Refugee Resettlement RI

welcomingrhodeisland: Immigrants make up roughly the same share...

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:55:00 -0400

Immigrants make up roughly the same share of the U.S. population today as they did a century ago.

Source: Census Bureau

Credit: Lam Thuy Vo / NPR

But changes in the global economy, and in U.S. immigration law, have dramatically shifted where U.S. immigrants are coming from.

A century ago, U.S. immigrants were overwhelmingly European. Today, Latin America and Asia are the big drivers of U.S. immigration, and Europe accounts for just a small fraction of the whole.

Talat Nawas, practicing medicine everywhere but home

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:53:02 -0400

Talat Nawas, practicing medicine everywhere but home :

Dispossessed and dispersed, they embodied the Palestinian plight.

haleyfood: Panith Sovann, a Cambodian-American refugee from the...

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:51:47 -0400

haleyfood:

Panith Sovann, a Cambodian-American refugee from the Khmer Rouge, will be the first Miss Cambodia to compete in an international beauty pageant since 2006.

Sovann was born in the Khao-I-Dang refugee camp in Thailand to young parents who were orphans thanks to the Khmer Rouge. Her parents escaped to the refugee camp illegally and faced death and possible deportation back to the Killing Fields many times.

Sovann is competing in 2013’s Queen of the Universe pagaent held in California. This is truely inspiring!

Read more here:

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2012082258193/Lifestyle/khmer-rouge-refugee-a-rare-miss-cambodia.html

"In Lebanon, you’ve seen refugees pouring in for more than seven, eight months. Initially, many of..."

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:50:51 -0400

“In Lebanon, you’ve seen refugees pouring in for more than seven, eight months. Initially, many of them came from border towns that border the Syrian-Lebanese border. Many of those people who left had family members. In a lot of these border towns, there’s a lot of intermarriage, and the distinction between Lebanese and Syrian isn’t as clear-cut. So, many of them who fled from areas around Homs, for example, after February, when there was the massive government attack on Homs, many of them fled and stayed with friends and relatives in Lebanon. However, the numbers are swelling. They’re really increasing. So, the U.N. refugee council has roughly 37,000 registered refugees in Lebanon, but they acknowledge that the number is actually much more. Many people have not registered yet, and there are people moving in all the time. The situation is not ideal, but it’s also not uniform. The people who came initially, as I mentioned, who were housed with family members or who were housed in shelters or abandoned schools, maybe have been relatively better off than the people who are coming now, who are having to pitch tents and being in even more precarious conditions.”

- The Economic and Human Toll of Syria’s Worsening Refugee Crisis: Democracy Now! Interview with Omar Dahi (via arielnietzsche)

Eritrea's flag-carrying runner seeks asylum in UK to flee repressive regime

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 14:04:24 -0400

Eritrea's flag-carrying runner seeks asylum in UK to flee repressive regime:

pwinteraktiv:

It was while his team-mates on Eritrea’s Olympic team were out watching the men’s marathon in the Sunday sunshine that Weynay Ghebresilasie finally decided to take the decision that has changed his life forever.

Without a goodbye, the 18-year old walked out of his quarters at the Olympic village, threw away the sim card that had been given to him by the team’s minders and embarked on the process of claiming asylum in the UK – turning his back on a life as a conscript in the army of one of the world’s most reclusive and repressive regimes…

welcomingrhodeisland: Muslims in North Smithfield ask for protection after sign vandalized This is...

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:45:59 -0400

welcomingrhodeisland:

Muslims in North Smithfield ask for protection after sign vandalized

This is very sad and shows that there is still work to do in Rhode Island to ensure that everyone is treated with respect. To get involved with Welcoming RI contact Michelle DePlante at mdeplante@iiri.org

The Providence Journal / Sandor Bodo

Imam Mufti Ikram ul Haq presides over the prayers at Masjid Al-Islam in North Smithfield during the holy month of Ramadan last year.

NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I. — Muslims at the Masjid Al-Islam on Sayles Hill Road have asked police for extra protection and help from the FBI after their sign was vandalized and half of it stolen early Sunday. Mufti Ikram ul Haq, the masjid’s imam, said that in light of other recent incidents — the shooting deaths at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin and the burning of a mosque in Missouri — members are concerned that the vandalim may be part of a larger pattern against Muslims or people perceived as Muslim. He said a surveillance video, which has since been turned over to police, shows a man smashing the sign with a hammer at 3:30 Sunday morning and driving away with a part of it in his car.

An inside peek.

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:30:00 -0400

What is it like working or volunteering in an office of refugee resettlement?

Well, that answer changes every day. Here is my perspective (an intern, sitting in a cubicle in the center of everything):

To my left, I hear French being spoken. Somewhere in front of me, a southeast Asian language, perhaps Nepali or Burmese. To my right, job counseling meetings in both fluent and broken English. There are children running around, young couples looking for work, and elderly individuals trying to make ends meet while simultaneously trying to adjust to the absolute culture shock of living in America after being in their home countries and refugee camps for many decades.

