>> MOOD AND PBS WEEKLY IS BROUGHT TO YOU -- PBS WEEKLY IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY -- >> YOU AND I.

>> WHAT I.T.

IS SO RARE.

-- I TREAT IS SO RARE.

>> IF YOU NEED ME, I AM HERE.

>> I AM HERE.

♪ >> TONIGHT ON RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

>> GOOD.

>> ONLINE HAS BECOME A RELIABLE AND TRUSTED FRIEND -- OMAR HAS BECOME A RELIABLE AND TRUSTED FRIEND TO REFUGEES.

HE KNOWS WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LIVE IN A STATE OF TERROR.

>> THE ORDER IS THAT YOU WILL BE KILLED.

I WAS SO TERRIFIED.

MY LEGS WOULD NOT CARRY ME ANY LONGER.

I WAS SO SCARED.

>> AS SOON AS I COULD WRITE, I WAS INTERESTED IN CREATING NARRATIVES AND STORIES.

MY OWN PRIVATE HOBBY.

♪ >> NOT CONFIDENCE HELPED FRANCIS BRING HIS POETRY TO ALL AGES VENUES IN SOUTH PROVIDENCE.

HE REALIZED THAT HIP HOP WAS THE NEXT STEP IN HIS ARTISTIC EVOLUTION.

♪ >> GOOD EVENING I AM PAMELA.

WEBSITE AND MICHELLE.

EVACUEES HAVE ARRIVED AFTER THE TALENT THEN QUICKLY TOOK CONTROL OF THE COUNTRY.

RHODE ISLAND IS PREPARING TO WELCOME HUNDREDS OF THEM.

SOME HAVE MADE IT TO THE OCEAN STATE.

MANY OF THOSE EVACUEES WILL LEARN THE NAME OF OMAR, THE HEAD OF THE REFUGEE DREAM CENTER.

HIS INSPIRATION IS PERSONAL.

HE KNOWS THE TRAUMA THAT THEY FACE WHEN THEY HAD TO LEAVE THEIR HOME COUNTRIES AND THE CONFUSION AND LONELINESS WHEN THEY FIRST ARRIVED IN THE U.S. >> I STARTED THE CENTER FOR POST SETTLEMENT SUPPORT.

>> I SWEAR TO TELL THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.

>> YES.

>> THESE ARE THE FACES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DETERMINED TO BECOME U.S. CITIZENS.

OH MY WORKS WITH THEM AT THE REFUGEE DREAM CENTER IN PROVIDENCE.

LIKE MANY -- OMAR WORKS WITH THEM AT THE REFUGEE DREAM CENTER IN PROVIDENCE.

>> IT WAS VERY BAD THERE.

THE TEACHERS USED TO BEAT THE STUDENTS.

IF YOU DO NOT PASS YOUR TEST, THEY WILL BEAT YOU.

THEY KEPT BEATING UNTIL IT WAS NORMAL.

IT WAS ACCEPTABLE.

>> HOME TO ABOUT 2 MILLION PEOPLE.

>> IT IS A LONG RIVER.

IT WAS LITERALLY A VERY.

>> HE WAS BORN IN ONE OF THE POOREST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.

HE WAS DETERMINED TO MAKE SOMETHING OF HIS LIFE AND STUDIED TO BE A JOURNALIST.

ONE OF HIS FIRST ASSIGNMENTS WAS WRITING ABOUT THE COURTS.

>> IT WAS INTERESTING.

THERE WERE A LOT OF HEADLINES.

THEIR WORST POLITICAL CASES.

>> ONE YEAR INTO HIS CAREER, HE WAS GIVEN AN ASSIGNMENT.

>> WHEN I WENT THERE, THE SOLDIERS WERE SURPRISED THAT A KID IS TRYING TO GET THE REPORT.

IT WAS SCARY FOR ME.

BEFORE I KNEW IT, WE WERE LIFTING INTO THE AIR.

THERE WAS A GROUP OF ABOUT 20.

THEY WOULD KICK AND HIT ME.

