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We Are Called to Rise: The Power of Refugee Women
We Are Called to Rise is a call-to-action to embrace the economic potential of refugee women and break the invisible barriers that constrain their power
Jina Krause-Vilmar has spent her career working closely with women in some of the most challenging moments of their lives. When women and their families are pushed from their home countries by war, famine, economic instability, or religious persecution, they land in new homes with no safety nets. Alongside poor communities in their host countries, they struggle to survive in informal work systems where resentment runs high and they are easily exploited. It doesn’t have to be this way.
We Are Called to Rise is about the economic power of refugee women―the power that policymakers overlook, governments fail to harness, and stereotypes erase. It is about the opportunities we miss when we reduce refugee women to victims instead of recognizing them as economic drivers, changemakers, and leaders. Krause-Vilmar, President and CEO of Upwardly Mobile, explores the invisible threads that constrain them and how, despite the barriers, they are reweaving those threads to create opportunity―not just for themselves, but for entire communities.
When the most vulnerable are supported, we all thrive.
Jina Krause-Vilmar has spent her career working closely with women in some of the most challenging moments of their lives. When women and their families are pushed from their home countries by war, famine, economic instability, or religious persecution, they land in new homes with no safety nets. Alongside poor communities in their host countries, they struggle to survive in informal work systems where resentment runs high and they are easily exploited. It doesn’t have to be this way.
We Are Called to Rise is about the economic power of refugee women―the power that policymakers overlook, governments fail to harness, and stereotypes erase. It is about the opportunities we miss when we reduce refugee women to victims instead of recognizing them as economic drivers, changemakers, and leaders. Krause-Vilmar, President and CEO of Upwardly Mobile, explores the invisible threads that constrain them and how, despite the barriers, they are reweaving those threads to create opportunity―not just for themselves, but for entire communities.
When the most vulnerable are supported, we all thrive.
192 pages, Hardcover
Published September 15, 2026
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2026
April 30, 2026ANHPI TBR
Non-fiction November TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books: A Moment of Lift Book
Non-fiction November TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books: A Moment of Lift Book
September 4, 2026
There is an often-fatal kidney disease making its way into Texas right now. No one knows exactly what causes it but we do know that long hours working in intense heat is part of the puzzle. We also know that providing adequate shade and water breaks leads to improved work performance. Yet, here in Texas, we are removing safeguards for workers. Neither humanitarian nor economic reasons are enough to get us to do the right thing. It is something I find utterly frustrating. We know providing prenatal care saves us - as a society - money down the road. And it is just the right thing to do. Why does universal prenatal care not exist? Jina Krause-Vilmar adds refugee women to the list of social groups we mistreat even though it is both morally wrong and against our best interests. The author uses personal anecdotes and up-to-date information to make the case for creating a path towards individual and communal flourishing for these vulnerable women. We, the rest of the world, know the right thing to do. And doing the right thing will improve our own lives. Yet something within the human soul is so broken, we would endure worse conditions if it means we can step on someone else. Why are we like this?
We Are Called to Rise is a much-needed manifesto on the contributions and challenges of refugee women. It explores issues such as intersectionality, social change, and aid. The balance between data and story keeps the reader engaged throughout. Vilmar-Krause does not shy away from difficult subjects. There is a fine line between aid that helps and aid which hinders. It is equally difficult to balance the need for change with the need for self-determination. And every situation is complicated by the intersectionality of the women involved. Yet the work is worth it. We all benefit when refugee women are treated with care, respect, and given the support they need to thrive. This is a book to read with friends and discuss. It is a call to action. It made me both angry to be human and proud to have anything in common with those who rise up even in the most difficult circumstances.
Thank you to everyone involved in the production of the audioARC, including Macmillan Audio and NetGalley.
We Are Called to Rise is a much-needed manifesto on the contributions and challenges of refugee women. It explores issues such as intersectionality, social change, and aid. The balance between data and story keeps the reader engaged throughout. Vilmar-Krause does not shy away from difficult subjects. There is a fine line between aid that helps and aid which hinders. It is equally difficult to balance the need for change with the need for self-determination. And every situation is complicated by the intersectionality of the women involved. Yet the work is worth it. We all benefit when refugee women are treated with care, respect, and given the support they need to thrive. This is a book to read with friends and discuss. It is a call to action. It made me both angry to be human and proud to have anything in common with those who rise up even in the most difficult circumstances.
