Journeys of Home: Looking Ahead to our 2026 DocSong Project

For the past few weeks, we have had the distinct privilege of turning the stories of refugees and immigrants into songs. Through this collaborative method of Documentary Songwriting, a window has been opened into the stories, minds, and hearts of those who have endeavored to make Cleveland their home away from home. A window full of complex emotions, cherished memories, and difficult decisions.

When we take a few steps back, it’s remarkable to reflect on how every single person we encounter, whether in passing or intentionally, has a story that distinctly makes them, them. In the same way that your story makes you, you.

Collaborating with the Hope Center for Refugees and Immigrants for our 2026 DocSong project has truly solidified our conviction that the act of sharing our stories is a powerful way to tear down the walls of hostility that surround us. And if there is one word that I could choose to sum up the immigrant experience from getting to know our songwriters, I would choose the word resilient. 

Whether it’s a resilience that enables someone to make it through another night in a prison-like detention facility, or the resilience to travel through a war-torn country to pursue a dream, or if it’s a resilience that comes from choosing to stay rooted in your native culture in a foreign land– there’s no doubt that the refugee & immigrant experience is marked by a resilience that few of us will ever experience, or understand. 

And yet, however pervasive the walls of hostility may seem in our communities, there’s no doubt that the refugees and immigrants that live among us bring a new dimension of flourishing to our communities that we otherwise could not cultivate on our own. And it’s for this reason that we’re so grateful to be able to share the stories of our songwriters in this way, through music!

We hope you’ll feel encouraged by the resilience displayed throughout this project, and that you’ll feel inspired to tear down the walls of hostility that surround you, making way for new growth and love for the stranger. As Scripture commands, may we “treat the stranger who sojourns with us as the native among us, and may we love them as we love ourselves.”