Mina Habib

Though the scar on his forehead has faded, Mina’s memory of that night has not – a night when “some men appeared, they smashed our car’s windows and began beating us ruthlessly. One blow gashed open my forehead. My sister was yanked from the car, dislocating her arm. We screamed in vain for help. No one could stop them.” Soon after, the family filed for asylum and in 2012 fled the turbulence of Egypt, landing in Los Angeles where they were welcomed into the Coptic Christian community. “Being the only English speaker in the family, I had to become the caregiver. My family depended on me to put food on the table even though I was only 16.”

Mina took two jobs, placing his education on hold. Meanwhile, he provided a vital interpreter service for members of his new community. “Our church was desperate for bilinguals to help newcomers apply for jobs, file for asylum and secure healthcare.” At first he would accompany a family to their various appointments, but quickly found that this one-person system was inefficient.

“I reached out to youth groups across the Coptic churches, cultivated a network of bilinguals, and set up a program that matched families with volunteers. I dedicated all of my extra time to gathering and guiding potential volunteers, and traveling across the diocese making my service known. Three years later, my service has grown to include numerous volunteers and has served hundreds of immigrants. We have seen more refugees settled than turned away, more families united than separated, and more lawyers victorious than defeated.”

Mina discovered a passion for foreign policy and human rights. Today, “I am able to pursue my dream of going to college so that I can make a difference, especially for young refugees who, like me, were forced to leave everything they know and start over.” He’s been involved with a variety of organizations, including Model United Nations, Egypt’s Resala Association, as an interpreter for local organizations such as Jewish Family Service, translating for new Arabic-speaking families who need help settling in El Cajon or City Heights.

Mina’s journey is a source of wonder to him. “We will never know how many potential scientists, artists and teachers have lost their lives in the Middle Eastern conflicts in the past five years, and have deprived our world of their contributions. For some reason that is beyond my understanding, I was one of the very few chosen to survive, to be given a chance at a new life, and to have the ability to study at the best university system in the world.”