Thank you to everyone involved in the production of the audioARC, including Macmillan Audio and NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Jina Krause-Vilmar’s We Are Called to Rise: The Power of Refugee Women is a flyover take on a topic that deserves our full attention.
When I read this book’s description, I was thrilled! I worked in refugee resettlement for years, and I was so struck by how much weight is implicitly placed on women’s shoulders. Depending on their cultural background, they are often expected to be present mothers while making money, studying language, propping up the ego of their insecure husbands, and managing misogyny refracted through two cultural lenses. It’s far too much for anybody to handle, and yet, so many women do it with intelligence and creativity and grace. There are so many stories of brilliance that go untold—stories that highlight a population in dire need of resources, access, and opportunities that honor them.
Unfortunately, Krause-Vilmar never goes very deep into the subject matter. She touches on important topics like invisible labor, the disruption of gender roles, and bonding networks, but one would be forgiven for underestimating the author’s expertise. Despite her impressive background, she writes so generally that the stories feel anecdotal and the policy recommendations feel obvious. For the first half of the book, I waffled on whether I would share it with people new to refugee issues because there’s some good stuff here, but by the end, it was clear that We Are Called to Rise is a miss for several reasons.
Rhetorically, Krause-Vilmar foregrounds too much of her personal experience, rather than just her professional experience. For example, she compares the challenges of being a working mother with the near-impossibility of making ends meet as a refugee, and it just doesn’t work. The tone is that of a self-congratulatory “girlboss.” It’s clear that she’s trying to highlight how terrible the patriarchy is, even in the “best” case scenario of relative social mobility, but it reads as privileged and disingenuous. On the one hand, it’s understandable because the author’s parents were immigrants, but I think she overestimates the commonality between being an immigrant and being a refugee. For all the coalition-building value of intersectionality, a downside is that it occasionally muddles meaningful distinctions—Is being a woman with legal status that similar to being a woman without a country? Both face oppression, but is it the same kind of oppression?
My other main critique is one I want to make carefully—the prose. I’ve never read a full book with such distracting AI-generated stylistic tells. To be clear, I’m not necessarily accusing Krause-Vilmar of using digital assistance, but it often reads like a 190-page LinkedIn post. Everything happens “quietly,” and “It’s not just a ______; it’s a ________” often appears multiple times on the same page, always with the toothless non-contrast that GenAI is so prone to:
The result is that the stories and stats that should feel vital end up flattened. There’s no hierarchy to the information, and the decision to prioritize “content” over its delivery undermines the urgency of refugees’ needs and the impact of their agency. It also means that the final takeaway of “be an ally like Jessica Chastain was to Octavia Spencer” feels laughable. There are so many systemic and cultural complexities that shape refugee’s identities and experiences, and this book underserves them all.
Ultimately, We Are Called to Rise starts to feel it’s using refugee women as a case study for a broader dialogue about gender and policy, and I find that really disappointing. Better versions of those books already exist. There’s already great feminist scholarship. When refugee lives are regularly defined by discourse reducing them to political pawns, it’s disheartening to watch an author merely place them in a different game.
Thanks to NetGalley & Flatiron Books for the ARC!
When I read this book’s description, I was thrilled! I worked in refugee resettlement for years, and I was so struck by how much weight is implicitly placed on women’s shoulders. Depending on their cultural background, they are often expected to be present mothers while making money, studying language, propping up the ego of their insecure husbands, and managing misogyny refracted through two cultural lenses. It’s far too much for anybody to handle, and yet, so many women do it with intelligence and creativity and grace. There are so many stories of brilliance that go untold—stories that highlight a population in dire need of resources, access, and opportunities that honor them.
Unfortunately, Krause-Vilmar never goes very deep into the subject matter. She touches on important topics like invisible labor, the disruption of gender roles, and bonding networks, but one would be forgiven for underestimating the author’s expertise. Despite her impressive background, she writes so generally that the stories feel anecdotal and the policy recommendations feel obvious. For the first half of the book, I waffled on whether I would share it with people new to refugee issues because there’s some good stuff here, but by the end, it was clear that We Are Called to Rise is a miss for several reasons.
