4 Celebrities You Didn’t Know Were Refugees

Take a few seconds to google the word refugees. What comes up? Images of dilapidated camps, rickety boats and sobbing families.

The refugee crisis is real. But these images don’t show the full picture.

At NEMI, we believe in sharing stories where refugees aren’t victims. We need to hear more about people who have fled their country and are now successful and happy. It is so important to celebrate these stories, because it shows what can happen when refugees are given a real chance.

Bob Marley

The famous Jamaican reggae singer fled to Miami after being shot in Kingston. As a musician, Marley was outspoken about his political beliefs and strongly advocated for peace in Jamaica.

Due to his influence, he became a target for politically motivated violence. He and his wife narrowly escaped an attempt at assassination and fled the country.

Rita Ora

One of the UK’s most iconic pop-starts, Ora was born in Kosovo to an Albanian family. Shortly after being born, violence erupted in the former Yugoslavia. This marked the beginning of a decade-long, bloody conflict. 

At age one, Ora’s family fled to London to escape persecution. In Kosovo, her parents had esteemed careers as an economist and psychiatrist. But when they arrived in the UK, their qualifications weren’t recognised, and they had to re-build their lives from scratch

Alek Wek

International supermodel, Alek Wek, was born in Sudan. When she was 9, a civil war erupted, forcing her family to abandon their village. While fleeing for safety in Khartoum, they had to forage for food and hide in bushes to evade capture.

Later on, Wek sought asylum in London. There, she was discovered by a model scout and went on to become the first African model featured on the cover of Elle Magazine.

MIKA

The infamous pop-star was born in Beirut. However, at age one, the Lebanese civil war engulfed the country in violence. The conflict forced his family out of the country, and they relocated to France to escape persecution.

Later, MIKA moved to London where he debuted on the British music scene. He became infamous for his incredible vocal range and top hits like “Grace Kelly”.