Media Center“Be Unafraid” Traveling Photo Exhibit Brings Stories of Migrants and Refugees to Philadelphia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Megan Gilbert
Catholic Relief Services
Portraits by Renowned Photographer Jeremy Cowart

WHAT:       

As the political rhetoric and fear mongering around the ‘migrant caravan’ escalates in the lead up to next week’s elections, a timely photo exhibit coming to Philadelphia this weekend tries to humanize those coming to the U.S. seeking refuge. Be Unafraid is a collaboration between award-winning photographer, Jeremy Cowart, and Catholic Relief Services. It features portraits and stories of refugees living in the U.S. and their American neighbors, and the main barriers to acceptance: fear. Pennsylvania is consistently in the top ten when it comes to numbers of resettled refugees and it will be the fourth stop of the Be Unafraid traveling exhibit.

In addition to the exhibit and speaking with an asylum seeker, visitors can explore a refugee camp in the Middle East through virtual reality glasses.

In the last five years, Pennsylvania has resettled close to 14,000 refugees, more than 41 other states. For the last two years the number of refugee resettlements has gone down in Pennsylvania, while the number of refugees around the world continues to reach record levels. This year, the state is on pace to resettle fewer than 800 refugees, its lowest in more than 16 years.

WHO:

Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the international humanitarian and development organization for the Catholic community in the United States. Based in Baltimore, CRS operates in more than 100 countries and has regional offices throughout the United States, including one in Philadelphia.

WHEN:

Saturday, November 3, 2018
Time: 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

WHERE:

Franklin Square
200 N 6th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

BACKGROUND:

The “Be Unafraid” traveling photo exhibit features portraits and stories - on the side of a box truck – that show the reactions of Americans and refugees during two days of discussing their fears and hopes for the future. “I think some Americans agree that [refugees] are invading our land, or they're coming and they're taking away certain rights or privileges that we should be getting,” said Sandra Jones, a medical assistant from Nashville. “[This experience] has opened my eyes a little better, and it opened my heart. Because I need to respect, love, treat everyone the same.”

Jeremy Cowart, who photographed the participants over two days in Nashville, TN, was named the “Most Influential Photographer on the Internet” by Huffington Post, Forbes and Yahoo in 2014. “Be Unafraid” is part of the global Share the Journey campaign, which Pope Francis launched in September 2017 as a way to draw attention to the plight of migrants and refugees around the world and encourage people to “welcome the stranger.” The U.S. portion of the campaign is supported by Catholic Relief Services, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Catholic Charities USA.

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Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For more information, please visit crs.org or crsespanol.org and follow CRS on social media: Facebook, @CatholicRelief, @CRSnews, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.