A Fight to Reunite on the Land He Was Born Upon
the "untold" story of Yazan and his longing to embrace his loved ones in his native country - in the USA.
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The story was originally written in July of 2024.
Story written by: Rachel Peet
Photography by: Rachel Peet
The simple few words of prayer woven into the final moments of their phone calls are always glimpses of hopeful reunion each day. The daily prayers have lasted for more than eight years and are continuously shared between 23 year-old Yazan in the States and his mother in Jordan.
He holds tight to these exchanges as he fights to reunite with her and his siblings some day, here in the United States, where Yazan was born.
It was in May of 2023, when Yazan learned of IRIS, Integrated Refugee and Immigration Services. He was introduced to the organization and his current role as the Housing and Donations Assistance Coordinator through a previous IRIS client in the West Hartford area. Within one week of applying to his position, he was offered the opportunity to be a part of the IRIS team. As a member of the Housing and Donations department, Yazan welcomes newcomers to their first homes here in CT. He’s the first point of contact for arriving families, just after Case Management meets them upon arrival.
“It’s very emotionally fulfilling to see a family resettle here - like one happy family in one place. I do try to make their home as comfortable and welcoming as possible, especially in their first year of settling in… They don’t have anything and having some comfort is so important,” said Yazan.
One day soon, Yazan hopes to open the doors of a home with welcoming arms to his very own family – to his mother and siblings who have taken refuge in Jordan from Syria for the last thirteen years.
Yazan striking a pose at IRIS's annual, 5k "Run for Refugees" in February, 2024.
Moments smiling with all the 5k run prizes to support IRIS's fundraising promo.
The separation of Yazan’s family traces back to the unique difference in birthplace for Yazan, in Bridgeport, CT. In 2002, Yazan’s parents made another work-related visit to the States. Within this brief, yet incredibly life-changing visit, Yazan was brought into the world as a U.S. citizen – meaning his prospective privileges and rights would deeply contrast those of his Syrian-born family members.
Despite being born on U.S. soil, Yazan was closely raised alongside his three siblings amongst their Syrian culture for the first eight years of his life. The year 2011 marked the period when both this beloved homeland and family were divided with the onset of the Syrian Civil war. While his mother and siblings took refuge in nearby Jordan, Yazan and his father fled to the States in hopes of establishing a more stable future for all of them to one day share.
The mere eight years Yazan had at the time of taking refuge in the States without his siblings made his integration feel near impossible. Within a few months of residing in the States with his working father, Yazan decided to move back to play and continue creating youthful memories with his three siblings in Jordan. It wasn’t until four to five years later, when Yazan was 14 years-old, that he traveled back to West Hartford, CT, to resettle more permanently for the last eight years of his life.
Yazan reflected upon this second move back to the U.S. in our interview, “If I had stayed in Jordan, I wouldn’t have been able to experience the opportunities I’ve had here in the States… I do miss my family very much though. I’m a family person. Growing up, everything was tight-knit between all of us.”
In the first year of Yazan starting to work at IRIS, he discovered the hopeful opportunities offered by Welcome Corps. Yazan was already aware of the welcoming benefits for the immigrant community from this new, national program, which had significant contributions from IRIS’s local co-sponsorship programs. However, it wasn’t until the launch of the program’s second phase in December of 2023, “Sponsor a Refugee You Know,” that he saw an opportunity to bring his family to the United States. When Anne O’Brien, Director of Sponsorship at IRIS, notified Yazan that this second, “Naming Phase” of the Welcome Corps program was announced, Yazan was ecstatic.
“I was the happiest person on Earth! I think I stayed up until two or three am just trying to finish everything for the application,” Yazan excitedly shared from the day.
He instantly brought together his Private Sponsorship Group (PSG), gathered the necessary signatures, and stayed up late into the night to complete the application. Yazan’s PSG was formed with his father, aunt, uncle, and a family friend, in which Yazan took on the role of Coordinator. In this leadership role, he worked tirelessly to meet the sponsorship requirements, including raising at least $9,700—$2,425 per family member. Through GoFundMe and donations from local mosques, Yazan managed to nearly raise his goal with a total of $7,920 to support the sponsorship process.
Three months thereafter, in March of this year, Yazan’s PSG was approved as a certified Naming Group, and development towards his family’s potential resettlement case finally commenced.
It has been a lengthy, restless, and uncertain process since. Driven by his mother’s daily prayers and his siblings’ various, professional dreams, the momentum remains strong for Yazan nonetheless.
Yazan’s three incredibly bright, skilled, and humorous siblings continuously motivate him. His older brother, a newly qualified pharmacist at nearly 24 years-old, once dreamed of living in Turkey but couldn't cross the Syrian border. They share a special bond through their mutual passion for soccer. His 20-year-old sister is a thriving student nutritionist, fluent in French, English, and Arabic. The youngest sibling, a 17-year-old brother, is now entering his final year of high school, which he aspires to complete in the States.
As for his faithful mother, she envisions exploring the crowded city streets of Manhattan one day in the near future, especially as she loves navigating the hustle and bustle of multicultural cityscapes. Their daily prayer exchanges keep these visions alive for both Yazan and his mother.
“I feel like this is what truly connected me to my mother growing up… When we were separated, we were never fully separated as her prayers have always stuck with me. Her simple words always bring positivity to my day and keep me motivated to go on with this process of reuniting one day soon,” shared Yazan.
While patiently anticipating his family’s interview with an USCIS representative in Jordan, Yazan remains optimistic in this fight to reunite with them, on the land he was born upon.
fun, behind-the-scenes moments of creating videos with Yazan at the IRIS donations warehouse together