July 4 2025

While America is often described as a land of opportunity, it is also a land of freedom, human rights, and dignity. The story of this Karenni refugee family, whom Free Burma Society helped resettle in the United States, is a powerful reminder of what makes this country unique.

This family arrived in the U.S. just three years ago. In the photo, you see a young girl named Mowt standing beside a small baby. Mowt was only three years old when she arrived in the United States. Her early childhood was shaped by fear and flight—forced to flee the brutal Burmese military regime just a year after she was born. Despite her young age, she had already learned to speak two languages, to swim, and to navigate life in the jungles along the Thai-Burma border. She witnessed air raids, gunfire, and destruction—scenes no child should ever see.

Once in the United States, the family quickly began rebuilding their lives. They found work, enrolled in school and aftercare programs, and eventually purchased a home. Their first language is Karenni, but they are all improving their English day by day.

This photo captures their fourth Independence Day celebration in the U.S. They are not yet citizens, but proudly celebrate American freedom while honoring their heritage by wearing traditional Karenni clothing. Their joy and pride speak volumes.

Free Burma Society is honored to help families like this start a new chapter—one where they are free to live with dignity and contribute fully to their communities. They are working hard, paying taxes, participating in civic life—just like millions of Americans who came before them seeking safety, dignity, and a better future.

This is what freedom looks like.