Imran Fazal earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Buffalo State University and is a dedicated advocate for refugee rights and social justice. Born stateless in Myanmar and denied both citizenship and access to education, he fled alone as a teenager, traveling across six countries by boat. He spent eight years in refugee camps—including time in an Australian offshore detention center—where he taught himself how to read and write, sparking a lifelong passion for storytelling and advocacy.

After resettling in the United States in 2018, Imran began his formal education at the age of 21 and quickly distinguished himself as a leader. He served as President of Phi Theta Kappa at Truman College and as a Student Trustee for the City Colleges of Chicago, representing students across seven campuses.

As a writer and journalist, Imran uses storytelling to amplify the voices of displaced communities. He won Amnesty International’s blog competition, became a Pulitzer Center Reporting Fellow and received the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2021 Mark of Excellence Award. He has published nearly 50 articles, and his journey has been featured in The New York Times.

At Buffalo State, Imran was named an Undergraduate Research Fellow and received the 2024 Social Work Excellence Award. His research on the resettlement and educational experiences of Rohingya refugees in Buffalo was accepted for presentation at the 2025 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) and the Student Research and Creativity Conference.

Imran is the founder of the Rohingya Empowerment Community (REC), an organization dedicated to providing culturally responsive, language-accessible services for Rohingya refugees. With years of experience supporting refugee communities from diverse backgrounds, he is committed to creating a permanent, welcoming space where Rohingya families can thrive, preserve their culture, and build a future with dignity. His advocacy has taken him to Washington, DC, the Berkley Center at Georgetown University, and the United Nations Civil Society Dialogue in Italy.

A recipient of the Deborah K. Renzi Social Advocacy Award, Imran also earned the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence—the highest honor for undergraduate students. He was selected to deliver the 2025 School of Professions Commencement address. His journey reflects extraordinary resilience, the transformative power of education, and an unwavering commitment to justice.