The Immigrant Story invite you to join them on April 1 for the second edition of “I Am My Story: Voices of Hope.” Kicking off at 7 p.m. at Portland’s First Congregational United Church of Christ (1126 SW Park Ave., Portland 97205), this memorable evening will honor the voices and music of survivors of genocides and atrocities of war.

Storytellers from Bosnia, Rwanda, and Syria will present remarkable, first-person tales of courage, fortitude and resilience in the face of unimaginable challenges. These powerful sagas offer hope and inspiration at a time when those qualities are sometimes in short supply.

“I Am My Story Live'' will kick off performances from two world-class musicians. Ahmad Fanoos is one of Afghanistan’s most famous Ghazal singers. The music of Fanoos was shut down during the Taliban takeover in 1994. Finally, after the most recent Taliban takeover, Fanoos managed to escape to the United States in October 2021 with the help of a group of journalists. He will be joined on the stage by his son Elham Fanoos, an accomplished classical pianist.

From 8-9 p.m., the three storytellers will share the stories of the arduous journeys that brought them to the United States.
This free event is made possible by a generous contribution from the Zidell Family Foundation. Programming has been done with the support of the Oregon Humanities and Oregon Heritage Fund.

Proof of Vaccination is required to enter the auditorium.

While in the auditorium, the audience must wear masks.

Audience will leave alternate seats vacant. This will restrict the total number of audience present to 250 at any time. Note that to simplify our procedures, even people who arrive together will be asked to leave alternate seats vacant.

This event deals with stories of trauma. The stories are lived experiences of survivors of war and genocide that may not be suitable for all audiences.

The content is not suitable for children under 12.