Kat Graham

In a world seemingly full of bad news, actor and singer Kat Graham’s dedication to advocating for the more than 120 million people forced to flee is worth celebrating.

For Kat, the refugee cause is personal. Her grandfather was a refugee from Liberia; her grandmother escaped the Holocaust. Her life and success is a direct result of what’s possible when refugees are welcome. As a Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the U.N. refugee agency, Kat has been passionate about bringing attention, funding, and empathy this year to refugee crises in Africa the world seems to forget: Sudan, South Sudan, and Ethiopia, where refugees are on the front lines of climate change.

She has shown tremendous commitment, through words and actions, to reminding the world that all refugees carry their talents, skills, and dreams with them, wherever they go. I am grateful to Kat for her steadfast support to refugees and the work of UNHCR.

Grandi is the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees