This cutie girl's name is Esma. I took her to get registered for her first day of 1st grade a few days after she moved to Washington from Kabul, Afghanistan this past summer. Her and her family had to leave home as refugees because her dad worked with the U.S. embassy in Kabul, which put them in grave danger of threat from the Taliban (the Taliban targets those associated with the U.S). She radiates with a humble, sweet confidence and on this day when we rode the merry-go-round together at the @woodlandparkzoo, her smile lit up the entire room. I kid you not, it lit that place up with a contagious warmth that made all of us smile. I'm going to be sharing more stories about Esma and families like hers in the coming days, because I think now is more important than ever to meet our refugee neighbors and friends. Keep your eyes peeled, and help me by sharing their stories!
