Amy Pence-Brown is the new executive director of Artisans For Hope in Boise, Idaho, a vibrant community space of creativity and economic empowerment. Here's their story:

In 2009, a group of Boise women in a book club began discussing their common interest in textiles and care for refugees resettled in Boise. They felt many refugees were met with difficulties of adjusting and community misunderstanding and ambivalence. These women wanted to help find a creative and inexpensive way to help refugee neighbors feel welcome and become a part of the larger Idaho community. The vehicle? Textile handcrafts and an opportunity to connect, learn, create, and earn. Artisans For Hope became a nonprofit and started teaching Idaho refugees to sew and knit for free in beginner courses and the opportunity to become advanced sewists who sell their wares and earn a 60% commission. Sixteen years and nearly a thousand graduates later, we remain committed to the same mission.

Within the term “refugee” is a wide range of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences - including ‎among refugees from the same country.Sanga Zamaraikamal Pori, a senior at Boise State University and fellow with Neighbors United, is a former refugee from Afghanistan. Her story is unique to her own set of experiences and perspectives.Sanga and her family resettled in Boise, Idaho, when she was 4 years old, when the Afghan community was smaller. She remembers being the only student in her class wearing a hijab.Sanga is proud of her heritage, including being a Pashtun. She passionate about building a future career that supports other refugees in some way. In her free time, she loves getting creative with thrift store finds to make beautiful and traditional outfits.

Desange Kuenihira wrote her book, Undefeated Woman, to encourage other young people from refugee backgrounds - and through the process she found strength and healing for herself. Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Desange spent much of her childhood in a refugee camp in Uganda before resettling in Salt Lake City. She has since graduated from the University of Utah and founded UnDEfeated, a nonprofit uplifting students and women in Uganda, some of whom are navigating life after child marriage. UnDEfeated’s American sponsors can take trips to Uganda to personally meet the people they are sponsoring. Learn more about the work of UnDEfeated and hear directly from students at speakundefeated.org and on the UnDEfeated YouTube page.