In 1993, when Biar Kon was just 3 months old, his family fled their home in civil war-torn Sudan for Kenya. Kon spent the first two decades of his life in the Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps with his mother and four siblings.
鈥淚 truly didn鈥檛 understand the term 鈥榬efugee鈥� until I was around the age of 10, because I never knew there could be a different life,鈥� says Kon, who grew up surrounded by the camps鈥� harsh realities. 鈥淚 witnessed violence, hunger and people without access to adequate health care.鈥�
Everything changed for the Kon family in 2015, when they were granted refugee resettlement to the United States. With help from the International Institute of New England (), the family settled in Lowell, where Kon earned an associate degree from Middlesex Community College.
He is now completing a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration at UMass Lowell, with concentrations in international business and marketing.
鈥淚 discovered a really good support system at UMass Lowell,鈥� says Kon, who found friends and resources through the Office of Multicultural Affairs. He also found a 鈥済reat community,鈥� he says, in the Manning School of Business, where he helped launch the student organization.聽
鈥淚 want to own my own business someday,鈥� Kon says. 鈥淎s a business person, you get to interact with people and identify needs in the community 鈥� and then fulfill those needs.鈥�
Since coming to Lowell, Kon has given back to the refugee community by working as an interpreter, intern and ambassador for the IINE.
鈥淚 came as a refugee, so I know the challenges they face, especially if they don鈥檛 speak the language,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 want to be that person that I didn鈥檛 have when I first came here.鈥�
Kon is also a leading voice in the IINE鈥檚 , a spoken-word program that gives immigrants the opportunity to take the stage and share their experiences with live audiences.聽
鈥淲hen I first came to the U.S., it was difficult to stand in front of 10 people. I started gaining momentum and confidence with Suitcase Stories. Now I can stand up and speak to any group of people without any fear,鈥� says Kon, who delivered the commencement address when he graduated from Middlesex in May 2019.
Earlier that month, at the IINE鈥檚 centennial celebration, Kon was named one of the 鈥淟owell 100,鈥� which honored 鈥渢he most influential advocates, trailblazers and leaders鈥� from the city鈥檚 immigrant community.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, his Suitcase Stories 鈥� and coursework 鈥� have been mostly virtual over the past year. He says the adjustment has been difficult at times, but he remains optimistic.
鈥淕rowing up in a refugee camp in Africa teaches you resiliency,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hen the pandemic hit, health-wise it wasn鈥檛 good. But what are the positive outcomes? You get time to spend with your family at home. You get time to reflect. So you always try to think about the positives.鈥