“People often ask me when we first meet, ‘Where are you from?’ I grin and say, ‘Columbus.’ I know what they are really asking (what country I come from), but I truly feel that Columbus is my home. I don’t need to use GPS to get around. I walk into local coffee shops and restaurants and see people I know. I had always dreamed of having a homeland, but I never truly felt at home until I came to Columbus. This is my home.” Read Murtadha’s story at crisohio.org/blog/murtadha. (fb)

World Refugee Day is a global observance observed annually in June. Established by the United Nations, it honors the strength, resilience, and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home countries due to war, violence, or persecution. In recognition of World Refugee Day and CRIS’ 30th Anniversary, we’ll be sharing stories throughout the month—stories from individuals who have been part of the CRIS community over the past three decades. No account of CRIS’s thirty-year history would be complete—or perhaps even possible—without Jane McGrew. Though she never sought the spotlight, CRIS’ story, in many ways, begins with her. Read more here: https://www.crisohio.org/newsletter-spotlights/30storiesjane (fb)