CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sam Smith spent most of his life growing up in Liberia by running from the civil war, moving from camp to camp with his family.
To escape the danger, his mother made the ultimate decision to move their family to the United States.
"Shootings, buildings being burned down," said Smith, who lived in Monrovia, Liberia's capital city.
When Smith got to America, he said he found it difficult adjusting to norms outside of what he learned in Liberia. When he was in third grade, Smith was suspended from school for a week for using a razor blade to sharpen his pencil in class.
"The other culture shock when I first came to the states, I called a straw, what we call a straw, I used to call it tube," Smith said.
It wasn't until he joined the Cass Corridor Youth Association that he learned how to acclimate. CCYA is an after-school program that helps young refugees living in low-income areas evolve from their upbringing through educational workshops, sports and other activities.
"I always remember them saying, 'I'm just giving back because somebody did something for me or I'm giving back because somebody did something for my kid,'" Smith said.
From October 2020 through March 2021, 91 refugees have moved to Charlotte, according to the city's refugee support services.
In Charlotte, nonprofits like ourBRIDGE for KIDS help support refugee and immigrant students and their families, who are new to America. The organization helps them achieve success and learn cultural diversity.
Smith, who's lived in Charlotte for nearly a decade now, said giving back to other kids is what it's all about.
"I always said, no matter what I do in life, if I work a 40-hour week I have to dedicate at least 15 to 20 hours of my time to doing something in the community," he said.
Smith serves on the board of the International House of Charlotte and Refugee Support Services. Through this organization, he’s raising awareness about the plight of refugees and supporting those who’ve experienced it in hopes to be the difference he saw growing up.
“If those people at CCYA wouldn’t have done what they’ve done with me I wouldn’t be sitting here having this conversation with you because I would’ve been caught up in the life of growing and living and dying in the projects," Smith said.
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You can read more about Sam's story at Prize Magazine.
Smith said he hopes his work in the community inspires people to learn more about refugees.
Here’s a list of other organizations in our area to volunteer:
- International House of Charlotte:
- Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency
- Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte
- ourBRIDGE for Kids
- Make Welcome
Contact Ruby Durham at rdurham@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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