mius.
07:35
in the streets of Jordan,
with my brothers and cousins.
156
443870
2630
07:39
I eventually joined their game.
157
447792
2001
Apu bofiu giogai deu puru.
07:41
They were a little skeptical
about letting me join it,
158
449817
2843
A principius no fuenta meda sigurus
de mi lassai a giogai cun issus,
07:44
because according to them,
girls don't know how to play.
159
452684
2662
ca, segundu issus,
is feminas non scinti giogai.
07:47
But obviously I did.
160
455370
1346
Ma deu sciremu giogai.
07:48
I asked them if they had
ever played on a team.
161
456740
2244
Ddis apu domandau
chi ianta mai giogau in scuadra.
07:51
They said they hadn't,
but that they would love to.
162
459008
2434
M'anti arrespustu ca nou,
ma ddis iat a essi praxiu meda.
07:53
I gradually won them over,
and we formed our first team.
163
461931
3021
A pagu a pagu ddus apu cunvintus
e eus fatu sa primu scuadra.
07:57
This group of kids would give me
a crash course in refugees, poverty
164
465851
4884
Custus pipius m'anti fatu
unu cursu acelerau
de disterraus, pobertadi
08:03
and humanity.
165
471997
1232
e umanidadi.
08:06
Three brothers from Afghanistan --
Roohullah, Noorullah and Zabiullah --
166
474375
3555
Tres fradis de s'Afganistan -
Roohullah, Noorullah and Zabiullah -
08:09
played a major role in that.
167
477954
1624
funti cussus chi m'anti imparau de prus.
08:12
I showed up late to practice one day
to find the field completely deserted.
168
480380
3568
A pustis de cancuna diri, andu
po s'allenamentu e non agatu a nisciunus.
08:15
I was really worried.
169
483972
1181
Fuemu preocupada meda.
08:17
My team loved to practice.
170
485177
1611
Sa scuadra mia ddis praxiat a s'allenai.
08:18
It wasn't like them to miss practice.
171
486812
2607
Non s'ianta a perdi unu allenamentu.
08:21
I got out of my car, and two kids
ran out from behind a dumpster,
172
489443
3088
Ndi seu calada de sa machina e duus pipius
ndi funti bessius de addia de un caxioni,
08:24
waving their hands frantically.
173
492555
1583
fadendi sa manu.
08:27
"Coach, Rooh got beat up. He got jumped.
174
495095
2047
"A Rooh dd'anti arropau.
Dd'anti fatu sa posta.
08:29
There was blood everywhere."
175
497166
1578
Fueda prenu de sanguni".
08:30
"What do you mean?
What do you mean he got beat up?"
176
498768
2455
"Ita? Dd'anti atripau?"
08:33
"These bad kids came
and beat him up, Coach.
177
501247
2073
"Piciocheddus malus
funti benius a dd'arropai.
08:35
Everybody left. They were all scared."
178
503344
2226
Si funti fuius tutus,
si funti totus spantaus":
08:37
We hopped into my car
and drove over to Rooh's apartment.
179
505594
2718
Eus pigau sa machina
po andai a domu de Rooh.
08:40
I knocked on the door, and Noor opened it.
180
508336
2499
Apu adubau e Noor at obertu.
08:43
"Where's Rooh? I need
to talk to him, see if he's OK."
181
511589
2752
"Innui e' Rooh? Ddu depu chistionai
po biri si andat totu beni".
08:46
"He's in his room, Coach.
He's refusing to come out."
182
514365
2936
"Est in sa stanza sua.
Non ddi olit bessiri".
08:49
I knocked on the door.
183
517325
1167
Apu adubau a sa porta.
08:50
"Rooh, come on out. I need to talk to you.
184
518516
2426
"Rooh, bessindi. Ti depu nai una cosa.
08:52
I need to see if you're OK
or if we need to go to the hospital."
185
520966
3051
Ollu biri cumenti staisi
e si depis andai a su spidali".
08:56
He came out.
186
524041
1151
Nd'est bessiu.