THEY DETAINED ME FOR ABOUT A DAY.

>> YOU WERE CONFINED TO A VERY SMALL SPACE AT THE TIME.

>> I COULD NOT STRETCH MY LEGS.

I WAS SWEATING AT ONE POINT AND I DID NOT KNOW IF IT WAS BLOOD OR SWEAT.

IT TRAUMATIZED ME FOR A LONG TIME.

>> ALL OF THIS UNFOLDED UNDER THE DICTATOR, WHOSE RULE WAS MARKED BY HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES.

>> THE WHOLE COUNTRY WAS VICTIMIZED.

PEOPLE DISAPPEARED.

>> NOBODY WOULD WORK ON THIS ONE.

EVERYBODY WAS WORKING TO PLEASE HIM.

>> HE WAS KNOWN FOR JAILING HUNDREDS OF PRISONERS, SOME OF WHO DIED UNDER QUESTIONABLE CIRCUMSTANCES.

>> [INDISCERNIBLE] >> EVEN THOUGH HE WERE BEING TORTURED AND FEARED FOR YOUR LIFE, YOU CONTINUED WORKING AS A JOURNALIST.

>> YES.

I PROBABLY DID NOT CARE THAT MUCH.

I WANTED TO CONTINUE TO DO IT.

>> IT CHANGED ONE MORNING IN 2006.

HE WAS WORKING AT THE NEWSPAPER OFFICE WHEN HE RECEIVED A CALL.

>> SOMEBODY CALLED ME AND WAS TELLING ME, I DO NOT WANT TO IDENTIFY MYSELF, BUT THERE ARE SOLDIERS ON THEIR WAY TO YOUR OFFICE AND THE ORDER IS THAT YOU WILL BE KILLED.

MY LEGS COULD NOT CARRY ME ANY LONGER.

I WAS SO UPSET.

>> HE HAD PUBLISHED A SERIES OF COLUMNS CRITICIZING THE DICTATOR.

HE WAS ON A BUS, WAITING TO CROSS THIS BRIDGE, WHEN A SOLDIER ASKED TO SEE EVERYONE'S ID INSIDE THE BUS.

>> I WAS THE LAST PASSENGER IN THE BACK.

BEFORE HE EVEN SAID ANYTHING, I STOOD UP.

I JUST RAISED MY HANDS.

I CLOSED MY EYES BECAUSE I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF, THIS IS IT.

>> BUT FATE TOOK AN UNEXPECTED TURN.

THE SOLDIER TURNED OUT TO BE AN ACQUAINTANCE OF HIS FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL.

>> I DIDN'T.

RESPOND.

AFTER A SHORT SILENCE, HE ASKED THE DRIVER TO MOVE.

THAT IS ALL HE SAID.

I ALWAYS SAY THAT IS WHEN MY FIRST LIFE ENDED.

I THOUGHT I WAS DEAD.

SOMEBODY DECIDED TO GIVE ME A CHANCE TO LIVE AGAIN.

BECAUSE EVENTUALLY HE MADE HIS WAY TO SENEGAL.

SOON AFTER ARRIVING, HIS PICTURE WAS ALL OVER THE NEWS, DECLARING HIM A WANTED MAN.

>> THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HELPING ME WHERE HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS.

>> HE ENDED UP FINDING REFUGE IN GHANA BEFORE HE CAME TO HIS LAST STOP, RHODE ISLAND.

>> I NEVER HEARD OF RHODE ISLAND UNTIL THE DAY BEFORE MY ARRIVAL.

I WAS LIKE, WHY ARE THEY TAKING ME TO IN ISLAND ALL OF A SUDDEN?

>> THEN YOU DISCOVERED THAT RHODE ISLAND IS NOT AN ISLAND.

>> YES.

>> HIS WIFE WAS STILL OVERSEAS AND DID NOT MOVE UNTIL TWO YEARS LATER.

HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE ACCLIMATING TO LIFE IN AMERICA.

>> I HAD SO MUCH TROUBLE LEARNING HOW TO DRIVE.

