Sheila Badwan got a text message that changed her life about three years ago. A cousin had heard about a family that had made a long, hard journey from Syria to Wisconsin, arriving in winter without proper shoes or essentials. On her phone she saw the picture of four little girls. Support for them had fallen through the cracks. They were falling through the cracks. So Sheila, with the help of a few friends, gathered up some kitchen items, furniture and clothing, including winter gear, and delivered it to the family. Sheila, who is a mother of two and speaks Arabic, sat down with the family that day, hearing fearful tales of walking from Syria to Jordan in the night. They were afraid and lonely, she says. That experience opened a door for Sheila, who eventually left her job in medical billing to work with refugees and immigrant communities full time. She is the lead organizer for the Milwaukee Chapter of Hanan, a humanitarian organization. This work has informed her view of democracy.