08:57
He had a big gash on his head,
a split lip,
187
525216
2262
Potada unu trincu in conca,
unu murru segau,
09:00
and he was physically shaken.
188
528019
1751
e fuet spantau meda.
09:02
I was looking at him,
189
530514
1333
Castiendiddu
09:03
and I asked the boys
to call for their mom,
190
531871
2559
apu domandau a is piciocheddus
de tzerriai a sa mama,
09:06
because I needed to go
to the hospital with him.
191
534454
2412
ca depemu andai a su spidali cun issu.
09:08
They called for their mom.
192
536890
1307
Anti tzerriau a sa mama.
09:10
She came out.
193
538608
1192
Nd'est bessia a foras.
09:12
I had my back turned to her,
and she started screaming in Farsi.
194
540239
3579
Fuemu furriada e at cumentzau
a tzerriai in farsi.
09:16
The boys fell to the ground laughing.
195
544577
2075
Is pipius fuenta arriendi cument'a macus.
09:18
I was very confused,
196
546676
1152
Deu fuemu afaltada
poita non ci fuet nudda de arriri.
09:19
because there was nothing
funny about this.
197
547852
2074
09:22
They explained to me that she said,
198
550390
2000
M'anti ispiegau ca iat nau
09:24
"You told me your coach
was a Muslim and a woman."
199
552414
2814
"M'estis nau ca s'allenadora
fuet musulmana e femina".
09:27
From behind, I didn't appear
to be either to her.
200
555252
2369
De palas no ddi fuemu pata
ni s'una ni s'atera cosa.
09:29
(Laughter)
201
557645
3633
(Arrisu)
09:33
"I am Muslim," I said, turning to her.
202
561302
2236
"Seu musulmana", dd'apu nau furriendimiri.
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
sa dichiaratzioni de fidi musulmana.
09:40
Confused,
205
568587
1304
Cunfundia,
09:43
and perhaps maybe a little bit reassured,
206
571208
1990
ma fortzis unu pagu tranquillizada,
09:45
she realized that yes,
207
573222
1155
at cumprendiu ca deu,
trassada a americana
09:46
I, this American-acting,
shorts-wearing, non-veiled woman,
208
574401
3291
cun is cratzoneddus
crutzus e chentz'e velu
09:49
was indeed a Muslim.
209
577716
1190
fuemu diaderus musulmana.
09:52
Their family had fled the Taliban.
210
580166
1950
Sa famiglia cosa sua
s'est fuia de is talebanus.
09:55
Hundreds of people in their village
211
583687
1704
Anti mortu centenas de personas
de bidda sua.
09:57
were murdered.
212
585415
1246
09:58
Their father was taken in by the Taliban,
213
586685
2213
Su babu est istetiu impresonau
de is talebanus,
10:00
only to return a few months later,
a shell of the man he once was.
214
588922
3801
e candu e' torrau a pustis de cancunu mesi
no pariat prus s'omini chi fuet istetiu.
10:06
The family escaped to Pakistan,
215
594738
2411
Sa famiglia s'est fuia in Pakistan
10:09
and the two older boys,
age eight and 10 at the time,
216
597173
3568
e is dus pipius prus mannus,
chi intzas teniant 8 e 10 annus,
10:12
wove rugs for 10 hours a day
to provide for their family.
217
600765
3237
tessiant tapetus dexi oras a sa diri
po fai papai a sa famiglia.
10:16
They were so excited when they found out
that they had been approved
218
604926
3757
Fuenta aici cuntentus candu ant scipiu
ca ddus iant concediu
10:20
to resettle in the United States,
219
608707
2492
su permissu po bivi in America,
10:23
making them the lucky 0.1 percent
who get to do that.
220
611223
3253
ponendiddus in su 0,1% de beni assortaus
chi ci arrennescinti.
10:26
They had hit the jackpot.
221
614500
1590
Ianta bintu su primu premiu.
10:28
Their story is not unique.
222
616930
1570
S'istoria insoru non est unica.
10:31
Every refugee family I have worked with
has had some version of this.