Rhetorically, Krause-Vilmar foregrounds too much of her personal experience, rather than just her professional experience. For example, she compares the challenges of being a working mother with the near-impossibility of making ends meet as a refugee, and it just doesn’t work. The tone is that of a self-congratulatory “girlboss.” It’s clear that she’s trying to highlight how terrible the patriarchy is, even in the “best” case scenario of relative social mobility, but it reads as privileged and disingenuous. On the one hand, it’s understandable because the author’s parents were immigrants, but I think she overestimates the commonality between being an immigrant and being a refugee. For all the coalition-building value of intersectionality, a downside is that it occasionally muddles meaningful distinctions—Is being a woman with legal status that similar to being a woman without a country? Both face oppression, but is it the same kind of oppression?
My other main critique is one I want to make carefully—the prose. I’ve never read a full book with such distracting AI-generated stylistic tells. To be clear, I’m not necessarily accusing Krause-Vilmar of using digital assistance, but it often reads like a 190-page LinkedIn post. Everything happens “quietly,” and “It’s not just a ______; it’s a ________” often appears multiple times on the same page, always with the toothless non-contrast that GenAI is so prone to:
“Doris wasn’t just practicing law; she was challenging deeply ingrained norms.”
“Harm didn’t announce itself; it crept in quietly. . .”
“. . .becoming the family’s breadwinner was not just a choice; it was a matter of survival.”
“Because here’s the truth: Working hard has never been enough for women.”
The result is that the stories and stats that should feel vital end up flattened. There’s no hierarchy to the information, and the decision to prioritize “content” over its delivery undermines the urgency of refugees’ needs and the impact of their agency. It also means that the final takeaway of “be an ally like Jessica Chastain was to Octavia Spencer” feels laughable. There are so many systemic and cultural complexities that shape refugee’s identities and experiences, and this book underserves them all.
Ultimately, We Are Called to Rise starts to feel it’s using refugee women as a case study for a broader dialogue about gender and policy, and I find that really disappointing. Better versions of those books already exist. There’s already great feminist scholarship. When refugee lives are regularly defined by discourse reducing them to political pawns, it’s disheartening to watch an author merely place them in a different game.
Thanks to NetGalley & Flatiron Books for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Audiobook Review: We Are Called to Rise: The Power of Refugee Women by Jina Krause-Vilmar
We Are Called to Rise is a powerful exploration of resilience, womanhood, displacement, and the systems that shape our ability to build secure and meaningful lives. What stayed with me most was the indomitable nature of the women Krause-Vilmar introduces us to. In so many of these stories, perseverance isn't even a choice. It is the only option. Hearing about women rebuilding their lives amid war, displacement, poverty, and deeply underserved communities is both inspiring and heartbreaking, particularly when you realize how much strength is required simply to obtain things many of us consider basic.
There is also so much here to be angry about. The book explores gender-based violence, economic inequality, the devaluation of female-dominated work, and the ways women can become trapped by circumstances that severely limit their choices. One of the most upsetting discussions for me was the idea that the value of certain types of labor can decline as those workforces become increasingly dominated by women. It is difficult to hear examples of women doing essential, exhausting work while simultaneously seeing how systematically that work can be undervalued. At the same time, the book never reduces these women to their suffering. Their resourcefulness, entrepreneurship, intelligence, and determination are central to the narrative.
I particularly appreciated the way Krause-Vilmar approaches complicated cultural issues. There are enormous cultural differences throughout the book, and she doesn't shy away from difficult subjects such as FGM/C or gender norms. What I found especially effective was her ability to discuss the consequences these practices can have for women without turning the conversation into a simplistic judgment of the culture itself. She facilitates a conversation rather than dictating a conclusion, encouraging the reader to consider how culture, power, economics, gender, and individual agency intersect. That nuance made some of the more difficult discussions considerably more meaningful.
The audiobook ultimately left me thinking less about the idea of "resilience" as an inspirational quality and more about why so many women are forced to develop such extraordinary resilience in the first place. We Are Called to Rise makes a compelling case that refugee and immigrant women shouldn't be viewed primarily as people who need saving, but as people with enormous capacity who are too often prevented from fully exercising it by the systems around them. It is an angry, compassionate, and ultimately hopeful book, and I appreciated that it allowed me to sit with complicated questions rather than offering easy answers. As an audiobook, the personal and conversational nature of the material made these stories particularly affecting, and I found myself thinking about the women and the larger issues long after I finished listening. 4.5 stars.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ALC. This is my honest and voluntary revew.
