When Emi Mahmoud was asked to comment on Three Female Ghostsrecent news — that the one-millionth South Sudanese refugee just crossed into Uganda to escape conflict, drought, and economic collapse — she decided to use her voice in a unique and powerful way.
The award-winning Sudanese-American slam poet, who was born in Darfur before seeking refuge in the U.S. and ultimately attending Yale University, released a new poem this week as a response. Called "Head Over Heels," the poem speaks to the crisis's latest harrowing milestone.
SEE ALSO: Young refugees launch digital magazine to tell powerful stories of struggle and triumph"My mind echoes through the numbers," she says. "One million gone, 400,000 dead in / Darfur, / two million displaced / and this lump takes over my throat as if each of those bodies just found a grave right / here in / my esophagus."
Throughout the video, produced by the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Mahmoud grapples with the reporter's question. She cycles through the things she should, or shouldn't, talk about: Sorrow? Displacement? Violence? "How it's never as simple as what you see on TV? / How there are weeks’ worth of fear before the camera is on?"
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Her perspective is sobering, but her stark words and turns of phrase are deeply moving. By the end of the poem, Mahmoud is able to keep focus on the crisis while simultaneously calling on the media to do better — to remember that these numbers don't mean the crisis isn't still happening:
Will it sting less if I say it softly?Will the pain leave when the microphone does?
If you don't see me cry will you listen better?Why does every word feel like I’m saying my last?Thirty seconds for the sound bite and now 3 minutes for the poem.My tongue goes dry, the same way we died—becoming ash without ever having been coal.I feel my left leg go numb and realize that I locked my knees,bracing for impact.I never wear shoes I can't run in.
More than 2 million South Sudanese refugees have fled to neighboring countries since December 2013, when conflict erupted in the capital city of Juba. Another 2 million people are estimated to be displaced within the country. An average of 1,800 South Sudanese have arrived in Uganda, specifically, every day for the past 12 months.
"I appeal to the leaders of South Sudan, to States in the region, and to the international community at large, to engage in more decisive and inclusive peace efforts," U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said at the Uganda Solidarity Summit on Refugees in June.
"The men, women, and children crossing into exile from South Sudan and from other countries today have the right to hope for a better future," he said. "One in which they can eventually return home, in safety and dignity."
The video of Mahmoud performing "Head Over Heels" is part of the larger #WithRefugees campaign. You can learn more about the campaign here, and watch Mahmoud's TED Talk from earlier this year here.
Topics Activism Social Good
The 'Hamilton' soundtrack surpassed a major milestoneSingle mom builds a house from the ground up using YouTube tutorialsDonald Trump isn't happy about 'Saturday Night Live's' pee jokesDoctors take inspiration from online dating to build organ transplant AIChinese people will make 3 billion trips for the Lunar New Year this monthTesla owner gets stranded in the desert after relying on phone to start the carThe Ringling Bros. circus is shutting down after 146 yearsThe 'Hamilton' soundtrack surpassed a major milestoneIndia wants more details from WhatsApp on its data sharing policyChevy reveals Lego Batmobile at Detroit auto showBarack Obama emotionally reflects on highs and lows of his presidencyMeet the new adult at Snap: Sony exec Michael Lynton moves full time to SnapchatPeople are fuming over Donald Trump's comments about John LewisMale employees have a really hard time with performance reviews, study findsThis rural school only has two studentsSamantha Bee on Donald Trump v. media: They're coming for all of us'The Young Pope' is not here to make friendsThanks to Trump, Rep. John Lewis is dominating Amazon's bestsellers listArsonist pet tortoise starts fire that burns neighbor's home and causes $150,000 in damageSteelers coach calls Patriots 'assholes' in locker room Facebook Live Facebook launches new Feeds and Home tabs on its app Kanye West and Mark Zuckerberg sang the Backstreet Boys at karaoke Marvel fans: Call the 'She Tesla now has its very own lane at the U.S. Omnipotence City is 'Thor: Love and Thunder's biggest wasted opportunity Criminal turkey now the 'mayor' of the town it's terrorizing CNN sues White House over Jim Acosta's press pass Michelle Wolf blasts WHCA for not booking comedian at annual dinner The 'not a cellphone in sight' meme makes fun of condescending nostalgia How to edit your Lock Screen in iOS 16 Tesla sold most of its Bitcoin, but none of its Dogecoin Minecraft says it wants nothing to do with NFTs, blockchain Cats are watching 'Stray'. There's a whole Twitter account about it. Watch Bei Bei the panda roll around in this season's first snowfall Duolingo wants to expand your High Valyrian ahead of 'House of the Dragon' Wordle today: Here's the July 20 Wordle answer and hints YouTuber Lilly Singh is taking a break to focus on her mental health Donald Trump dropped a big 'Schitt' after mocking a US hero's service Take a spacewalk with ISS astronauts in this Meta Quest 2 VR experience Forget Eddie, this 'Stranger Things 4' character was the real MVP
2.7563s , 10138.234375 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【Three Female Ghosts】,Warmth Information Network