Homayoon Milad came to Colorado in 2021 with his wife and three sons, among the last Afghans to evacuate Kabul in the chaos of August 2021. He will tell his compelling story of fleeing Afghanistan, his contributions to peace and prosperity in Afghanistan before the Taliban takeover, and about refugee resettlement. Milad has a Master’s degree in International Cooperation Policy and 16 years of experience in local governance, community development, and peacebuilding. He graduated from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University of Japan in 2010. He served as a Peace Process Program Manager for the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), as a Program Director for the Community-Based Agriculture and Rural Development of the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and as a Program Director of the Livelihood Improvement in Tajik Afghan Cross Border Areas of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Afghanistan. Milad now serves as the Community Sponsorship Coordinator at the International Rescue Committee in Denver.