Religious unification for refugees

Posted on November 16, 2017 by comm5775

Story and photos by WESLEY RYAN

Rampant violence across the globe has displaced 65.6 million humans and neighboring countries are showing hesitation toward accepting them. Religious organizations have taken the opposite approach: donating time, resources and money toward the better treatment of refugees.

To address the safety concerns many Americans have, President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning people from countries that were perceived as being incredibly violent. However, the ban was found to be discriminatory toward people from Muslim-majority countries and it lacked justification for national security. Syria, Libya, Iran, Sudan, Yemen and Somalia were no longer banned, at least for a short amount of time.

The ban was not only seen as discriminatory, but also seemed unnecessary, considering what refugees have to do to be granted asylum. Refugees have to undergo various types of screenings, tests and interviews, including biometric scans and in-depth interviews about their life.

Religions have taken an opposing stance. Deciding to preach unity, they’ve opened their arms toward refugees.

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is concerned about the temporal and spiritual welfare of all of God’s children across the earth. With special concern for those who are fleeing physical violence, war and religious persecution. The church urges all people and governments to cooperate fully in seeking the best solutions to meet human needs and relieve suffering,” said the response published by the LDS church against the ban toward the Muslim dominated countries.

Last year, the LDS church donated $5 million to nine different resettlement agencies in the United States, including a partnership with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services.

The LDS church has even rearranged parts of its own budget so it can permanently donate time and resources toward refugee resettlement and a better life. Sharon Eubank, the director of LDS Charities, credited this generosity toward everyday Mormons when interviewed by the Deseret News.

“The members of the church responded so generously to the letter from the First Presidency and then the invitations at conference,” Eubank said. “We were able to probably quintuple the number of refugee relief projects we were able to do. That’s amazing. Now that won’t happen year after year, but for one year to be able to quintuple the amount of aid that we were able to give to refugees was amazing.”

Mormons are all too familiar with religious persecution, having been chased out of states like Missouri and Illinois, Mormons were forced to create a life in the middle of the desert in Utah. That place is now called Salt Lake City and is also home to 60,000 refugees.

These refugees were forced to leave their homes out of fear of being persecuted, killed or tortured. From a city built on the hope of religious freedom it’s no wonder Mormons have taken so kindly toward refugees.

“The LDS church is the main reason the state of Utah helps refugees out so much,” said Gerald Brown, refugee coordinator for the state of Utah and assistant director of the Refugee Services Office. Donating millions of dollars to refugees and encouraging its members to donate their time has greatly helped the refugee community.

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Bishop Abraham Zurita of the Whitehall Ward in West Valley City, Utah.

Abraham Zurita, a bishop in the Whitehall ward (congregation) in West Valley City, is no stranger to the problems of coming to America. As an immigrant from Mexico, he has lived through the struggles of becoming an American citizen. Preaching a coexistence between citizens and refugees he wants to bridge the gap between the two. As one of the leaders of his church he ensures that they praise kindness and equality.

“We in the congregation have all kinds of people from all kinds of cultures, backgrounds, language and sometimes we even help other beliefs too,” Zurita said. “Helping all of them is a big task. It takes a lot of resources and a lot of money.”

It’s understandable to have people not completely rely on the church, but one person or family can’t do everything themselves. In order for a new family to survive they need help comprehending what is going on around them and what they need to do. Some refugees speak little English and have to guess on where things are, can lead to trouble for both the family and the community they live in.

“Immigrant or a refugee, when you come to a country, you’re by yourself here. And the biggest problem is language,” Zurita said.

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Bishop Abraham Zurita’s tithing envelope for the Whitehall Ward.

It doesn’t matter if the refugees come alone or with a family, trying to understand a new country can be scary and overwhelming. Resources like the LDS church’s EnglishConnect help refugees develop stronger English speaking skills. Without resources that help integrate people into society the person could end up making mistakes in their daily life or even when filing important paperwork.

