10 Famous People You Never Knew Were Refugees

These are ten famous refugees you’ve never heard of. Well, you’ve probably heard their names before but you might not know that they fled their homelands in search of a better life, primarily because of war. These ten individuals not only managed to escape horrifying situations of conflict and bloodshed, but they went on to become some of the most influential people of all time. Let us know which refugee’s story inspired you most in the comments section below.

1. Gloria Estefan

The Cuban-American singer was born in Havana to the middle class Fajardo family in 1957. The Fajardo family fled to Miami as a result of the Cuban Revolution and settled down there. Shortly after they moved to the United States, Gloria’s father joined the U.S. military and fought in the Vietnam War. Gloria graduated from University of Miami while working as an English/Spanish/French translator at Miami International Airport Customs Department and, because of her language abilities, was once approached by the CIA as a possible employee. Today, the Grammy award-winner is one of the world’s best-selling music artists of all time, with an estimated 100 million records sold worldwide.