“When I first came to America, everything felt new, confusing and honestly overwhelming. I didn’t know the language, I didn’t understand the systems and I didn’t have anyone here that I trusted with my children. For the first three years, I didn’t go anywhere without my husband. I was too scared to leave the house alone. The world outside felt too big, too unfamiliar and I didn’t feel ready to face it by myself — especially with five children. “At the same time, I wanted so b

“I grew up here in Ohio. My dad was a pastor, so faith was always part of my life, but it didn’t really become personal to me until after he passed away unexpectedly. That loss really woke me up to my own faith. I started asking more questions and taking things more seriously. “I joined the Army National Guard in 2021. I spent time in the Middle East, and after being deployed for over a year, coming back home was harder than I expected. The transition was difficult. I felt ki

In 2019, Hamida Ouali moved to Columbus with her husband and two daughters, ready to begin a new chapter of life. But the transition wasn’t easy. Although she had studied British English in Algeria, she quickly discovered that American English was more difficult to understand and felt like a barrier to her sense of belonging. At first, she tried to connect through another organization, Riverview International Center, where she attended ESL classes and other programs. She now