Dauda Sesay 

State:  Louisiana
Country of Origin:  Sierra Leone
Arrival in the U.S.:  2009

Dauda Sesay is the Refugee Congress Delegate from Louisiana.

Sesay fled Sierra Leone due to the brutal war that led to the murder of his father and younger sister. While he was fleeing the military and the rebels, he was shot and seriously injured. In a refugee camp in the Gambia, he worked with other refugees to advocate for better living conditions in the camp and education for the children. When his injury required further surgery, he moved to the capital, where he met his wife, also a refugee, and when his medical condition deteriorated, Dauda and his new wife and six-month-old daughter were resettled to the U.S.

Today in Baton Rouge, Sesay has a degree in Applied Science in Process Technology from Baton Rouge Community College. He is a founding member and Vice President of Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants, a nonprofit community-based organization assisting refugees and immigrants through their various stages of integration into the United States.

Sesay works with refugee families to enroll their kids in school and assists non-English-speakers during times of difficulties, such as bullying or other issues, at school. He also coordinates to help New Americans in times of natural disasters, including the 2016 flooding in Louisiana. He works to connect communities, amplify refugee voices and build bridges through public speaking, storytelling and organized cultural events. He also engages with faith leaders and elected and public officials to promote welcoming policies.

He is a member of the Mayor Sharon Weston Broome International Relations Commission and Chairperson of the Commission on Culture and Art Engagement, a commission established to help make the city of Baton Rouge more inclusive and welcoming. He is also the proud father of five children.