Category: Arab Americans Who Care
Back in February, the Arab American community was rocked by the tragic and senseless killing of Deah Barakat, 23, his wife Yusor Mohammad, 21, and Yusor’s sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19. These three individuals were generous and kind, having been involved in numerous charitable endeavors and other activities meant to help and give back to others. Despite their unfortunate passing, the good of these individuals is still being felt today, as their legacy persists in the form of various service projects.
Before his death, Deah Barakat was studying dentistry at the University of North Carolina, and was planning a trip to Turkey for a project titled “Project Refugee Smiles”. He and his partners aimed to raise $20,000 through a crowdfunding site to pay for dental supplies to help children and adults who fled the conflict in Syria. After the Chapel Hill shooting, funding poured in from all over, and the project ultimately amassed over half a million dollars. Ali Heydary, a close friend and fellow dental student with Deah, helped to take over the project and was able to use the additional funding to organize two clinics at a Turkish school between July 29 and August 6. More than 800 patients got treatment, and a foundation was established using the extra money in order to fund similar clinics in the future.
Additionally, scholarships were created by both UNC and North Carolina State in honor of the victims; UNC and the Dental Foundation created a scholarship at the School of Dentistry, while NCSU, Deah and Yusor’s alma mater and the school at which Razan was a student, established an endowment to provide renewable scholarships to students.
To continue furthering the legacies of the three victims, Deah’s older brother Farris Barakat, helped spearhead the Light House Project, a community outreach center for young Muslims. Farris says it has been a struggle dealing with the aftermath of the shootings. He calls it “too high a price”, but is happy to see his brother’s legacy bringing smiles to people’s faces and inspiring others to do good.
For more information on how the Chapel Hill victims are inspiring others, follow this link. And for more Arab Americans Who Care, visit our blog.