Zurita and his ward teach classes for refugees in case they don’t know English or enough of it. They will give refugees food if they can’t survive on their own yet. They’ll even support families if their medical bills become too costly. Zurita emphasized the fact the Mormon church can’t do everything, but he believes the church is beneficial toward the refugee community. But, Zurita is right when it comes to refugees, “It’s never enough.”

Located on 1090 S. State St. sits Calvary Baptist Church and for the past 43 years Pastor France Davis has spread his message of unity. Creating programs to help refugees find housing and transportation, Davis has continuously tried doing what he believes is right.

“We open our home. We open our church. We open our community,” Davis said as he passionately talked about sharing the differences we have with refugees.

Davis went on to explain the importance behind this, stating that these people’s religious beliefs is what kept them going for so long. Preaching in their native language allows them to share the story they’ve lived through but also demonstrates the tenacity refugees have. Whether it be Swahili or French, all are welcome, Davis said.

Being a pastor for over four decades, you start to see a lot of change happen in the country, but you also see an enormous amount of repetition. The restrictions being placed on African countries isn’t unique to Davis, considering he believes that this is the same racism we’ve had for years.

On the other hand, Zurita doesn’t believe that the restrictions being enacted are racially or religiously motivated, but, instead, out of fear. Constant attacks and repeated civil wars can start to push a narrative into the minds of everyday Americans. Fear is contagious and can be ingrained into the deepest parts of our society.

“Closing the door is not the answer,” Zurita said. “I don’t get Donald Trump. He has his motives. He acts in random ways that is hard to read. But with… I hope it’s not religiously based and [just] fear from terrorism.”

The current presidential administration has taken steps to prevent the acceptance of refugees. Understanding that there is a fear of something that the people don’t understand, it has taken steps try to stop the fear from spreading. Restricting travel from certain countries was one step it tried taking and now with the recent New York City attack Trump has requested stronger vetting. However, the administration has received a lot of backlash for what it’s tried to accomplish. From the elimination of DACA to the ban on seven countries, there have been thousands of people upset with the decision. The administration has no plans on stopping what it believes is right for the country.

Religions on the other hand, have taken a different approach. Spreading hope, they wish to send a message to the president. Preaching the message of opening up our hearts and communities to these people.

“All people have worth and value. It is not a time to threaten the world or promoting conflict within the country or out of the country,” Davis said.

Filed under: Immigrants & Refugees, Organizations, Religion | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

Refugees in Utah face poor nutrition; doctors and farmers prescribe collaborative response

Posted on November 16, 2017 by comm5775

Story and photo by DANNY O’MALLEY

A national program that provides fresh produce to refugee patients in need of nutrition has arrived in Salt Lake City. VeggieRx, also known as the Fruits and Vegetables Prescription project (FVRx), empowers doctors to prescribe wholesome nutrition in the form of fresh farmers market produce to refugees at risk of malnutrition or other health concerns like diabetes.

At St. Mark’s Family Medicine, in the Millcreek area of Salt Lake City, patients receive prescriptions for $10 toward fresh produce. They take the prescriptions just down the street to the Sunnyvale Farmers Market, to be used up to four times. The market also accepts SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which can double the amount of vegetables carried home by refugee patients. The Sunnyvale Farmers Market, an endeavor of the International Rescue Committee through its New Roots farming initiative, is open on Saturday afternoons from July to October every year.

Refugees who are newly resettled face a myriad of challenges, but nutrition and diet are often the most pressing.

Ze Min Xiao, director of the mayor’s Office of New Americans in Salt Lake County, said even the idea of a supermarket can be a challenge to newcomers. Often when a refugee arrives, “suddenly they’re buying processed food, and it’s more expensive and not as good for you. Obesity and lack of vitamins are a problem,” she said.

The transition to the American diet and food culture can be jarring for some. Many refugees struggle to find food they recognize. Familiar ingredients may grow plentifully in other regions around the world, but varieties here in Utah may be nonexistent or prohibitively expensive.

For example, according to cost of living data collected by Numbeo.com, fruit and vegetable prices are anywhere between two and 10 times greater in the United States than in Syria and Somalia. And that’s just for ubiquitous produce like apples, oranges and potatoes — anything remotely exotic is exponentially less likely to be carried by local grocers.

