When reflecting on the early days of the pandemic, something forever memorable is Achut Deng’s story as reported on the New York Times podcast The Daily. Journalist Caitlin Dickerson met Achut when trying to give voice to some of the workers in the United States who were most vulnerable when it came to coronavirus exposure. Achut is a survivor of the Sudanese civil war and lived in a refugee camp for years. After coming to the U.S. she eventually found herself working at a meat packing plant in South Dakota. She is a single mom to her three sons and as a result of the outpouring of concern generated by that early reporting, Achut has just written her first book. Caitlin, now at The Atlantic, recently featured Achut and her memoir Don’t Look Back, and to say the past couple years have been transformative for Achut is a true understatement. When so much can seem so overwhelming in life, being in Achut’s presence is a salve to one’s spirit.
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About Achut
Achut Deng was born in South Sudan and came to the United States as a refugee when she was sixteen years old, a story she recounts in her memoir, Don’t Look Back. She is now an American citizen and works in human resources at a meat-packing plant in South Dakota, where she also resides. She is the mother of three sons.
Show Notes & Links
Achut’s memoir: Don’t Look Back
Go Fund Me site for Achut and her boys