This spring, in graduation ceremonies across the country, Clemente students spoke passionately about how their time in the classroom gave them the tools they needed to tell their stories. Alumni often report that participation in the course helped them become better advocates for themselves and their families ; in the case of Sosan Amiri, an alumna of the Portland-based Humanity in Perspective course, these skills helped her gain the confidence to address some of the highest-ranking politicians in the nation.

Sosan was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, and lived for a time in Russia before her family received refugee visas to enter the United States. She enrolled in Humanity in Perspective in 2019 as a way to strengthen her English, finding herself especially absorbed in conversations about social justice movements. When the US withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, Sosan realized that someone needed to advocate on behalf of those left behind. After contacting dozens of senators, she became involved with the effort to evacuate hundreds of refugees from the country, and was invited to speak to members of Congress about her work.

In June, Sosan sat down with HIP's Academic Director, Rozzell Medina, to talk about her experience and how the course helped her find her voice. Read an excerpt of their conversation on Oregon Humanities' blog , or listen to the whole interview on their podcast, The Detour !