We Are Called to Rise is a powerful exploration of resilience, womanhood, displacement, and the systems that shape our ability to build secure and meaningful lives. What stayed with me most was the indomitable nature of the women Krause-Vilmar introduces us to. In so many of these stories, perseverance isn't even a choice. It is the only option. Hearing about women rebuilding their lives amid war, displacement, poverty, and deeply underserved communities is both inspiring and heartbreaking, particularly when you realize how much strength is required simply to obtain things many of us consider basic.
There is also so much here to be angry about. The book explores gender-based violence, economic inequality, the devaluation of female-dominated work, and the ways women can become trapped by circumstances that severely limit their choices. One of the most upsetting discussions for me was the idea that the value of certain types of labor can decline as those workforces become increasingly dominated by women. It is difficult to hear examples of women doing essential, exhausting work while simultaneously seeing how systematically that work can be undervalued. At the same time, the book never reduces these women to their suffering. Their resourcefulness, entrepreneurship, intelligence, and determination are central to the narrative.
I particularly appreciated the way Krause-Vilmar approaches complicated cultural issues. There are enormous cultural differences throughout the book, and she doesn't shy away from difficult subjects such as FGM/C or gender norms. What I found especially effective was her ability to discuss the consequences these practices can have for women without turning the conversation into a simplistic judgment of the culture itself. She facilitates a conversation rather than dictating a conclusion, encouraging the reader to consider how culture, power, economics, gender, and individual agency intersect. That nuance made some of the more difficult discussions considerably more meaningful.
The audiobook ultimately left me thinking less about the idea of "resilience" as an inspirational quality and more about why so many women are forced to develop such extraordinary resilience in the first place. We Are Called to Rise makes a compelling case that refugee and immigrant women shouldn't be viewed primarily as people who need saving, but as people with enormous capacity who are too often prevented from fully exercising it by the systems around them. It is an angry, compassionate, and ultimately hopeful book, and I appreciated that it allowed me to sit with complicated questions rather than offering easy answers. As an audiobook, the personal and conversational nature of the material made these stories particularly affecting, and I found myself thinking about the women and the larger issues long after I finished listening. 4.5 stars.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ALC. This is my honest and voluntary revew.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Crossing borders, languages, cultures, and what can occasionally feel to be eras within a short physical distance, “We Are Called to Rise” covers a lot of ground for a small book. It places the reader first and foremost as an observer. Prioritizes listening.It turns someone often labeled as a victim into a teacher. It is a record, journal, rather than instruction manual.
Refugee women are at the core. But the intersectional nature of the many influences requires a broader reach. It looks at the social, economical, and cultural factors pertaining to citizenship, gender, marital and parental status, age, and more. This includes the struggles of men. Just not primarily. It aims to provide a comprehensive perspective.
For example, you cannot talk about employment conditions without first showing the deficits between citizens of different genders, races, and training levels. Without mentioning things often denied to majority of people such as paid leave, insurance, or the security of unions or contracts. Employment in many countries is tied to education. You open the door to the discrimination against degrees or certification based on source, educational resources, the priority a community places on it, and the barriers to obtaining it. Child labor doesn't exist without dangers opposed to adults from sexism, racism, caste, politics, or disability.
The messages are conveyed through personal profiles of people the author has encountered. They tell their stories. Their tactics. Their resilience. Their drive. Their approaches. Instead of forcing a change based on foreign principles, the author demonstrates a solution from outside actors isn't what's necessary. What's needed is support, resources, and amplification. It's not what to do but how do allies do better? How to help others thrive. And, in turn, create success for us all.
In a lot of ways this book almost felt too short. I would have liked more on the side notes of how systems have such as aid delivery to intended targets have failed. Too often the conversation of gender apartheid is only tied to certain regions. That it's usually packaged in different terminology in order to create due urgency on the most intense situations. As someone deeply concerned with those areas, this book was a great reminder of how many echoes still exist beyond that narrow definition. I do not know if this book would have been the place to make that linguistic tie. Yet other parts of me think it may have.
An insightful read that both astounds in how much it manages to contains while leaving you hungry for more conversation.
Refugee women are at the core. But the intersectional nature of the many influences requires a broader reach. It looks at the social, economical, and cultural factors pertaining to citizenship, gender, marital and parental status, age, and more. This includes the struggles of men. Just not primarily. It aims to provide a comprehensive perspective.
For example, you cannot talk about employment conditions without first showing the deficits between citizens of different genders, races, and training levels. Without mentioning things often denied to majority of people such as paid leave, insurance, or the security of unions or contracts. Employment in many countries is tied to education. You open the door to the discrimination against degrees or certification based on source, educational resources, the priority a community places on it, and the barriers to obtaining it. Child labor doesn't exist without dangers opposed to adults from sexism, racism, caste, politics, or disability.
The messages are conveyed through personal profiles of people the author has encountered. They tell their stories. Their tactics. Their resilience. Their drive. Their approaches. Instead of forcing a change based on foreign principles, the author demonstrates a solution from outside actors isn't what's necessary. What's needed is support, resources, and amplification. It's not what to do but how do allies do better? How to help others thrive. And, in turn, create success for us all.
In a lot of ways this book almost felt too short. I would have liked more on the side notes of how systems have such as aid delivery to intended targets have failed. Too often the conversation of gender apartheid is only tied to certain regions. That it's usually packaged in different terminology in order to create due urgency on the most intense situations. As someone deeply concerned with those areas, this book was a great reminder of how many echoes still exist beyond that narrow definition. I do not know if this book would have been the place to make that linguistic tie. Yet other parts of me think it may have.
An insightful read that both astounds in how much it manages to contains while leaving you hungry for more conversation.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Genre: Nonfiction
Format: eARC
Author: Jina Krause-Vilmar
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books: A Moment of Lift Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
We Are Called to Rise is one of those books where I finished it feeling like I genuinely learned a lot, even though I didn't always love the reading experience.
Krause-Vilmar takes a deep look at refugee women, their economic power, and the barriers that can make it incredibly difficult for them to build stable lives and careers. I learned so much about the informal economy, the challenges refugee women face when trying to find work, the myth of simply “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps,” and how things like childcare, healthcare, transportation, legal employment, and access to financial resources can have a huge impact on someone's ability to succeed.
One thing I especially appreciated was that the book doesn't portray refugee women solely through the lens of hardship. It highlights their entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience, and the ways they're already contributing to their families and communities. The personal stories throughout the book also helped put the larger issues into perspective and made the research feel much more personal.
My biggest issue was that I sometimes struggled to stay engaged. The subject matter was interesting, but there were quite a few moments where I felt like the same ideas were being revisited.
That being said, I'm glad I read it. It introduced me to perspectives and issues I hadn't thought deeply enough about before, and I definitely walked away with a better understanding of the experiences and challenges faced by refugee women.
A very informative read that gave me a lot to think about, even if it wasn't always the most engaging book for me.
Format: eARC
Author: Jina Krause-Vilmar
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books: A Moment of Lift Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
We Are Called to Rise is one of those books where I finished it feeling like I genuinely learned a lot, even though I didn't always love the reading experience.
Krause-Vilmar takes a deep look at refugee women, their economic power, and the barriers that can make it incredibly difficult for them to build stable lives and careers. I learned so much about the informal economy, the challenges refugee women face when trying to find work, the myth of simply “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps,” and how things like childcare, healthcare, transportation, legal employment, and access to financial resources can have a huge impact on someone's ability to succeed.
One thing I especially appreciated was that the book doesn't portray refugee women solely through the lens of hardship. It highlights their entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience, and the ways they're already contributing to their families and communities. The personal stories throughout the book also helped put the larger issues into perspective and made the research feel much more personal.
My biggest issue was that I sometimes struggled to stay engaged. The subject matter was interesting, but there were quite a few moments where I felt like the same ideas were being revisited.
That being said, I'm glad I read it. It introduced me to perspectives and issues I hadn't thought deeply enough about before, and I definitely walked away with a better understanding of the experiences and challenges faced by refugee women.
A very informative read that gave me a lot to think about, even if it wasn't always the most engaging book for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5// This small book packs a punch! In less than 5 hours, Jina Krause-Vilmar presents a comprehensive view of the challenges refugee women face. Through a mix of stories from the women, her own personal memoir, her activism work, and research statistics, we understand the barriers against refugee women globally in terms of finding sustainable work, safety, protection, and community. This reads as more of a manifesto and you can really tell her passion in advocating for changing systems to better serve refugees. I was impressed with the global representation of women from Kenya, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, South Africa, it really is a global affair. Krause-Vilmar doesn't stop at showing how vulnerable refugee women are, but when they are provided support, assistance, community, and just welcomed more broadly by their asylum countries, they can thrive and be positive contributors to society. It's in the economic interests of countries to invest in making sure refugees are able to work in a dignified and sustainable way.
