This week, we talk with musician Ephraim Bugumba, a Congolese refugee. He tells us about his family's incredible journey to safety after fleeing their home in 1999 following a massacre in their village and his life in the US. Ephraim also talks about the meaning behind his popular song "Stormz" and what is next for him musically. Ephraim is also a viral TikTok sensation. You can check out his videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@ephraimbugumba?source=h5_m

Here is a link to Ephraim on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4gtH8goYkYOaa6MxaOxISr

For more information about Ephraim's use of TikTok to tell his story, check out this article: https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-life-ephraim-bugumba-0814-20200818-b5xerqscozboxnljpe4rd5v32q-story.html

Ephraim was also a standout Tiny Desk contestant! https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2019/07/14/741147765/this-tiny-desk-contestant-processes-pain-through-music-it-became-our-safety-plac

For more detail on Ephraim's story and his early music journey, see here: https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/ephraim-bugumba-storyteller-sofar-refugee-congo-american-idol/Content?oid=55644968

If you or someone you know would like to share their personal refugee story, send us an email at [email protected] or connect with us on any number of social media platforms:

Opening Track: Ketsa - Where We Are (http://bit.ly/2nKJWaW)

Special Thanks to Maxcy International House for all of their support. To find out more about what they do, go to https://maxcycollege.wordpress.com/about-the-blog/.

For more information on what is happening in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, see these articles: