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"I didn't feel like there was a place where I could be myself. But now I help others find it."

Sarah's Story Is Why We Exist.

Today is World Refugee Day. 🌏 It's a day set aside to honor the courage and resilience of people who have been forced to leave their homes because of war, violence, persecution, or instability. For us, it's also a reminder that behind every label is a person with a story. And as we close our campaign, we want to share one more story. Today, we'd like you to meet Sarah. We created this short film to tell her story—and, in many ways, the story of why UrbanPromise exists.

Shawna Sheahen

Jun 202 min read

"I didn't even know that this term exists."

Today, we'd like you to meet Shamsia. Shamsia is 17 years old. She was born and raised in Kabul, Afghanistan. In her words: "After 2021, life gotten much harder in Afghanistan — for me, for my family, especially for females in my family. We didn't have any access to education, to work, to their rights. So my parents decided to move to the US for a better future for their children." She and her immediate family arrived in Nashville in August 2024. She did not grow up

Shawna Sheahen

Jun 183 min read

Meet Abdiel. Another Promise Kept.

In her words: "UrbanPromise came at the right time, at the right place."

Shawna Sheahen

Jun 133 min read

A Story From The Mountains

Yesterday, our group of eight StreetLeaders and six adults gathered outside before beginning the long journey home from New Hampshire. The week exploring the White Mountains was full of incredible beauty, adventure, and a lot of fun. It was also full of challenges. Several in our group got sick. Others faced disappointment, conflict, and emotional and mental challenges that felt overwhelming at times. During our devotion time yesterday morning, we talked about the idea that

Shawna Sheahen

Jun 72 min read

Carla Thought She Wouldn't Belong

Meet Carla. Carla was born in the United States after her parents came here from El Salvador seeking safety from violence and instability. By the time she joined UPN as a StreetLeader in high school, she was already carrying a lot of responsibility. She helped raise her younger brother, who she once told us was “like my first kid.” During her senior year of high school, Carla saw a job posting at her school: UrbanPromise Nashville was hiring StreetLeaders. “I need a j

Shawna Sheahen

May 303 min read

A Shy Teenager Who Became A Leader

Because of UrbanPromise, I am able to use my voice. If it wasn't for UrbanPromise, I probably would not even think about becoming a teacher.

Shawna Sheahen

May 262 min read

Her name is Somaia. She is a promise kept.

Meet Somaia. She came to Nashville from Afghanistan with her six-year-old sister, Nilab, and her two aunts when she was just four years old. For two and a half years — between the ages of four and seven — Somaia lived in this country without her parents. No one planned for it. But that's what happened. We couldn’t close the distance between Somaia and her parents. But we could love her in the waiting. Jonathan and I met her in her apartment while delivering food. Th

Shawna Sheahen

May 202 min read