KOJO NNAMDIWelcome back. Today is World Refugee Day, a day where the global population stands with those who have fled their home countries out of fear of persecution. We may talk about this once a year, but some organizations in this region work year-round to create resources and programs for people resettling in the U.S. Today, we're talking with two organizations bringing arts and sports to young refugees. First, meet Seren Fryatt, founder and executive director of L.A.C.E.S., which is an acronym for Life and Change Experience through Sports. Seren, thank you for joining us.

SEREN FRYATTThank you for having me.

NNAMDIWhat is L.A.C.E.S., and why did you first decide to start it back in 2006?

FRYATTL.A.C.E.S. is a sports mentoring program, and in 2006, I was volunteering with Mercy Ships. They convert old cruise liners into hospitals off the coast of Liberia, West Africa. Just shortly after their civil war had ended, I was out playing a pickup soccer game, because I had played, you know, in college and high school...

NNAMDIIn Chicago.

FRYATTYeah, Chicago. Yes. (laugh) And, basically, I was out playing, and Liberia has a women's professional team. And a coach saw me playing, and recruited me to play in their league. So, I got to play professional soccer in Liberia. And through that, actually, is when this idea of L.A.C.E.S. came about. I saw the women on my team on the field, where they had -- you know, they were young women again. They had that joy, that fun that we all experience. And then they went into their homes, and the war had caused a lot of trauma and a lot of challenges that they faced day in and day out.

FRYATTAnd Liberia also had former child soldiers. It was known for its use and abuse of child soldiers. And I saw the same thing on the streets. The kids were having fun while they were playing soccer. And then, off the field, that they were struggling with the trauma from the war, the things that they experienced and the things that they did.

NNAMDISo, you started that program in Liberia.

FRYATTCorrect.

NNAMDIBut after starting it in Liberia, L.A.C.E.S. expanded to Prince Georges County here. Why did you start a soccer camp here?

FRYATTWhen we were looking to expand our work and our program to impact more youth, we just looked in our backyard and said, there are kids in our area who need this investment, who need mentoring, those who have experienced trauma or are at risk. So, we looked at all the different youth in our area. And what we found was that refugee youth had very limited opportunities. They had very few services. And so we felt like we could really fill in that gap and create more opportunity for them.

NNAMDIMeet Lynn Johnson. Lynn Johnson is a National Geographic photographer and an instructor for National Geographic photo camps. Lynn, thank you for joining us.

LYNN JOHNSONIt's a pleasure to be here.

NNAMDIWhat are National Geographic photo camps, and how did you get involved in them?

JOHNSONWell, National Geographic photo camps started in about 2003. A fabulous woman with vision named Kirsten Elstner started the camps. And the goal is to work with youth who were at risk in some way and to work around the world, and use photography basically as a way to build self-esteem and just create awareness of self and others using the creative process of photography.

NNAMDIThis week, National Geographic's photo class is a master class. Tell us about this week, which students were invited, and what are they learning?

JOHNSONWell, these are students from about nine countries, and many of them have already been through the initial photo camp. And it's been kind of a dream to actually help these young folks deepen their understanding of photography, if they would be interested in doing it professionally, but also because, as a creative process, photography allows you to understand yourself better and your perspective on the world. And, of course, these young folks have extremely interesting diverse and powerful perspectives because of their life experience. So, we invite them to share those perspectives through their work.

NNAMDIAnd one of those you invited joins us in studio. Byabu Abigael Kasongo, hereinafter referred to as Abby, is a student photographer in this week's National Geographic photo camp. Abby, thank you for joining us.

BYABU ABIGAEL KASONGOThank you.

NNAMDILike your classmates in this week's photo camp, you were a refugee. Can you tell us what led you to be here in the U.S.?

KASONGOBecause of the violence in Congo, so, me and my family, we had to, like, run and go and look for safety in Namibia. So, we lived in Namibia for 13 years, in a refugee camp. And then after that, we were sent to the United States for safety. So, that's how we got here.

NNAMDIWhat were the biggest challenges you faced, Abby, when you were adjusting to life in this region, specifically in Baltimore?

KASONGOThe biggest challenges were language barrier. So, like, I had to learn English over again. It was kind of hard at school, like, to communicate, but we had, like, resources that helped us to, like, improve our English. And then, like, it was also hard, like, making friends, because, like, I got bullied for, like, being African and, like, nobody really wanted to talk to me or anything. So, those were, like, my biggest challenges.

NNAMDIIt's hard enough to make friends as a teenager. What were some of the challenges you faced as someone new to the country, starting school here and trying to adapt? You mentioned the bullying. How were you able to deal with that?

KASONGOOh, I had my brother with me, and (laugh) he always protected me. So, like, I had one friend who didn't, like, judge or anything, and she was always there for me. So, like, when I got, like, I got bullied once in the bus, like, it was like, oh, you've got to get up and, like, you know, but I didn't understand what they were saying. So, I was, like, no, I'm not getting up or anything. And they're like -- my brother came for me, and he was, like, she's not getting up. And they were, like, you Africans. I was, like, okay, but we're still not getting up. So, that's how I deal with it. And mostly just ignore it.

NNAMDIWhen did you start to really feel like you fit in after you made that first friend?

KASONGOMy sophomore year in high school, I felt like I fit in, because I joined a refugee youth program. It's RYP. It helps, like, students from other countries. So, like, when I started going there to get help with my homework. And, like, it's an afterschool program that they help you with English, homework and everything. After I went there for a while and got friends, so, like, I started feeling like I'm fitting in now.

NNAMDIYeah, it always takes friends to help you (laugh) feel like you're fitting in. Seren, what challenges have you seen kids in the L.A.C.E.S. soccer program face? Are they similar to what Abby described?

FRYATTYeah, very similar. Majority of our kids that are in our program have just come to the United States within the last year. And they all experience -- you know, bullying actually, is quite a challenge for them. You know, kids their age already are being bullied. But when you sound different, you look different, you don't have people who -- you know, like their brother maybe (laugh) who are there, backing them up.

FRYATTThey have to learn the language. English is a second language, and they have to learn it quickly. They come, and they have to be in school right away. So, it's a challenge. They don't understand their teachers. They don't understand their peers, and they're expected to transition pretty easily. And often, I think that we don't understand that about those who have just come to our country and who are not familiar with it, both culturally -- I mean, understanding that -- we had one kid, you have to wear shoes to school. And he didn't understand that, and so we had to help him understand that process.

FRYATTAnd it's simple things like that that we take for granted here, that those who aren't part of our culture initially that are now being welcomed in the U.S. have to kind of adjust.

NNAMDIAbby, you attended your first photo camp in Shenandoah three years ago. How did you find out about the program, and why did you want to go?

KASONGOOh, I found out through Refugee Youth Program, and I wanted to go because I've always been interested in, like, photos, photography and design. So, I wanted to, like, learn more on how, like, I can, like, you know, create beautiful photos of my designs. So, like, Ms. Brittany, she, like, called me and she told me, like, if I wanted to go, I could go. It was for free and everything. I said okay.

NNAMDIToo cool for school. (laugh) Unlike your college classes, the photo camp in Shenandoah and the master class this week were taken with other refugees. Did being with students from a similar background affect your experience?

KASONGOIt did. So, I got to, like, learn, like, different stories, because my story is different. And I always told my grandma that we had it, like, really hard, more than other people. And she always told me, no, other people go through a lot more than us. So, like, coming to the photo camp, it, like, helped -- it's, like, helped me to see, like, everybody goes through a lot. It's not just me. It's, like, everybody else. They have struggles, too.

NNAMDIDoes this happen, Seren, at the soccer camps, too? Do you think the players benefit from playing with other kids who have similar backgrounds?

FRYATTYeah, absolutely. It's a common language. Sports is a -- soccer specifically is worldwide. And, you know, one kid last summer said, you know, this camp feels like home, because I have people around me. And it was interesting. Two years ago, these two kids went to the same school. They lived in the same apartment complex. They didn't know each other, and now they're best friends. You can't separate them at all, and they have a shared experience, and they built a common bond through sports.

NNAMDIHere now is Alex in Chevy Chase. Alex, you're on the air. Go ahead, please.

ALEXHey, Kojo. Thanks for doing this show, and thanks so much to the folks there who are doing so much for these young people. I'm calling because with my church, my church has sponsored, for the last two years, a family that came as refugees from Afghanistan. They have three boys, and we have been able to find wonderful camp and summer school opportunities for the oldest and for the youngest, that we are really striking out trying to find something for their rising 10th grade son. He is a wonderful young man. They live in Silver Spring. I will definitely check out L.A.C.E.S. But if there's anybody who's listening who has other ideas, I would love it if you could possibly let Kojo and his staff know, and maybe they could pass that information along to me. Thank you.

NNAMDIAbby, does what you've experienced as a refugee, does that influence the type of photography that you do?

KASONGOOh, yes, definitely, because when I take photos, I just don't, like, take any type of photo. I'm looking for, like, photos that have emotions, and they, like, kind of represent me. Like, I took a photo recently of, like, a guy who was sitting by himself, like, on his phone, but he looked sad. And I, like, took the photo because I saw -- that's what I do when I'm sad. I sit by myself and try to think. So, like, all my experiences, like what I've been through, they, like, influence me to take photos that are like me, so, like, similar to me.

NNAMDIThat's very interesting. Lynn, why do you think photography is an important tool for young refugees to learn?

JOHNSONWell, I think it's important so that they see themselves as fully human and not labeled forever as refugees. And so that's the kind of thing we were talking about (clears throat) in class. And using language, the language of the visual and language of writing -- which is also a part of this project -- helps people kind of decode the way they are seen from the outside and the way they see themselves from the inside.

NNAMDIAbby, how do you feel about the term refugee to describe you and to describe your experience?

KASONGOWell, sometimes, people use it in a negative way, but I feel like for me, like, if I have to, like, define refugee, I'd be saying, like, it's somebody, like, who needs, like, a safe place. It's, like, somebody who needs protection, who needs peace because of what they've been through. But some people use it just as a way to, like, you know, oh, you are a refugee, like, in a bad way.