With all this said, I'm not sure if I was the right audience? Some things I knew already about immigration, racism, colonialism, etc. I appreciated the solutions, but they all felt bigger than what the average person can do. It seemed more geared towards people working in humanitarian aid organizations. Nevertheless, it was still well-done, and an enlightening and inspiring read. One of the most helpful descriptions of India's caste system that I've read. The audiobook narrator was great, although I think I would have done better reading in print and being able to annotate.
Thanks to Flatiron Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC.
With all this said, I'm not sure if I was the right audience? Some things I knew already about immigration, racism, colonialism, etc. I appreciated the solutions, but they all felt bigger than what the average person can do. It seemed more geared towards people working in humanitarian aid organizations. Nevertheless, it was still well-done, and an enlightening and inspiring read. One of the most helpful descriptions of India's caste system that I've read. The audiobook narrator was great, although I think I would have done better reading in print and being able to annotate.
Thanks to Flatiron Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a book that packs a punch. While brief, it manages to walk through the unique challenges that refugee women face, tell specific stories from refugee women and the author's own experiences, document the limited options available to refugee women, highlight the differences in support policies that exist across countries, and offer examples of localized solutions women have already created + broader policies that have worked to have an impact.
I think the key here is the emphasis on intersectionality and the multitude of ways in which refugee women find themselves without power across sex, race/ethnicity, class and language lines. The author notes that even if you think folks can and should pull themselves up by their bootstraps, that is difficult when you don't even have boots (and I'd extend that to the system actively making sure there's very little chance of you ever finding/retaining boots).
I did walk into this book thinking that the majority of it would be storytelling about the systems/networks/supports that refugee women and local communities have built for themselves + what individuals and systems could do to support refugee women. While this is definitely part of the book, there's also a lot of background on the types of problems refugee women face and the struggles with navigating a world without support. It's helpful to open your eyes to the breadth of the experiences these women have while considering how to assist in building their power and potential.
I think the key here is the emphasis on intersectionality and the multitude of ways in which refugee women find themselves without power across sex, race/ethnicity, class and language lines. The author notes that even if you think folks can and should pull themselves up by their bootstraps, that is difficult when you don't even have boots (and I'd extend that to the system actively making sure there's very little chance of you ever finding/retaining boots).
I did walk into this book thinking that the majority of it would be storytelling about the systems/networks/supports that refugee women and local communities have built for themselves + what individuals and systems could do to support refugee women. While this is definitely part of the book, there's also a lot of background on the types of problems refugee women face and the struggles with navigating a world without support. It's helpful to open your eyes to the breadth of the experiences these women have while considering how to assist in building their power and potential.
September 15, 2026
We Are Called to Rise is a powerful call to action regarding the way the world perceives and treats refugee women. Jina Krause-Vilmar recalls her own experience working with refugee women while also highlighting their strength and resilience that is so often swept under the rug. She beautifully explains that by seeing refugee women as simply “victims,” we take away their power before they have a chance to find it for themselves. This book explores the history of colonialism, the societal expectations of women, wage gaps, women being undereducated, and so many more systems in place that have led to the picture of refugee women we have today. I learned a lot about how refugee camps operate and the mistreatment of refugees inside of them. This book includes personal stories about refugee women that the author has worked with, and it brought a whole new level of humanization and understanding to the story. The author’s argument and points were well organized and kept me intrigued. There was so much valuable insight on how to be an ally and stand in solidarity with women. Overall, this was such a touching and personal story about the recognition and opportunities that refugee women rarely get but deeply deserve.
“You can’t pull yourselves up by the bootstraps if you were never given boots.”
Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillian Audio for the ALC in exchange for my review!
“You can’t pull yourselves up by the bootstraps if you were never given boots.”
Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillian Audio for the ALC in exchange for my review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As the author writes in her Introduction, “This book is about the economic power of refugee women - the power that policymakers overlook, governments fail to harness, and stereotypes erase “. By dehumanizing and victimizing women leaders can ignore a powerful group.
The author is now Executive Director of the Family and Workers Fund and draws her information from years of work across the globe especially in conflict zones. In her examination of refugee women she seeks to debunk the “bootstrapping myth” by showing how these women lead in displacement.
Told through the personal stories of the women leading and forging new directions as well as social science information, a powerful portrait is created. While the average refugee woman spends twenty years in average in displacement once she is given a chance to develop her own business, she can thrive as in the case of Aamina, an Ethiopian woman in Nairobi where a church has helped her bakery. However, the odds are so stacked against these women. They need a chance that comes without systemic barriers.