Because of programs like VeggieRx, farming initiatives like New Roots and medical outreach through St. Marks, the avenues to help alleviate issues of nutrition and unfamiliar culture are opening wider. The innovative practice of prescribing access to vegetables packed with nutrients is a direct result of addressing the needs of the refugee community, Xiao said. “We can identify some answers they bring as New Americans,” she added.

Similar programs are already coming to fruition all over the country. VeggieRx was started by Wholesome Wave, an organization centered on increasing accessibility to nutrition and health resources. First piloted in Maine and Massachusetts in 2010, the success on the East Coast has allowed Wholesome Wave to partner with organizations in 48 states as of this writing, as well as Washington, D.C., and the Navajo Nation in the Four Corners area.

Fiona McBride, senior communications associate for Wholesome Wave, has been with the organization since 2014. “We’re really proud of our growth and impact,” she said in a phone interview. “In 2015, we helped about 150,000 people. In 2016, we reached over 550,000.” She expects that growth trend to continue.

The benefit doesn’t stop at the limit of the prescription value either. Refugees and other low-income families are more likely to buy lots of veggies once they get a little, giving an economic boost to the farmers at the market. “We’ve seen that for every $5 in vouchers, they spend an additional $15 on fresh produce,” McBride said. “Our case workers have said that the families can’t believe what they’re getting.”

Patients in greatest need of nutrition are often children. “It’s really powerful to tackle and prevent problems with diet and health starting young,” McBride said.

St. Mark’s Family Medicine is a program with the Utah Healthcare Institute. Diane Chapman, a nurse practitioner involved with the program, said the link between diet and chronic disease can’t be emphasized enough. The majority of patients she sees are refugees. “It’s my primary professional focus and passion,” she said in a phone interview. Often, she said, clinicians have “little context” for a diet that refugee patients might be familiar with. “Dietary change can be difficult for anyone.”

The VeggieRx pilot provided the opportunity for refugee families to align their diet with food similar to that of their countries of origin, at little to no cost. The pilot ran from September to October 2017, through the end of the farmers market season. Chapman said the program goal was to enroll at least 50 patients, which was met, and now the data can be assessed by the Utah Department of Health.

According to a report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, healthcare costs related to diet are over $950 billion a year. This is especially dangerous for low-income families including refugees.

Fiona McBride said that’s what the VeggieRx program is all about — spending less on healthcare by treating preventable diseases through nutrition. “We’re really trying to show the power of produce to improve personal and environmental health. The money we save in avoiding extremely expensive health problems could transform the country,” she said.

Utah’s pilot of the program is in its infancy, so the exact impact is yet to be seen at the local level. But it has a huge pool of organizers invested in seeing it thrive. The International Rescue Committee, the Utah Department of Health, Salt Lake County and St. Mark’s Family Medicine have made good headway together. Thanks to everyone involved, refugees can eat healthy and avoid burdensome long-term healthcare costs.

Keep your eyes peeled for updates from the Utah Department of Health in early 2018.

Filed under: Food & Restaurants, Health & Fitness, Immigrants & Refugees, Medicine, Nonprofits, Organizations | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Wesley Ryan

Posted on November 15, 2017 by comm5775

MY STORIES: 

MY BLOG:

I have always tried, to the best of my ability, to stay politically and socially aware. There is only so much you can take in before news fatigue sets in; for me, it was refugees. It wasn’t because I didn’t like refugees. I just didn’t know where to start and since there was so much going on I always felt overwhelmed.

Being clueless about almost everything involving refugees, I immediately became nervous. However, I quickly took the time to research refugees: what constitutes a refugee, how to become one, the problems they face, resources they can use and the most common countries refugees come from. From there I was able to get an idea of what kind of stories I would want to write.

My problem was remaining objective when I wrote. I am an incredibly vocal person, which doesn’t really work in journalism. I would constantly have to go back and erase sentences because my opinion was showing. To cope with this I tried to insert the quotes and facts before anything else. Then I would go in and add the rest of the article to make it flow.

