2020 Friend of Freedom Award
On August 29, 2020, Sam Johnson was awarded the Friend of Freedom Award by New American Pathways, an Atlanta based nonprofit whose mission is “Helping Refugees and Georgia Thrive.” Sam and his family were resettled in the United States by New American Pathways’ (predecessor Refugee Resettlement and Immigration Services of Atlanta) back in 2007.
Now, this same organization that supported Sam and his family as well as many refugees and helped them integrate into the Atlanta community, is awarding him with its annual Friend of Freedom award for his own efforts helping other refugees.
Nancy Gaddy, Chief Advancement Officer for New American Pathways says this about Sam: “What he’s doing is what I think a lot of refugee children dream of and very few of them are able to do… Samuel represents that fourth and final stage along the pathway, way beyond anything that we ever expected. He is that ideal of service on steroids because he’s not just giving back to the community — he’s doing it in a way that’s on a global scale.”
In accepting the award, Sam said that the New American Pathways workers inspired him when he came to the U.S. He said that growing up, “I had never seen someone serving. For me seeing that, it really shaped me. …I kept thinking in my head that someday I will be able to save other people. …All refugees ask for is the chance to achieve their dreams, for them to have hope. Hope is the only thing that carries us.”
This story is featured in Mercer University’s online magazine, The Den, written by Jennifer Falk.