I FAILED THREE TIMES AND THE FOURTH TIME IS WHEN I PASSED.

I DID NOT HAVE ANYBODY TO TRAIN ME.

95% -- MAYBE THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH HARDER EXPERIENCES.

THIS IS MY NEW FORM OF JOURNALISM.

I WAS VERY EXCITED.

THIS IS MY NEW CALLING.

>> THEY OPENED THE REFUGEE DREAM CENTER, A POST SETTLEMENT REFUGEE AGENCY.

>> [SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE] GOOD, GOOD.

I WAS SCARED.

I THOUGHT YOU WERE NOT HERE.

>> SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK, THEY VISIT FAMILIES AND DROP OFF SUPPLIES OR FOOD.

>> COME AND BRING SOME STUFF FOR YOU AND SEE HOW YOU ARE DOING AS WELL.

>> HE MET WITH A SYRIAN REFUGEE HAS LIVED IN RHODE ISLAND FOR FIVE YEARS.

SHE INVITED US TO JOIN HER FOR LUNCH.

>> HE IS HELPING REFUGEES MONTHS AFTER THEY ARRIVED.

HOW DID HE HELP YOU AFTER YOU ARRIVED?

>> WHEN I CAME TO THE U.S., I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH, SO I ATTENDED CLASSES AT THE CENTER.

WE RECEIVE BILLS AND MAIL AND WE DO NOT KNOW HOW TO READ OR WRITE, SO WE GO TO THE CENTER AND ASK FOR HELP.

THEY READ THE MELA -- MAIL FOR US.

>> BUT HAS IT BEEN, FIVE YEARS NOW?

THIS IS FOR THE TRAVEL TICKET.

REFUGEES COME TO THE U.S. AND THEY PAY THEIR OWN TICKET.

I WILL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO HELP.

>> HE ALSO HELPED GET HER A LICENSE TO OPEN A SYRIAN RESTAURANT WITH HER HUSBAND IN NORTHERN PROVIDENCE.

>> MANY PEOPLE COME TO DINE.

YOU HAVE A GOOD BUSINESS.

THIS IS VERY GOOD.

I'M GLAD YOU ARE DOING GOOD BUSINESS.

I AM VERY PROUD OF YOU.

>> WHAT COUNTRIES ARE THEY PREDOMINATELY COMING FROM?

>> SYRIANS, SOMALIA -- ABOUT EVERY FIVE YEARS, THERE IS A WAVE OF PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE WORLD.

>> AND NOW YOU ARE PREPARING FOR REFUGEES FROM AFGHANISTAN.

>> IT IS GOING TO BE A MUCH BIGGER NUMBER COMING IN.

>> HOW MANY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

>> I'M THINKING 300 TO 400.

>> HE SAID THAT RHODE ISLAND STANDS READY TO WELCOME ALLIES AND FAMILIES FLEEING THE TALIBAN.

>> WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU SAW IMAGES COMING OUT OF AFGHANISTAN?

WAS THAT BRINGING BACK IMAGES FOR YOU?

>> I WAS HAVING FLASHBACKS.

IT IS LIKE CHAOS.

I WAS LOOKING AT THESE IMAGES I WOULD SIT HERE ALL DAY WATCHING TV.

MY WIFE TOLD ME, YOU ARE TRAUMATIZING YOURSELF.

>> YOU HAVE BEEN JAILED, TORTURED, YOU HAVE HAD TO FEAR COUNTRY -- BUT YOU SEEM MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY STRONG.

HOW DID YOU GET THERE?

>> I TOLD MYSELF, BUT I AM GOING TO DO IS GO TO SCHOOL.

I WANT TO MANAGE MY EXPERIENCE AND TO HELP OTHERS.

I DID A BACHELORS, TWO MASTERS DEGREES AND A DOCTORATE.

MOSTLY IN PSYCHOLOGY BECAUSE I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND.

IT HELPED A LOT.

>> THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION, WHAT IS YOUR DREAM FOR REFUGEES?

