This is Not a Refuge: Voices

Description: An ambient soundscape highlighting voices of immigrants and refugees as they share their thoughts and experiences of displacement and eventual relocation to another country due to war, oppression, the resulting economics or natural disasters.

This is NOT a Refuge is a sculptural installation by Anila Quayyum Agha. The installation uses architectural form, light, and shadow to provide commentary regarding the struggles of immigrants and refugees on their journey to the United States.The sound portion will accompany the Refuge project in November 2019 and consist of audio clips and short sound bites of United States immigrants and refugees talking about their experiences connected to their arrival and relocation stateside. The stories told here are selected for their content and humanity and intended to create a wide representation of the experiences of immigrants. Some stories provide hope or humor within cultural differences, while others illustrate the cold reality of living within a system where the cards are stacked against them. These experiences are woven into a looping bed of sounds, instruments, and voices, representing the millions of immigrants who have shared in the journey to safety and re-location.

Credits:Direction: Anila Quayyum Agha

Sound Design & Production: Harrison Edwards

Thank you to all who donated their time, stories, contacts, and input to assist with this project. For the sake of anonymity, all speakers remain anonymous.