Amjad

A White Car

Country of Origin: Syria

Amjad felt a mix of extreme happiness and extreme fear when he found himself participating in one of the Syrian Revolution’s first protests. He became an activist and began devising different ways of improving the condition of his country. He witnessed the slaughter of some of his closest friends and came to despise the Syrian Secret Police. The lethal force's car of choice is a white Peugeot 504, a vehicle whose presence marked the inevitability of trouble.

For Amjad, this specific car serves a symbol of the oppression and brutality that frames the continued dilapidation of Syria. It is the same car in which Amjad’s neighbor, a fellow activist, was arrested in.

His neighbor’s parents sold all of their belongings to pay for the release of their son. Soon after the payment was delivered, the family received their son’s dead body.

At the end of 2013, Amjad was informed that his name was placed on government watch lists throughout the Syrian border, threatening his safety and putting his life in jeopardy. Amjad did not know whether he would be able to return home, and so he made sure to visit all of his favorite places in Damascus before leaving the country.

Amjad was resettled to New Haven, Connecticut, on January 10th, 2014. He now works as a full-time architect and enjoys teaching his co-workers about Islam and Syrian culture. He is also active in welcoming and aiding Syrian refugees as they adjust to life in the United States.