Life in this office is always changing, but one thing remains the same. Our caseworkers, staff, and volunteers are caring and passionate individuals trying to help people live their lives here in America. Every day there are new people and different tasks to do. As an intern, I help newly arrived refugees find their way around the city (Providence). I teach them how to use ATMs, navigate the public transit system, and get to important medical appointments. I do the little things that are actually incredibly important in the process of adjusting to American life.

Although our caseworkers work so hard at managing different clients’ cases, they simply don’t have the time to tour them around the city and teach them how to use buses and other things like that. This is where interns and volunteers come in. We provide that extra time and effort that really helps refugees resettle. You get to work one on one with people from all over the world, and in turn, you learn so much. It’s a truly enriching experience.

If YOU want to help out in this incredible process, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Mary Ellen Lynch, at maryellenlynch@iiri.org.

Forwarding this message to our lovely followers.

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 10:28:00 -0400

The following email has circulated around the office, and I figured that I would reach out to the Tumblr community. If you or anyone you know is from Rhode Island and is an immigrant or refugee, share your story! Just send us a message :)

I wanted to reach out to all of you because for the Welcoming RI project we are looking for local immigrants and refugees in RI.

The project involves a pair of 2 Providence College Global studies students interviewing each immigrant/refugee and producing a final story that will be displayed at IIRI along with a portrait canvas photo. The interview will most likely occurring at the beginning of October for 1-2 hours and there will be an opening reception to introduce each immigrant/refugee and their story.

We’re hoping to interview a total of 16 individuals for the project from diverse countries of origin, gender, age, geographic location in RI, and sectors (health, education, business, etc).

"In high school, a friend’s mother told me that “the government should ship back all illegal..."

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 10:15:59 -0400

“In high school, a friend’s mother told me that “the government should ship back all illegal immigrants.” Ship back — as if we were damaged furniture.”

- Coming Out: A Confession from a Harvard Student

Both were successful individuals, but thanks to the instability of the Fujimori regime, my parents lost everything. Both of them held university degrees, but as is the case with many professional immigrants, Mom and Dad saw themselves relegated to unfulfilling work once settled in America.

This reminds me of one of the waiters at the Salvadoran restaurant in Berkeley, California; he was a university professor back home but over here he’s a waiter.

(via thenoobyorker)

Caring for young and old

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 10:59:05 -0400

Displacement and refugee resettlement affects entire families, from newborn infant to oldest grandparent. The UNHCR and organizations such as IIRI work hard to service all of these people, provide the best care, and reunite families.

This first news article discusses the Early Childhood Development Center that has been started in Nepal for refugee children between the ages of 2 and 5.

“Looking at the desperate situation of many children…both in the camps and in the host community, we felt the need for a special day care facility which provides a safe and nurturing environment for these children,” said Sangita Khatiwada, Senior Protection Assistant at UNHCR’s sub-office in the eastern Nepal town of Damak.

This article tells the story of an incredibly strong 99 year old woman from Bhutan.

Unlike many elderly refugees in eastern Nepal’s camps who pass their time reading scriptures and chatting with each other, 99-year-old Bishnu Maya Bharati grabs her refugee identity card and visits the UN refugee agency’s office every now and then, asking about her resettlement case.

National Welcoming Week!

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 10:21:33 -0400

welcomingrhodeisland:

National Welcoming Week

September 15th-22nd, 2012

During the week of September 15th, 2012,Welcoming Rhode Island will join 22 other Welcoming America affiliates and partners across the country to participate in National Welcoming Week, a nationwide event that will promote meaningful connections and a spirit of unity between U.S. and foreign-born Americans by providing opportunities to learn about each other and work together for the greater good. Across the country, longtime residents and their new immigrant neighbors will join together during National Welcoming Week to take part in local community events, organized by Welcoming America’s affiliates and other national and local corporate partners, foundations, small businesses and residents of the community.

Throughout the week, Welcoming America’s affiliates will organize local activities that range from arts and culture events to joint service projects, all designed to lift up the positive messages and visibility of National Welcoming Week.

Join Welcoming Rhode Island at our events!

“My Story, Our Community” Art Exhibit

Thursday, September 20, 2012 @ 5-9pm @ Atrium Gallery

35th Rhode Island Heritage Festival

Saturday, September 22, 2012 @ 12-6pm @ Roger Williams Memorial Park

Palestine refugee girl’s story receives international award

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 10:12:09 -0400

mediterraneenne:

When Israeli bulldozers arrived to demolish her home, 14-year-old Palestine refugee Salha Hamadin called on her pet Hantush to take her somewhere far away until they finished.

Hantush, a flying lamb, took Salha on an adventure to Spain, where she met with the Barcelona football team’s Lionel Messi, who then returned with Salha to her community and promised to fix their football field. Messi then offered Salha a position on the team, but she refused, saying that she had to go home and take care of her sheep. Because her father is in jail, Salha is the only one in the family who can take care of them.

This was the basis of a story written by Salha, winner of this year’s “Hans Christian Andersen – Fairytale Bay” prize. Salha lives and studies in Wadi Abu Hindi, and is part of the Arab Jahalin Bedouin community in the Israeli-controlled Area C of the West Bank.