223
619085
3908
Totus is famiglias disterradas
chi apu connotu
ndi tenianta una versioni insoru.
10:35
I work with kids
224
623017
1340
Traballu cun pipius
10:37
who have seen their mothers raped,
their fathers' fingers sliced off.
225
625206
3859
chi anti biu a sa mama violentada,
seghendindi is didus a su babu.
10:41
One kid saw a bullet
put in his grandmother's head,
226
629089
2955
Unu pipiu at biu sparendi
a sa nonna in conca
10:44
because she refused to let the rebels
take him to be a child soldier.
227
632068
4038
poita non boliat chi is ribellis
ndi ddu pighessint po fai su sordau.
10:49
Their journeys are haunting.
228
637943
1541
Is biaxius insoru
funti istetius terribilis.
10:51
But what I get to see every day
is hope, resilience, determination,
229
639940
5774
Ma dognia diri biu speru,
resilientza e determinazioni,
10:57
a love of life
230
645738
1185
amori po sa vida
10:58
and appreciation for being able
to rebuild their lives.
231
646947
2844
e gratitudini po essi capatzi
de torrai a costruiri is vidas insoru.
11:03
I was at the boys' apartment one night,
232
651607
2125
Una notti fuemu in domu de is pipius
candu est torrada sa mama
11:05
when the mom came home
after cleaning 18 hotel rooms in one day.
233
653756
4810
apustis de essi allichidiu
18 stanzas in d'unu albergu.
11:10
She sat down, and Noor rubbed her feet,
234
658590
2293
S'est setzia e Noor
dd'at massagiau is peis
11:13
saying that he was going to take care
of her once he graduated.
235
661679
3075
e dd'at nau ca a pustis de sa laurea
s'iat a rendi cura de issa.
11:16
She smiled from exhaustion.
236
664778
1494
Issa at arrisiu mancai cantzada.
11:18
"God is good. Life is good.
We are lucky to be here."
237
666296
3408
"Deus est bonu. Sa vida est bella.
Seus beni assortaus de bivi innoi".
11:23
In the last two years, we have seen
an escalating anti-refugee sentiment.
238
671001
4795
Meis urtimus dus annus apu biu crescendi
su sentimentu contras a is disterraus.
11:28
It's global.
239
676219
1219
In totu su mundu.
11:30
The numbers continue to grow
because we do nothing to prevent it
240
678579
3244
Is numerus crescinti
poita non fadeus nudda po dd'evitai
11:33
and nothing to stop it.
241
681847
1701
e nudda po ddu firmai.
11:35
The issue shouldn't be stopping refugees
from coming into our countries.
242
683572
3552
Su problema non est a non fai benni
is disterraus a is natzionis nostas.
11:39
The issue should be
not forcing them to leave their own.
243
687148
2988
Su problema iat a depi essi
a non ddus sortai a si fuiri de sa insoru.
11:42
(Applause)
244
690160
4435
(Tzarracamanus)
11:58
Sorry.
245
706510
1325
Mi dispraxit.
11:59
(Applause)
246
707859
3928
(Tzarracamanus)
12:09
How much more suffering,
247
717917
2525
Cantu soferentza,
12:12
how much more suffering must we take?
248
720466
2045
cantu atera soferentza
depeus poderai?
Cantu atera genti depit essi sortada
de si fuiri de domu sua
12:15
How many more people need to be
forced out of their homes
249
723255
2771
12:18
before we say, "Enough!"?
250
726050
1381
prima de nai "Est ora de d'acabai"?
12:19
A hundred million?
251
727455
1209
Centu milionis?
12:21
Not only do we shame,
blame and reject them
252
729125
2826
No sceti ddus sbregungiaus,
ddus acusaus and ddus arrecusaus
12:25
for atrocities that they had
absolutely nothing to do with,
253
733245
2833
po is atrocidadis
chi non ddi tenint nisciuna curpa,
12:29
we re-traumatize them,
254
737012
1155
ddus torraus a traumatizai
12:30
when we're supposed to be welcoming
them into our countries.