Being an outsider to this community, I knew I wanted to hear personal experiences. But I didn’t know who to talk to or how to go about this, especially since it’s such a personal, and at times tragic, point in their life. Thankfully, the people I found were incredibly welcoming. As a matter of fact, I was always welcomed, which made the experience more enjoyable. It didn’t change the fact I had little information going into it, but the lack of knowledge only made this type of reporting more fun. I was able to learn about things I never knew was even a problem.

ABOUT ME:

Ever since I was a child I have always been a talkative and vocal person. It didn’t matter what the subject was, I wanted to be a part of it. Hearing stories brought me an immense amount of joy, but my true love was storytelling. However, constantly being told “you talk too much” can beat down a kid’s self-esteem. To release this pent-up energy out into the world I would write and think of jokes. As I got older, I started to see the importance of words and why you should use them carefully. This desire for the truth led me to journalism. Journalism was a way for me to tell actual stories, stories affecting real people.

Being born in Los Angeles County in California, you meet a variety of people, the most notable being people in entertainment. I was regularly surrounded by entertainers, but when I graduated from Canyon High School and entered college I had to figure out a career I enjoyed and would be viable. I knew, from the people I met, entertainment would be nearly impossible to jump into, so I thought of my next favorite thing, writing.

A year after I enrolled to the California State University, Northridge, I transferred to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. Here, I was able to fully explore my love for writing. I have articles published for various companies from an advertising agency I worked for, freelance jobs I am offered, my blog and now Voices of Utah. I don’t plan on stopping this path I am going down. As a matter of fact, after I graduate in 2018 I plan on pursuing a career in writing, preferably something involving comedy or journalism.

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Educated and underemployed: refugee student seeks second degree

Posted on November 7, 2017 by comm5775

Story and photos by DEVON ALEXANDER BROWN

Over 60,000 refugees have been resettled in Utah since the 1970s. Prior to the Trump administration, Utah’s designated voluntary agency affiliates — Catholic Community Services and the International Rescue Committee — were resettling roughly 1,200 refugees a year. While agencies do what they can with the resources they have, many refugees find the adage “it’s not what you know, but who you know,” continues ringing true.

Firas, a refugee from Iraq, has personal testimony of the value of networking. He resettled in Salt Lake in March 2014 by way of the IRC, but he has an uncle whom he lived with after resettling, and who continues to offer emotional and financial support.

Firas, who asked to have his surname withheld, holds a degree in civil engineering from a university in his native Iraq, but was dismayed when he found that using his professional training in the U.S would be difficult. The IRC helped him secure an entry-level position in the customer service sector a few months after arrival, but he felt unmotivated and underutilized by the position because of a desire to continue his profession.

“They [the IRC] will explain that it’s not going to be easy to go back to your job,” Firas said. “This is the general talk about this topic … it’s not going to be easy. Because you’re going to face different stuff, regardless of the language challenge.”

But after some time in Salt Lake, and while living with his uncle, Firas stumbled upon good fortune.

“My uncle is here so we met at the mosque and fortunately I met one of the refugees who came through the same process,” Firas said. “That guy actually was part of the NAAN program [New Academic American Network] … he was asking me what was my major, what did I do in my undergrad. He told me he just finished his master’s at the university which is how I learned ‘OK you actually can go back.’”

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The UNP main office. University Neighborhood Partners was created in 2001 to empower SLC’s westside residents. Many refugees are resettled on the west side of Salt Lake.

The New American Academic Network is a partnership facilitated by University Neighborhood Partners in conjunction with the University of Utah, the University of Utah International Center and the Department of Workforce Services. Because many refugees arrive without the means and proper credentials to work in their respective fields, the goal of the program is to empower refugees and immigrants through access to higher education. In Firas’ case he is working toward a master’s degree in structural design.

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The UNP Partnership Center opened in 2004 and brings together over 30 university partnerships and 20 local nonprofits.

