The Power of Faces: Looking at the Global Refugee Crisis

By Daniel Farber Huang, Theresa Menders and Peter Bilderback

How do you address the Global Refugee Crisis? Documentary photographers and independent humanitarian advocates Daniel Farber Huang and Theresa Menders start one face at a time.

The Power of Faces portrait project intentionally crops out the context of refugee camps to focus on individuals, and not merely their label as "refugees". The Powe

• Language: English
• Publisher: Princeton Studios
• Release date: Jun 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9798218422929

Daniel Farber Huang

Daniel Farber Huang is a documentary photographer, independent humanitarian advocate, and strategic advisor. Working with his wife and photo partner, Daniel's work is included in the permanent collections of numerous fine art museums and historic institutions across the U.S., including the International Center of Photography, the New York Historical Society, the Museum of the City of New York, Museum of Chinese in America, the New York City Fire Museum, the Smithsonian and other cultural institutions. Theresa has raised awareness on a broad range of humanitarian and pressing social issues, with a focus on women's and children's issues and the alleviation of poverty both locally and around the world. Daniel is a Fellow of both The Explorers Club and Royal Geographical Society. He earned his BA in Economics from New York University, MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and Masters in Journalism from Harvard University.

Book preview

The Power of Faces

Looking at the Global Refugee Crisis

Daniel Farber Huang + Theresa Menders

The Power of Faces: Looking at the Global Refugee Crisis

Copyright 2024 by Daniel Farber Huang and Theresa Menders

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this book shall be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, magnetic, and photographic, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher.

No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

Published by Princeton Studios

To M.L.M., for all the wisdom you share – Theresa

To D.R.M., for your bright future – Daniel

Table of Contents

Words

Acknowledgements 1

Introduction – Peter Bilderback 2

The Power of Faces – Theresa Menders 4

The Largest Refugee Camp in the World – Daniel Farber Huang 5

Lathakia – Jakeem 6

Basra – Mohammed 8

The Forgotten Souls – Pothiti Toula Kitromylidi 10

Labels – Ratha Kaur Lehall 11

Preventing a Lost Generation – Tahmina Akter 12

A Human Rights Perspective – Ute Ritz-Deutch 13

Rohingya Refugees and Their Resilience – Adem Carroll 14

Documenting the Refugee Crisis – Braden Kelner 16

Partners 18

Images

Chios, Greece: Vial and Souda Refugee Camps 20

Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh: Kutupalong-Balukhali Refugee Camps 46

Tijuana, Mexico: Barretal Refugee Camp 74

Ukraine: Poland-Ukraine Border Crossings 100

Acknowledgements

No single perspective can capture or encapsulate the global refugee crisis. In our efforts to document the plight of displaced individuals and entire populations, we have had the benefit of meeting advocates, activists, and others who work to make a positive difference. We have included essays and perspectives from several people who have contributed to raising awareness, providing on-the-ground relief, and mobilizing resources to help some of the most vulnerable populations around the world.

Peter Bilderback has led the charge to bring The Power of Faces to Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs and has graciously provided the introduction to this book.

Jakeem (his name has been changed to protect his identity) has allowed us to share his experience in a Syrian prison after being falsely accused, and eventually fleeing his home country.

Mohammed (his last name is witheld for privacy purposes) has allowed us to share the fatal events that forced him to flee Iraq, seeking (but not necessarily finding) safety in the ensuing years.

Pothiti Toula Kitromylidi has shown us what turning compassion in action truly means. Since launching the Chios Eastern Shore Response team in 2015, Toula has coordinated providing relief for countless refugees landing on the shores of Chios island in Greece.

Ratha Kaur Lehall was The Power of Faces’ first volunteer in Chios in 2017 and instrumental in bringing our initial portrait idea into reality. With Ratha’s help, we realized that providing proper portraits to hundreds of people in the harshest of environments was, in fact, possible.

Tahmina Akter provided us with insight and understanding into the complex situation at the sprawling Kutupalong-Balukhali refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, enabling us to navigate continually-shifting landscapes and ulitmately tell the stories of people who have had their voices taken away.

Ute Ritz-Deutch has energetically helped us raise awareness and add constructively to the conversation regarding refugees and displaced people by sponsoring exhibitions, talks and interviews about what we are seeing on the ground at refugee camps around the world.

Adem Carroll has shown us the complex opportunities and challenges of addressing the root causes of the refugee crisis. Adem has helped us better understand what is required at the policy level to promote lasting justice for the stateless Rohingya population.

Braden Kelner has helped us raise awareness of the plight of people fleeing the Ukraine war, reminding the broader public that displaced people are not merely numbers or statistics, but individuals who deserve safety and dignity.

There are many individuals who have supported our efforts to humanize the refugee crisis, either while in-country or back home in the U.S., and their names are