photo by Francelle Mariano, 14, San Francisco, California
"Leyla"
Leyla (not her real name) moved with her parents from Yemen to San Francisco, California when she was two. In San Francisco, she lives in a neighborhood known for its homelessness and violence, but also a place where refugee families can get a start. Leyla is now 17, the oldest of four siblings. She cherishes her Muslim traditions as she spreads her wings, maybe becoming a pediatrician. She thinks those who shun her neighborhood as a place for drug addicts have it wrong.
If you had a chance to sit down with Leyla and interview her about her life, what questions would you ask? What would you like to know?
BACK
photo by Shanta Raj, 15, Bangalore, India
“Classmates”
Prakash and Rajesh, both ninth graders, pose at their school in one of Bangalore’s poorest neighborhoods. In India, students must pay fees to attend secondary school, and many families can't spare the money. At government schools like the one Prakash and Rajesh attend, there are few books and students fetch water from a pump on the street outside the school. Prakash and Rajesh are not just good friends but good students: “We want to honor our parents’ sacrifice," they said.
If you had a chance to sit down with Prakash and Rajesh and interview them about their lives, what questions would you ask? What would you like to know?
BACK
