Outcasts United - NEW REVIEW

Author: Warren St. John
Warren St. John relates the story of Luma Mufleh, a Jordanian responsible for serving the refugee community of Clarkston, Georgia.  After graduating from Smith College, Ms. Mufleh decided to stay in the United States, as opportunities for women were few and far between in Jordan.  As a result of this decision, her old-guard parents disowned her and she was left to fend for herself.  A lifelong soccer enthusiast, she was surprised to see countless immigrant youths playing pickup games of soccer in empty lots in Clarkston.  She organized a group into a team called The Fugees, pairing rigorous soccer practices with mandatory after-school classes.  Managing 45 young men between the ages of 10 and 17 is no easy task, as St. John shows us thorough Mufleh’s struggles to build solidarity and confidence amongst group of immigrants from all over the world.  The author shows us, through first-person interviews with Mufleh, the players and their families, the tenacity and spirit of those who seek refuge from war-torn countries only to encounter difficulties in their new homes.  Clarkston’s mayor as well as a number of law enforcement officers and civil servants do all they can to prevent the Fugees from finding a home playing field, despite Mufleh’s passionate advocacy of her charges.  St. John points out how refugees’ struggles in Clarkston are a microcosm of the immigrant experience as a whole.  This deeply inspiring story is told artfully, in thoroughly readable prose.

Year Released: 2009
Grades 9-Adult