How one artist is using the dying SIM card to tell refugees’ stories

Artist and anthropologist Liz Hingley is helping displaced people turn cellphone photos into personal amulets shaped like SIM cards.

Every refugee has a different story to tell, yet one tiny artifact connects them all. A SIM card measures less than an inch, but it can hold an entire world. In the U.S., SIM cards are slowly being replaced with e-SIMs. Still, physical SIM cards remain crucial for refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants who need them to stay connected with family back home while navigating life in their new country. Without a SIM card, refugees cannot make phone calls, access public services, or even get directions like Google Maps. “[A sim card] gives you an identity in a new place,” says artist, photographer, and anthropologist Liz Hingley.