Husein, Wafa, Rasmieh, Abdel-Karim, Adam, Yousef, and Dua’a

“The prophetic saying that God is at your assistance when you assist others is one of the many values that my mother holds dear in her heart. At age 18, she immigrated to the United States. Later, she married my father and raised six children in her adopted country. She always appreciated the opportunities she gained in her new homeland. As my siblings and I became adults, her efforts turned to community work.

As time passed, more refugees began settling in Lexington, and my mother was among the first to welcome them. She helped families complete housing applications and helped to ease their language barriers during medical and other important appointments. She organized clothing drives, helped locate furniture for their homes, and enrolled their children in school. She was also an emotional source of support for those who needed it.

Many families came from war-torn countries. My mother would listen to their stories and help renew their sense of hope. The immigrants she helped became part of our family. Together, we would celebrate holidays, weddings, and graduations, and shared comfort in time of grief.
She is grateful to be part of a community effort in integrating new immigrants to the community. May we follow her exemplary work in the community and may God accept her efforts.”

—Written by Wafa Suleiman, Rasmieh Suleiman’s daughter

Lexington in the Time of COVID-19 is an artwork about people practicing social distancing at a time of a deadly virus. And also offering kindness.

Kurt Gohde and Kremena Todorova capture photographs at the periphery of American culture, where drag queens, discarded couches, and abandoned motel signs exist.