>> AMERICANS TALK ABOUT THE DREAM ALL THE TIME, THE AMERICAN DREAM.

IT IS SO HARD, LIKE WINNING THE LOTTERY.

I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD COME TO AMERICA BECAUSE AMERICA WAS LIKE ANOTHER PLANET FOR ME.

EVEN HAVING THE PRIVILEGE TO VISIT AMERICA WAS NOT SOMETHING I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM.

-- THE OPPORTUNITY FOR.

>> AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

>> THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] CLOSE IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HIS, HE WRITES ABOUT IT IN HIS MEMOIR, AFRICA'S HELL ON EARTH, THE ORDEAL OF A JOURNALIST.

WE RETURNED TO OUR RECORD LABEL UNDER.

FRANCIS HAS BEEN MAKING ORIGINAL MUSIC WITH A GLOBAL IMPACT.

HIS CREATIVITY ENABLES HIM AND OTHER PERFORMERS ON HIS RECORD LABEL TO REACH THE EARS OF COUNTLESS MUSIC LOVERS.

AS BILL BARTHOLOMEW FOUND, UNLIKE CONTEMPORARIES, THEY HAVE TAKEN A DIFFERENT PATH, ONE THAT ALLOWS THEM TO RETAIN THEIR UNIQUE STYLE AND AUTHENTIC MESSAGE.

>> REALIZING THE PERSON THAT I WAS ADDRESSING PROBABLY WAS NOT LOOKING DOWN FROM HEAVEN.

>> IT HAS PROBABLY CHANGED A LITTLE BIT OVER THE YEARS.

AT FIRST, IT WAS A LITTLE MORE OFF-THE-WALL, MORE THE ARTICLE AND EXPERIMENTAL.

WE DID NOT WANT TO SOUND LIKE MAINSTREAM HIP-HOP.

WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT WERE NOT NECESSARILY ACCEPTED OR ACCESSIBLE IN HIP-HOP AND MAKE IT DOPE.

♪ >> SAGE FRANCIS IS A HIP-HOP ARTIST, POET AND THE FOUNDER OF STRANGE, FAMOUS RECORDS.

FOUNDED IN 1986 AS A WAY TO RELEASE HIS OWN MUSIC, THE LABEL GREW AND IT DELIVERED MUSIC TO A WORLDWIDE AUDIENCE.

FRANCIS BEGAN SHAPING HIS IDENTITY FROM AN EARLY AGE.

>> I WAS INTERESTED IN PUTTING DOWN MY THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS, CREATING THOUGHTS AND STORIES.

THE MORE I WORKED ON IT, THE MORE I WAS INVESTED IN IT.

>> IT HELPED TO BRING IT TO ALL OF PROVIDENCE.

HE REALIZED HIP-HOP WAS THE NEXT STEP IN HIS ARTISTIC EVOLUTION.

IT WAS WHEN HE WAS A STUDENT THAT HE STARTED TO PRODUCE THE SORT OF CONTENT HE ULTIMATELY BECAME WELL-KNOWN FOR HIM.

>> MY WRITING HAD BECOME MORE INVOLVED AND INTRICATE.

IT WAS NOT JUST A BRAND FEST.

I DISCOVERED THE SPOKEN WORD, WHERE IT WAS MORE COMMON FOR WHAT PEOPLE WERE DOING.

I WOULD DO RAP AND POETRY.

EVENTUALLY, MERGING THE TWO TOGETHER IS HOW I ATTAINED THE VOICE THAT I HAVE.

THAT IS LIKE THE TRAJECTORY OF THE SAGE FRANCIS CAREER.

>> IT WAS LAUNCHED IN AN UNEXPECTED WAY.

>> I WAS APPROACHED BY A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO HAD INSTRUMENTS.

THEY SAID, DO YOU WANT TO START A HIP-HOP BAND?

IN MY HEART OF HEARTS, I WAS LIKE, NO.

BUT I ALSO KNEW THAT WAS PROBABLY GOING TO BE MY BEST SHOT AT GETTING A STUDIO RECORDING AND PLAYING LIVE SHOWS.

