The Family of Yalla
A non-profit academy in southern California helps assimilate a refugee community centered around the world’s most popular sport. The Yalla center combines soccer with academic support to inspire refugee and immigrant youth to achieve a college education and rebuild their lives.
The children and teenagers at Yalla are refugees and immigrants, ages 6 to 18, that have escaped from countries of conflict and resettled with their families in San Diego County. Despite their differences, they all have something in common: the passion for soccer. For them, soccer is universal and transcends language barriers, forming strong friendships and inspiring them to be physically active and socially responsible. “YALLA” which translates to “Let’s Go” in Arabic, stands for Youth and Leaders Living Actively.
Founder Mark Kabban, whose family is from Beirut, Lebanon, often felt discrimination as a child while growing up in San Diego. He began the non-profit in 2009 and through soccer and academics the YALLA Academy has empowered over 2,000 kids in the city of El Cajon, California, which has become a hot spot for refugee resettlement since the 1970s.
Photography & Photo Essay for ESPN: Gail Fisher