At the book’s end the author calls upon the reader to join with others to help women achieve what they are capable of.
This was a wonderful inspiring read. Perfect for all who believe we must make the better place.
My thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for granting me access to this ARC.
The author is now Executive Director of the Family and Workers Fund and draws her information from years of work across the globe especially in conflict zones. In her examination of refugee women she seeks to debunk the “bootstrapping myth” by showing how these women lead in displacement.
Told through the personal stories of the women leading and forging new directions as well as social science information, a powerful portrait is created. While the average refugee woman spends twenty years in average in displacement once she is given a chance to develop her own business, she can thrive as in the case of Aamina, an Ethiopian woman in Nairobi where a church has helped her bakery. However, the odds are so stacked against these women. They need a chance that comes without systemic barriers.
At the book’s end the author calls upon the reader to join with others to help women achieve what they are capable of.
This was a wonderful inspiring read. Perfect for all who believe we must make the better place.
My thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for granting me access to this ARC.
August 12, 2026
I’ve been trying to include more non fiction books into my reading over the last few years. This one sounded interesting, so I was excited to get an ARC copy of it. It was timely, thought provoking, and well organized. Each chapter flowed together nicely and kept me reading. I enjoyed the way the author wove her own background and life experiences together with facts and figures. The information she shared felt more tangible that way. I appreciated the author’s candor and obvious passion for her work. The honest and sincere tone of her words was so engaging. This book was perspective shifting while also resonating with me. I come from white immigrants who’ve been in America for generations. I’m lucky in a way others aren’t and as I get older I’ve become more aware of that. This book made me furious that in 2026, the system and society is still rigged against women and those deemed less than. This book felt like a battle cry in the best way, and I can’t recommend it enough. There is power and strength in numbers. When we work together to better the lives of others less off, we can all gain something. Thanks to Flatiron Books for the ARC copy of this one!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"The world mistakes women's resilience as needing less support instead of more, but the real barrier isn't women, it is the system... We devalue women's contributions emotionally, socially, and economically, but act surprised when they do not advance."
WOW. This is such a power collection of memoirs. We Are Called to Rise is a top book of 2026 for me. I believe this is a must read for everyone- a simple way to build empathy and understanding women who are not refugees will not never have.
We Are Called to Rise follows stories of women refugees all over the world and looks at their struggles, their victories, and their power. Women are already in vulnerable situations when leaving their homes (for a multitude of reasons), and then when they are barred from working legal jobs or having stable living conditions, that vulnerability increases tenfold. These women are beyond brave to share their stories, and we are all called to acknowledge these woman, protect them, and uplift them.
"Things change when people choose justice over tradition and courage over comfortability... We are called to rise and none of us rise alone."
WOW. This is such a power collection of memoirs. We Are Called to Rise is a top book of 2026 for me. I believe this is a must read for everyone- a simple way to build empathy and understanding women who are not refugees will not never have.
We Are Called to Rise follows stories of women refugees all over the world and looks at their struggles, their victories, and their power. Women are already in vulnerable situations when leaving their homes (for a multitude of reasons), and then when they are barred from working legal jobs or having stable living conditions, that vulnerability increases tenfold. These women are beyond brave to share their stories, and we are all called to acknowledge these woman, protect them, and uplift them.
"Things change when people choose justice over tradition and courage over comfortability... We are called to rise and none of us rise alone."
September 17, 2026
Due to a neighboring war, my family and I had to leave our home unexpectedly. We had a place to go and means to get there, but the whole experience opened my eyes to refugees and their stories.
I was looking forward to reading this, but very unfortunately, overall I just didn't connect to it. The author shines a light on the situations of women in a variety of situations around the world; however, the stories are disjointed, not centered on specific people or location. That hindered any emotional connection to the story. Perhaps, I was already aware of statistics surrounding women and refugees, and therefore wasn't surprised by them.
If you read Invisible Women, this book is written along the same lines, illuminating the ways women fall through the cracks and the systems that are built more to harm than to help. For example, allowing refugees to live in a country, but not giving them the right to work.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
I was looking forward to reading this, but very unfortunately, overall I just didn't connect to it. The author shines a light on the situations of women in a variety of situations around the world; however, the stories are disjointed, not centered on specific people or location. That hindered any emotional connection to the story. Perhaps, I was already aware of statistics surrounding women and refugees, and therefore wasn't surprised by them.