Expressing ideas and hopes through literature

“As soon as I read the story, I knew it would win”, said Samah Tamimi from the Italian organisation Vento Di Terra. They worked in partnership with the Tamer Institute for Community Education, a pioneering organisation established in Jerusalem to respond to the needs of Palestinians for informal education under the harsh reality of life under Israeli occupation. The two organisations delivered a series of workshops funded by the European Union, encouraging Bedouin students to discover their traditional Jahalin legends. In addition to promoting Bedouin oral traditions, the project gave the students an opportunity to express their ideas and hopes for the future through literature.

“I am proud of this achievement because it benefits my school and community”, Salha explained. “I can be creative and distinguished, and overcome challenges, just like everyone else.”

Story combines childhood fantasy with reality of displacement

Salha’s story Hantush describes the reality of life for her Bedouin community in the occupied Palestinian territory: a life filled with demolitions, displacement and neglect, but also a girl’s dream of playing sports and having a good time. The story captured the imaginations of the jury, who bestowed an honourable mention on her after reviewing approximately 1,200 submissions.

“The Bedouin community is neglected in the mainstream”, Tamimi added. “But this prize is a small way to demonstrate that with the help of the local and international community, the reality can be different. Salha and her community’s confidence have increased as a result of this prize.”

Salha agrees, and is now inspired to continue honing her craft. “I hope to continue to write about my rights, dreams, and ambitions.”

source

"Considering our history, I can think of nothing more American than an immigrant."

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:57:32 -0400

“Considering our history, I can think of nothing more American than an immigrant.”

- Conor Oberst (via lenapoo)

suzanad: Today is 17 years of being a refugee. It sucks. Today...

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 09:56:28 -0400

suzanad:

Today is 17 years of being a refugee. It sucks.

Today I am grateful for my family, parents especially for teaching me not to hate.

Today is the one day in the year when I cry real hardcore tears, with pain and all. Entire fucking day.

Today I remember. My best friend was 11 when she died together with her mom, they found them hugging. So next time you think Serbs are terrorists remember that.

Today I celebrate being alive. It’s not the life I wanted but I am making the best out of it.

Today I promise to self I will never forget where we came from. More importantly HOW we came.

Today I miss my grandparents and wish I still lived just down the street from them. I hope no one bothers them today, they moved back to Croatia few years back.

Today is just a day for you

& for me it’s the anniversary of the worst day in my life.

*pictures are not by me and I do not know the author, it shows the “kolona” this is how we traveled from Croatia to Serbia in 1995

facetsmag: One of our favorite things about the Olympics is how...

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 09:50:47 -0400

facetsmag:

One of our favorite things about the Olympics is how it brings so many diverse people together, all in hopes of achieving the same goal.

Wouldn’t it be great if more things in life were that way? We sure think so.

welcomingrhodeisland: Note that Rhode Island is listed as one...

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 09:48:05 -0400

welcomingrhodeisland:

Note that Rhode Island is listed as one of the worst states to be a highly skilled immigrant worker.

How can we change this?

thinkingrequired:

Wasted Talent

Volunteer and mentoring programs: calling all women!

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 09:49:31 -0400

Hey everyone. I found a really great non-profit organization in Chicago called GirlForward. I know it’s not directly related to the International Institute, but it’s a great program for refugees girls in the Chicago area. If anyone who follows this blog is from around there, you should check it out!

GirlForward brings refugee girls ages 14-19 together with mentors who are women ages 21-35. These mentors help them out with education, relationships, careers, and really anything that comes with being a girl growing up in America to become a strong woman. The goal is to provide girls with strong positive female role models, while helping them adjust to the culture shock of living in America and growing up.

popthirdworld: So, like, right now for example. The Haitians need to come to America. But some...

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 09:30:59 -0400

popthirdworld:

So, like, right now for example. The Haitians need to come to America. But some people are all, “What about the strain on our resources?” Well, it’s like when I had this garden party for my father’s birthday, right? I put R.S.V.P. because it was a sit-down dinner. But some people came that, like, did not R.S.V.P. I was, like, totally buggin. I had to haul ass to the kitchen, redistribute the food and squish in extra place settings. But by the end of the day it was, like, the more the merrier. And so if the government could just get to the kitchen, rearrange some things, we could certainly party with the Haitians. And in conclusion, may I please remind you, it does not say R.S.V.P. on the Statue of Liberty. Thank you very much.

- Cher Horowitz

welcomingrhodeisland: Did you know that 12.7% of Rhode Island’s...

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 08:56:06 -0400

welcomingrhodeisland:

Did you know that 12.7% of Rhode Island’s total population is foreign-born (approximately 133,458 people).

That means that roughly 1 in 8 Rhode Islanders were born in another country and bring their rich culture to our state!

Of the total foreign-born population in Rhode Island in 2009, 12.5 percent were from Africa, 16.6 percent from Asia, 23.6 percent from Europe, 43.4 percent from Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean), 3.7 percent from Northern America (Canada, Bermuda, Greenland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon), and 0.2 percent from Oceania.

beyondthecheckboxucsd: Marilyn, 2012

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 08:54:56 -0400

beyondthecheckboxucsd:

Marilyn, 2012