Photo by Meridith Kohut
Accidental Sisters follows five refugee women in Houston, Texas, as they navigate a program for single mothers overseen by Alia Altikrity, a former refugee from Iraq. Grounded in the words of these women—Mina from Iraq, Mendy from Sudan, Sara and Zara from Syria, and Elikya from the Democratic Republic of the Congo—this book recounts their lives in their mother countries, how they were forced to flee, and their struggles to find belonging in an epicenter of refugee resettlement.
With a foreword by Ilhan Omar, this breathtaking work of literary nonfiction reveals the power of solidarity for women facing the inadequacies of the US immigration system.
Readers join author Kimberly Meyer on a journey with each woman as they experience Alia's guiding philosophy: that small, direct, meaningful acts of mutual care are the foundation for a flourishing community. While celebrating the sanctuary the women eventually find, the book critiques the US refugee resettlement program for its insistence on rapid self-sufficiency and offers an alternative American Dream rooted in sisterhood and solidarity. Immersive and intimate, Accidental Sisters inspires hope for a way forward in the face of pandemics, political inaction, and climate change.
ADVANCE PRAISE
“We know that our humanity is tied to one another, and that we need policies that extend humanity and compassion to immigrants and newly arrived refugees. . . This book is a starting place for that understanding.” US Representative Ilhan Omar, from the foreword
“Kimberly Meyer has written a beautiful book about refugees and resettlement, offering truth and empathy in place of propaganda as she tells the story of the mass migrations that will soon affect us all.” Mimi Swartz, Executive Editor, Texas Monthly
“Accidental Sisters is at once a riveting tribute to the power of sisterhood and an indictment of the many ways our nation's refugee resettlement process falls far short of its promise. This searing exploration of the human side of the refugee experience will reverberate in readers' minds for years to come.” Jessica Wilbanks, author of When I Spoke in Tongues
“Accidental Sisters is a deeply compassionate, life-affirming gem. Meyer's empathy shines through in the stories of these six women and the uncertain ground on which they find themselves once they flee the radiating aftershocks of war and reach American soil.” Kenneth R. Rosen, recipient of the Bayeux Calvados-Normandy Award for War Correspondents
“By blending beautiful storytelling with a deconstruction of flawed policies, Meyer shows us the depths of real people's struggles and how the remedy for injustice starts with acknowledgment and compassion.” Ricardo Nuila, author of The People's Hospital: Hope and Peril in American Medicine