If you read Invisible Women, this book is written along the same lines, illuminating the ways women fall through the cracks and the systems that are built more to harm than to help. For example, allowing refugees to live in a country, but not giving them the right to work.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
July 10, 2026
We are Calles to Rise about the economic potential of refugee women and the invisible (and sometimes extremely glaring) barriers to them embracing that potential and their power. This book is rooted in the author’s background as an immigrant, but also rich with other stories and her work with refugees through the UNHCR and other organizations she partnered with. I particularly enjoyed Aamina’s story (an Ethiopian refugee in Kenya) and the author’s time and work in Eastern Ethiopia with the Somali refugees. I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia in 2016 and a lot of what the author shared reminded me of the wonderful women and girls I worked with during my service.
✨4.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books. We are Called to Rise comes out September 15, 2026.
✨4.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books. We are Called to Rise comes out September 15, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
We Are Called to Rise is told through a series of stories of refugee women who have been overlooked by their own governments and what should have been support systems.
Each chapter flowed easily from one to the other but kept with the consistent theme of resilience from these women who often had no one but to rely on but themselves.
Even though this is a relatively short read, it was poignant and in 2026, something that more people should have on their bookshelves.
We Are Called to Rise will be published September 15, 2026 and I received an advanced copy from FlatIron Books and Netgalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a very well done analysis of the situation of worldwide refugees. I appreciated how Jina Krause-Vilmar used anecdotes from her own experiences of working with this community to illustrate the realities of refugees in different situations. Her detailed discussion gave me a real understanding for an issue that has always felt too large and abstract. I also appreciated her focus on the unique challenges for women across cultures. I am so glad that Jina has written this well done work looking closely at an issue of growing importance in our world.
Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for giving me an eARC in return for my honest thoughts.
Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for giving me an eARC in return for my honest thoughts.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An absolutely phenomenal book on the plight of refugee women and their impact on the communities they work to join. While sharing the real life journeys of refugee women across the globe in areas of conflict over the past two decades, the author brings to light the powerful role these women play in not only ensuring the security of their own daughters, but all women in the coming generations. It is the small “butterfly effects” of intentional action now, that will ensure that women across the world will continue to rise up to achieve safety, equality, and prosperity in the immediate future.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a fascinating look inside the world of refugee women. Their struggles run deeper than many realize, and if they take refuge in the United States, those struggles multiply due to rampant systemic racial issues. Anyone working in, or intending to work in, law, politics, or social services should read this book. It is an eye-opening education of their plight, their fight, and how the rest of us can help make changes to help them, and the world at large, live better lives.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Women are the backbone of every society, and refugee women demonstrate extraordinary courage and resilience, often while facing tremendous challenges with far too little support.
This book brings so much of their reality to light. I hope it not only helps change perceptions but also encourages governments and communities to step up, listen, and do what is right for these women.
An important and eye-opening read.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for this ARC.
This book brings so much of their reality to light. I hope it not only helps change perceptions but also encourages governments and communities to step up, listen, and do what is right for these women.
An important and eye-opening read.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Very important book. I found the Author's expertise to be quite convincing and she did a great job of painting a realistic but also optimistic picture of the immigrant woman experience. I've already recommended this book to my book club!
September 7, 2026
thank you netgalley for the alc 🫶🏻
“you can’t pull yourself up by the boot straps if you were never given boots.”
“you can’t pull yourself up by the boot straps if you were never given boots.”
September 19, 2026
Review to come!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I didn't expect so much from such a small book. It was eye-opening; there was a lot of info, but they feel very digestible due to the author's writing style. It was easy to follow, filled with different examples of experiences. I enjoyed how she also included parts of her own story in it.
I will be adding it to my list of books to recommend to people who don't know where to start about feminism litterature.
Thank you, Netgalley and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
I will be adding it to my list of books to recommend to people who don't know where to start about feminism litterature.
Thank you, Netgalley and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
August 29, 2026
I was really frustrated with this story because I already knew the horrors that the world puts upon the woman refugee, and what I was looking for wasn't included enough. There were no suggested websites or organizations to contact in order to help these people. I wanted more information about organizations, not stories I had no way of stopping or helping. The stories just left me sad and frustrated knowing these events occur everyday and I can't help.
June 22, 2026
4.5/5 ⭐️: eye-opening exploration of the lives of refugee women through the lens of intersectionality and a child of immigrants. the author’s prose was approachable and easy to digest. great start for those new to nonfiction and/or feminist literature!
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