SAN ANTONIO – It's been more than 13 years since Zinah Alqaisi's husband was killed in Iraq during the war.
“It’s very difficult to raise two kids without their father,” Alqaisi, an artist, said.
Her husband, a director and news producer at an Iraqi TV station, was killed as he approached U.S. troops, according to reports.
Alqaisi said after her husband's death, she feared for her and her children’s safety and moved.
“I couldn’t sleep because, just imagine, my kids could be killed just like their father -- or (through a) suicide bomber. Or anyone can come to our house and kill us,” Alqaisi said.
Alqaisi moved to Turkey, where she applied as a refugee through the United Nations.
After approval, she moved with her children to the U.S., eventually calling San Antonio home. Alqaisi said she fell into a depression and her escape was painting.
Her artwork showcases cultural colors and expressions that represent the pain and love she felt in Iraq. She said she thinks about her husband and children while painting, along with her father, who was a prisoner in Iran during the Iraqi-Iran war.
Alqaisi's artwork was showcased at an event hosted by Catholic Charities of San Antonio called the "World Refugee Art Show."
“It’s an opportunity all the great talents that these refugees bring to our community of San Antonio,” said Elizabeth Ortiz, Catholic Charities' refugee services education program director.
As a local refugee artist, Alqaisi said she is grateful for the opportunities she has been given and hopes to be reunited with her father one day, who also applied for asylum through the UN.
Through her art, she wants to share her experiences with the community, as well as honor the man she thinks about every day.
“I love my husband very much. I can’t forget him,” Alqaisi said.
According to the Associated Press, Texas received over 1,000 refugees from Iraq in Fiscal Year 2018.