Although he was able to enroll at the U through the network, he was forced to initially enroll as a non-matriculated student because he did not meet university requirements. Firas, like local students attending graduate school, was required to pass the Graduate Record Examination, but because his native language isn’t English he also had to pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language exam. Although challenging, Firas passed both exams on his second attempt. He credits his time in customer service with accelerating his English fluency.

Partnerships like the New American Academic Network are essential for educated refugees looking to move beyond underemployment. The Academy of Hope, a fellow partnership facilitated through the U, offers no-cost certificates in professional management, web design and human resources management.

Claire Taylor, director of the Academy of Hope, says language, though a primary challenge, is but one of many obstacles refugees face on their path to higher education.

“A common challenge is not being able to afford the cost of certificate classes,” Taylor said in an email interview. “Another common challenge is carving out the time in their schedules to be able attend all of the classes.”

A relatively new program, the Academy of Hope saw one student enrolled in 2016, but Taylor says the 2017 Spring semester provided a cohort of students. So far seven participants have been refugees.

Thanks to the New American Academic Network, Firas is able to finish his master’s degree. Yet even with tuition assistance, he says it is not easy to support himself and complete his program and the engineering internship he is currently involved with.

“Fortunately my uncle is here and he supports me until now,” Firas said. “I was living with him at the beginning and he and his family helped me a lot. It’s difficult to have a place in a different culture, different society.”

Firas understands that case workers in the IRC are limited in their reach and ability to assist refugees on an extended individual basis. But he also thinks a more thorough and personalized approach in the early stages of resettlement would be beneficial — especially for refugees who are professionally trained.

Gerald Brown, assistant director of refugee services for the Utah Department of Workforce Services, is in agreement. He says his experience with refugees reflects a need for lengthier case management.

“Every new refugee needs case management for at least two years and I would argue for longer than that for many of them,” Brown said in a telephone interview. “It just to me makes common sense. A case manager helps a refugee kind of come up with a plan to meet their needs, to thrive in this community and then sort of follows the plan, helps them adjust over time, [and] gives them information when they need it.”

Although Firas hasn’t obtained his master’s degree yet, he is close and hopeful. And because of his personal good fortunes, Firas says he makes every effort to inform other refugees about lesser known resources that can help them get back on their professional footing.

“I’m still referring anybody who came as a refugee — who has a graduate or even non-graduate [degree],” Firas said. “Either go into community college or to the university … this is the option you have and how to go back to what you like.”

Filed under: Education, Immigrants & Refugees, Nonprofits, Utah's Economy | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Refugee programs and Utah: How effective are federal grants?

Posted on November 7, 2017 by comm5775

Story and photos by ALAYNIA WINTER

What is the largest problem refugee organizations face?

Short Answer: It’s funding.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a federally funded and state administered financial assistance program for low-income families with dependent children and pregnant women during their last three months of pregnancy. TANF provides short term financial assistance and aids recipients in finding jobs that will allow them to support themselves.

In 1996, TANF replaced older welfare programs. Today, TANF provides annual grants to all U.S. states. The funds are used to pay for benefits and services distributed by the states.

According to The Department of Workforce Services 2016 report, the majority of refugee services are federally funded through the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and the TANF program (with the exception of $200,000 provided by the State of Utah).

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The Refugee Education and Training Center for the Refugee Services Office is located at 250 W. 3900 South in Salt Lake City.

Currently, Utah’s Refugee Services Office administers approximately $4.3 million from TANF and $8.9 million from ORR for refugee services in Utah. Health services receives over $3 million and case management is allocated over $2 million. Skills and employment training and youth services respectively receive approximately $3 million.

Many critics of welfare programs speculate there are better ways to spend and distribute the federal assistance money.

The 1996 welfare reform act, known as the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act, completely changed the concept of welfare. States have control over how and where TANF money is spent.

According to The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CPBB), this money has not been used well. A 2015 fiscal study on TANF funds reported “34% of funds were going to causes not related to family and youth assistance.” The 34% of funding was labeled “other programs.”