NNAMDITo put you down.

KASONGOYes.

NNAMDISeren, same question I asked Lynn to you: why soccer? What are you hoping your players get out of it?

FRYATTYeah. For me, I hope that they get self-esteem, they have this confidence in their own shoes and say, you know, I can do this. I can overcome the challenges that are in my daily life after I've just come here. And soccer does that. It builds a bond. It -- innately, as a sport -- builds confidence. And we do mentoring. And so they have people who invest in them, who care about them.

FRYATTYou know, kind of speaking to what Abby was saying, when the refugee ban was going on in January of 2016, we had our soccer game, and we were taking some of the kids home. And one of the kids asked us: why do they hate us so much? And so we were able to just share with them that not everybody feels this way, and this is how we love you. This is how we care about you, and this is how the broader community cares about you.

NNAMDIFor L.A.C.E.S. summer camp and the year-round soccer team, you give preference to the refugee youth who have been in the U.S. for less than a year. Why is that?

FRYATTWe have found that they have to overcome the biggest challenges: language barrier, bullying, have a sense of belonging, people who invest in them, you know, take time out of their week and camp to be with them. And what we have found over the years -- we didn't do that, initially. What we have found actually over the last couple of years were those are the kids who received the most benefit from the program. They're the ones who we saw socially improve and build that self-esteem and discipline. And, you know, we want to make the greatest impact that we can, and we felt like that first year was kind of our space and our place.

NNAMDIAre there any kids who have attended the soccer camp that have really stood out, transformed from being a part of it?

FRYATTOh, yes. Yes. And one of our kids, when he first came, he had been in the U.S. just for five months, and he joined our program. He'd been really encourage by the resettlement agency that he was with to join our program. And when he first joined, he didn't know any of the kids on the team. Actually, many of the kids that were in the community, who were also refugees, bullied him for who he was and who is family was back home. And so he always went home right away.

FRYATTBut he started coming to soccer and became friends with other kids. And he's like the most popular kid in his apartment complex, and just really came out of his shell. You know, his mom will tell you, through L.A.C.E.S., it built that confidence. And, actually, he and another kid in our program are going to be assistant coaches this year.

NNAMDIWhoa, from shy guy to assistant coach. (laugh) Abby, you're wrapping up the master class today. What did you learn this week, and how did you like doing it here in the nation's capital?

KASONGOI learned a lot, because taking photos, like, long time -- it was just -- you just take your phone, snap a picture, and then you're, like, it's good. But, like, now, I learned that you have to like -- you have to focus, and you have to check the light and you have to check your background if your photo is good.

KASONGOYou have like -- you don't have to cut, like, everything. Like, some people take photos, and then you, like, cut the feet. You don't show the shoes or anything so, like, you learn how to control your camera and everything. And I like doing it in DC, because there's so many, like, monuments and there's so many stuff that I've been seeing. So, this class, the master class was, like, the best class because, like, they teach you, like, step-by-step on how to take good photos.

NNAMDILynn, we only have about a minute left, but tonight, there's a panel on commemoration at the Kennedy Center for World Refugee Day to showcase student photos and hear from the students. What are you hoping that people who come see the photos will walk away with?

JOHNSONYes. This is a partnership with UNHCR. It's, you know, something that we think is so important for young photographers to be creative, and then for this work to be seen by the general public. Because we're really trying to help them, and they're helping all of us by becoming powerful communicators, and doing that from a place of confidence. So...

NNAMDIGot an anonymous comment on our website: I saw the Kennedy Center exhibit, many impactful pictures, particularly from Haiti. But that's all the time we have. Seren Fryatt is the founder and executive director of L.A.C.E.S. Thank you very much for joining us.

FRYATTThank you. And for that caller out there who wanted to get involved, email me info@ LACES.org, and I'll get you hooked up.

NNAMDILynn Johnson is a National Geographic photographer and an instructor for National Geographic photo camps. Lynn, thank you for joining us.

JOHNSONThank you.

NNAMDIAnd Byabu Abigael Kasongo, thank you for joining us.

KASONGOThank you.

NNAMDIPhotos taken by the refugee students during this week's National Geographic photo camp will be on display at the Kennedy Center tonight during a free event marking World Refugee Day. And L.A.C.E.S. refugee youth soccer camp takes place in Prince Georges County next week, starting on June 24th. Registration is still open, and you can find a link to their website at kojoshow.org.

NNAMDIThis conversation about arts and sports programs for young refugees was produced by Cydney Grannan, and our interview with Don Flemons was produced by Mark Gunnery. Coming up tomorrow on the Politics Hour, Attorney General Mark Herring joins us to discuss the Supreme Court ruling that upheld new legislative district maps in Virginia, as well as his push for legal cannabis in the Commonwealth. And DC auditor Kathy Patterson will be here to talk about the many financial controversies that made headlines in the District this week. That all starts tomorrow at noon. Until then, thank you for listening. I'm Kojo Nnamdi.