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# Let's Change The Story Together
- URL: https://www.panasd.org/lets-change-the-story-together/
- Published: 2016-09-13T04:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2025-10-03T00:31:07.000Z
- Author: Admin
- Tags: #Migrated-1759451319173, #sqs, #Import 2025-10-02 17:28

\[caption id align="alignnone" width="2500"\]

![ Credit: Dave Mathisen ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/37/49/374997da-6e8e-42e5-a538-c88be0cd6614/content/images/2025/10/img_8689-format-original-1.jpg)

Credit: Dave Mathisen \[/caption\]

Our voices together can — and must — change the story about refugees.

As the global refugee crisis [continues to break records](http://panasd.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=4ad43b67a4&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org) and the November election draws nearer, we in San Diego have a unique opportunity to lead the national conversation.

And together, thanks to you and so many other supporters, we have already begun:

- **A year ago this week**, dozens of PANA #PowerHour supporters joined thousands more voices nationwide to [call on President Obama](http://panasd.us11.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=57ba144a05&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org) to welcome 65,000 Syrian refugees to the U.S. in 2016\. The petition was answered with a pledge for 10,000.
- **Now last week in San Diego**, the [10,000th Syrian refugee arrived in the United States](http://panasd.us11.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=227d39f000&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org), continuing [our rich local history of refugee resettlement](http://panasd.us11.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=3bcbda636d&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org). San Diego has now received [the most Syrian refugees of any U.S. city](http://panasd.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=4979c74ee9&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org) — about 600 individuals.

**The world is watching San Diego, and we must #ShowUp4Refugees like never before.**

These resilient families are now our San Diego neighbors, and their stories are already [appearing in video](http://panasd.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=a3dcf124c8&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org) on [local TV broadcasts](http://panasd.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=54460d68bf&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org) and in [international](http://panasd.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=103253045d&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org) [news](http://panasd.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=94dc4e9336666e90a276fdf25&id=a2253c427a&e=10a0eb7190&ref=panasd.org).

**We must affirm the dignity of our new neighbors.** San Diegans know from decades of experience: refugee families are powerful and brave individuals, not nameless political scapegoats. We must act together in welcoming and solidarity to build a more just world.

And it starts here. We hope you will join us again this fall to lift up our voices together through our soon-to-be-launched welcoming campaign: #NewcomerLife. Stay tuned for details!