>> THE BAND HELPED FRANCIS SHAPE HIS MUSIC AND HIS EARLIEST RECORDINGS.

HE WAS APPROACHED BY A LOCAL MANAGER, BUT THE MANAGER NEVER DELIVERED.

>> NOBODY WAS LOOKING FOR A RHODE ISLAND HIP-HOP ARTIST.

>> SO HE TOOK MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS, RECORDING HIS OWN CDS AND MASS-PRODUCING THEM.

>> I WOULD CREATE ALL THE ART AND PHOTOCOPY IT.

I TOOK ADVANTAGE OF CERTAIN EMPLOYEES WHO LET ME RUIN THEIR EQUIPMENT.

>> GETTING INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION AND THE NOTICE OF POET AND HIP-HOP ARTIST.

♪ >> HE PITCHED FRANCIS AN IDEA TO CREATE AN AFTERSCHOOL HIP-HOP AND POETRY PROGRAM.

THINGS DID NOT GO AS HE HOPED.

>> SAGE BLEW ME OFF IMMEDIATELY AND SAID, I'M NOT GOING TO A HIGH SCHOOL.

IF YOU DO, AND GOING TO SWEAR AT THE TEACHERS.

>> AFTER HEARING HIS MUSIC, FRANCIS REALIZED THAT HE WOULD BE A STRONG ASSET TO ADD TO THE STRANGE, FAMOUS RECORDS ROSTER.

>> IT WAS WHEN I SAW HIS LIFE SHOW AND SAW THAT HE HAD CREDENTIALS.

HE WAS FREE STYLING.

THERE WAS THE BEST POETIC CONTENT DEVOID OF THE CORNY CLICHES.

>> HE REALIZED HE WOULD BE ABLE TO REACH AN AUDIENCE, BUILD A CAREER.

♪ >> WHEN I CAME TO PROVIDENCE AND FRANCIS, WE WERE LIKE, LET'S DO SOMETHING POSITIVE IN THE WORLD WITH OUR ART.

>> HE BELIEVES THAT ENTIRE OPERATION HAS COME FROM AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO LIVING HIS ART.

>> I PUT MY NOSE TO THE GRIND STONE AND WORKED MYSELF HARD 24/7.

IT WAS CAREER, CAREER, CAREER.

>> A CAREER OUTSIDE OF THE CONFINES.

BREAKING OUT ON A GLOBAL SCALE, THE ROSTER OF ARTISTS CONTINUES TO GROW.

♪ >> EXPRESSING MY POETRY WAS A WAY TO GET OUT OF MY ZONE.

>> MY MOST HAS BEEN TURNING HEADS IN RHODE ISLAND, WHILE ALSO PUSHING INTO NEW ROUTE -- NEW MARKETS.

JOINING THE ROSTER IS A DREAM COME TRUE.

>> IT IS PRETTY WILD.

SAGE STARTED CORRESPONDING WITH ME.

HE WAS SOMEBODY I HAD LISTENED TO SINCE I WAS 12.

THE KIND OF WERE ALWAYS LIKE, YOU COULD DO THAT SOMEDAY.

>> WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE TO ANYBODY WHO IS WANTING TO BECOME AN ARTIST OR REALIZES THEY WANT TO DISCOVER MORE?

>> BEING ARTIST, BUT DO NOT THINK YOU ARE GOING TO LIVE OFF OF YOUR ART.

IF YOU ARE PUSHING YOUR OWN LIMITS AND HAPPY ABOUT IT, ANY TIME TAX ME, UNLIKE, I AM NOT HERE TO CRITIQUE YOUR STUFF.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT.

HE HAS NO PLANS, BUT HE IS CREATING MORE MUSIC AND RELEASING THOSE COLLABORATIONS THROUGH STRANGE, FAMOUS RECORDS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> I AM PAMELA WATTS.

WE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH ALL THINGS SPECTRAL AND A HALLOWEEN EDITION OF RHODE ISLAND PBS WEEKLY.

♪