The Our Afghan Neighbors exhibit that will open on September 19. September 11, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — When U.S. military forces withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, it led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of refugees.
Many of them were processed through Fort McCoy and then settled in our region.
The History Museum at the Castle in Appleton is sharing the stories of Afghan refugees who now call the Fox Cities home.
“These are really heart wrenching stories. I mean, these people had lives that we can’t even imagine,” Chief curator Dustin Mack explained. “We saw a glimpse of Afghanistan on the news for the last 20 years, but this exhibit, we really wanted to tell the personal stories about the lives that were impacted.”
Mack said the refugees featured not only share their experiences of living in Afghanistan, but adjusting to life in a foreign country.
“What we’re trying to do through this exhibit is share a little bit about their experiences, their history in Afghanistan, and hope that people have a little bit of compassion and understanding and help them on their way,” he said.
Farah, one of eight refugees featured in the exhibit, hopes by sharing her stories, it will better connect her fellow refugees to the Fox Valley community.
“Afghan people are very sociable; they like to have connections with different people in the community, and this might be a small step for them so the community knows about them more, and learn about their stories and why they came to the U.S.” she said.
Farah also said her experience of coming to the United States was a difficult one.
“All your childhood, and, you know, all your memories back in your country, and you have to leave all of those and come to a country which is new,” she said. “Everything is new, the system is new, the people, everything.”
Mack hopes Our Afghan Neighbors will bring a positive change to the community.
“Understand our neighbors a little bit better, and have a little bit more compassion, and realize that we have more in common than what separates us,” he said.
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