In some instances, TANF money can go to a free and public workshop on improving marriages, or a health profession education grant for low-income students at a public high school. One doesn’t necessarily have to be financially “needy” to participate in public welfare programs such as these. The long-term societal benefits and changes can be difficult to measure; however, the money does seem to be going toward refugee programming and public programming in the “other programs” category.

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An “I Am A Refugee” banner in front of the Refugee Services Office building.

Regarding how refugee TANF money is spent, “The caseload has grown. So, the bigger the load, the more time you spend putting out fires,” said Gerald Brown, Utah state refugee coordinator and assistant director for the Refugee Services Office.

The current administration’s decision to cut funding and the looming uncertainty of the future for many refugee organizations in a time with a historically high number of refugees spurs much debate.

According to the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, the U.S. government plans to cap the number of refugees from around the world at 45,000 in FY 2018. That is the lowest level since 1980.

Refugee resettlement organizations in the U.S. are worried about this drastic reduction. This news brings an inevitable slash in budget as well. Refugee organizations had been pushing the Trump administration to set next year’s refugee cap to at least 75,000, and said this diminution would force many to close their doors or lose valuable programs.

As Utah philanthropist Pamela J. Atkinson, of the Pamela J. Atkinson Foundation said, “Refugees are people who, rather than give up or give in, have chosen to take the higher and harder road and are grateful for the generosity of strangers who reached out with a willing and helping hand.”

Filed under: Immigrants & Refugees, Nonprofits, Organizations, Politics, Utah's Economy | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Blake Hansen

Posted on November 2, 2017 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG: 

I had a lot of expectations going into this class that were shattered pretty quickly.

Included in those was my expectation of the beat when we first started researching for story topics. I’ve always been generally interested in large political topics including immigration and refugee issues.

Me6-smallHowever, I didn’t think I’d be interested enough or find enough information to make multiple stories and I was sorely mistaken. I’ve found myself very enthralled with the worldwide refugee situation and locally in Utah too. Integration for these people is a crucial issue that we haven’t found a solid system for yet and I think more stories about this topic can help move it forward.

I also realized that while I value studying journalism and having knowledge about all that it entails, I have no desire to be a journalist. This class has pushed me to the edge of my sanity on multiple occasions and while I love researching and trying to make a difference, I have learned in this class that the news system and “tightly deadlined” nature of conventional news writing is not for me. At least not the conventional kind. I hope to someday write stories and pitch documentary ideas to utilize my passion and skill in film and combine that with my learned skills and degree in journalism.

As a result of my reporting this semester, I have not only knocked a major career path off my list of possibilities, but I have also gained a greater love for telling stories visually. The class has helped me grasp those skills in a new way by forcing me to spend more time writing and learning how to use words to create a visual idea. These new skills will make me a better visual storyteller.

ABOUT ME: 

Freelance Cinematographer | Journalist | UofU Communication Journalism | Adventure Seeker

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The refugee experience: Integrating into American society

Posted on November 2, 2017 by comm5775

Story and photo by BLAKE HANSEN

Outside the Catholic Community Services building, refugees and others sit, waiting for help.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported in its “Projected Global Resettlement Needs 2017” that the number of people in need of resettlement for the calendar year will surpass 1.19 million. This number is the equivalent of the number of residents inside of Salt Lake, Davis and Weber counties. The number of refugees in desperate need of relocation equals the same number of people who reside from Draper all the way through Ogden, a distance of about 60 miles.

Many refugees who have been granted relocation to America, specifically to Utah, have a hard time integrating into a vastly different society. But with help of local organizations it is possible to successfully integrate.

The trek out of danger is only the first step for refugees, though. According to various statements made by refugees in an article by The Independent, they arrive in these safe zones. Some are injured, starved, alone, scared and all have suffered extreme loss. They settle in refugee camps where conditions are horrible.

The process to get resettled somewhere can take years, according to the UNHCR. Some people spend the rest of their lives in refugee camps because the lengthy and intense resettlement process can’t even handle the amount of people left without a country to call home. Kids who grow up in these refugee camps have little to no access to education. Doctors and lawyers who were once able to comfortably use their education and expertise to take care of their families are left building their families tin huts just to stay dry. Also, 51 percent of refugees are under 18. Many have narrowly escaped, and are without parents or siblings.