255
738191
2965
in tambus de ddus aculli
meis natzionis cosa nosta.
12:35
We strip them of their dignity
and treat them like criminals.
256
743291
3303
Ndi ddis bogaus sa dignidadi
e ddus trataus cumenti a delincuentis.
12:38
I had a student in my office
a couple of weeks ago.
257
746618
2706
In s'ufiziu tenemu una studentessa
cancuna cida faidi.
12:41
She's originally from Iraq.
258
749348
1816
Ndi beniat de s'Iraq.
12:43
She broke down crying.
259
751188
1439
S'est posta a prangi.
12:45
"Why do they hate us?"
260
753595
1628
"Poita si tirriant a nosus?"
12:47
"Who hates you?"
261
755247
1174
"Chini ti tirriat?"
12:48
"Everyone; everyone hates us
because we are refugees,
262
756445
2771
"Totus. Totus si tirriant
poita seus disterraus,
12:51
because we are Muslim."
263
759240
1356
poita seus musulmanus".
12:54
In the past, I was able
to reassure my students
264
762019
2336
Unu tempus, arrennescemu
a cunvinci is istudentis
ca in sa prus parti de su mundu
no tirriant a is disterraus.
12:56
that the majority of the world
does not hate refugees.
265
764379
2637
12:59
But this time I couldn't.
266
767040
1385
Ma cust'orta non ci seu arrennescia.
13:00
I couldn't explain to her why someone
tried to rip off her mother's hijab
267
768868
3480
Non dd'apu scipiu ispiegai poita
a sa mama dd'anti tirau su mucadori
13:04
when they were grocery shopping,
268
772372
1785
candu fuenta in sa butega,
13:06
or why a player on an opposing
team called her a terrorist
269
774181
3244
o poita un aversariu de s'atera scuadra
dd'at tzerriada terrorista
13:09
and told her to go back
where she came from.
270
777449
2483
e dd'at nau a si ndi torrai
de a ca nd'est benia.
13:11
I couldn't reassure her
271
779956
1762
No dda podemu cunvinci
13:13
that her father's ultimate life sacrifice
272
781742
2339
ca su sacrifitziu de su babu,
13:16
by serving in the United States
military as an interpreter
273
784105
3120
serbendi s'America cumenti a interpreti,
13:19
would make her more valued
as an American citizen.
274
787249
2710
dd'iat a fai tenni prus valori
cumenti a citadina americana.
13:23
We take in so few refugees worldwide.
275
791051
2872
Aculleus diaderus pagus disterraus.
13:26
We resettle less than 0.1 percent.
276
794949
2686
Non ndi sistemaus mancu su 0,1%.
13:30
That 0.1 percent benefits us
more than them.
277
798778
3200
Cussu 0,1% si profetat de prus
a nosus che a issus e totu.
13:34
It dumbfounds me how the word "refugee"
is considered something to be dirty,
278
802797
3786
Abarru spantada de cumenti su fueddu
"disterrau" parit una cosa bruta,
una cosa de si ndi parri bregungia.
13:38
something to be ashamed of.
279
806607
1613
13:40
They have nothing to be ashamed of.
280
808244
1864
Non teninti nudda
de ddi ndis parri bregungia.
13:45
We have seen advances
in every aspect of our lives --
281
813827
2723
Eus biu progressu
in dognia aspetu de sa vida nosta,
13:48
except our humanity.
282
816574
1378
foras de s'umanidadi.
13:50
There are 65.3 million people
who have been forced out of their homes
283
818523
4439
Ci funti 66,3 milionis de personas
fuius de domu insoru
13:54
because of war --
284
822986
1244
po sa gherra:
13:56
the largest number in history.
285
824685
1849
is prus medas de totu sa storia.
13:59
We are the ones who should be ashamed.
286
827110
2057
A nosus si nd'iat a depi parri bregungia.
14:01
Thank you.
287
829712
1155
Gratzias.
14:02
(Applause)
288
830891
6529
(Tzarracamanus)
Translated by Stefania Manunza
Reviewed by Caterina Angela Dettori

▲Back to top

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