Aden Batar left Somalia with a law degree and with two of his brothers in the late 1980s. At a time when civil war took over the country, Batar and his brothers had no choice but to leave. They had to lie and disguise themselves as members of other tribes and factions just to make it past checkpoints where people were being shot and killed for trying to flee. Batar made it to Kenya alone after one of his brothers was killed for being found at a checkpoint and the other died from a sickness he got during their trek.

“Looking back, I don’t know how I did it,” he said. Batar lived in a refugee camp in Kenya and met his future wife there before finally making it to Utah in 1994. He was lucky enough to have a brother in Logan who helped with his resettlement. Batar is now the director of immigration and refugee resettlement at Catholic Community Services in Salt Lake City where refugees are helped and given the tools they need to integrate.

Atem Aleu escaped from Sudan in 1987. Similarly to Batar, Aleu also fled his country with two brothers. After a lengthy trek between multiple countries, Aleu eventually ended up in Kenya in 1992 with one brother after the other died during their trek. Aleu was 8 years old. Eventually though, after years of suffering through surviving with little food and water, none at times, Aleu made it to the U.S.

“We need to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes. Judgement happens a lot here, people think that because you’re a refugee, you’re some sort of lower person,” Aleu said. He said his organization, which he declined to name, .helps refugees locally in Utah. “Without these organizations in place there is no one to talk to and nowhere to go for help finding jobs, transportation, appropriate housing, etc.,” he said.

Integration is a difficult and lengthy process for refugees after they have already gone through so much just to get here to the U.S. The local organizations in Utah are always looking for volunteers to help in a variety of ways. Some options include mentorship and job placement. Batar also stressed the importance of overall friendly interactions to show a welcome, safe environment where refugees are able to flourish in a new place with opportunity.

 

Filed under: Immigrants & Refugees, Nonprofits, Organizations, Politics | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Blake Lancaster

Posted on November 2, 2017 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG: 

This course was rather interesting. I came in with the intentions of improving my journalism writing and writing skills as a whole, which certainly did happen, but I also explored and learned about a whole new piece of our community here in Utah.

Before I walked into the first day and heard the topic of our beat was to be refugees, I had slim to zero knowledge on refugees in Utah. This led to me being both nervous and interested in getting going with the course.

Now thanks to new reporting skills, not only have I gained an awareness of refugees within our community, but also a fascination. It was great to hear from people like Aden Batar from Catholic Community Services, Gerald Brown from the Refugee Services Office and everyone else I had the pleasure of interviewing. They were able to teach me about refugees within Utah, their journeys, show me what their organizations do for them, what us as individual members of the community can do to help and so much more.

Blake Lancaster getting his picture taken by his mom on his 21st birthday.

An interesting part of the interview process was how I in fact felt like an outsider when interviewing those who were well experienced with refugees. If I had any inside knowledge on the beat topic this semester, I feel as though the reporting would have gone smoother. Every interview, however, more or less told me that one of the hardest aspects of being a refugee is feeling like an outsider and a lack of friends in their new country. It made me want to be less of an outsider when it comes to refugees in Salt Lake City.

As a result of my reporting this semester, I feel levels ahead in regards to my journalistic skills, especially my interviewing ability. I feel like a better writer and I feel thankful I got to learn about fefugees in Salt Lake City, their integration process and about the local organizations that assist them with this process.

ABOUT ME:

Blake Lancaster, 21, is a senior at the University of Utah who currently works at a restaurant called Franck’s. He is focused on graduating in 2018 with a degree in communication (and an emphasis in strategic communications) and a minor in business minor. When he isn’t at school or work, he’s likely snowboarding in Big Cottonwood Canyon when it’s cold or playing video games with his friends and roommates at home.

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Catholic Community Services assisting Utah refugees

Posted on November 2, 2017 by comm5775

Story and photo by BLAKE LANCASTER

Over 60,000 refugees have been resettled in Utah. Integrating into a new community can prove to be just as difficult as getting there, but several organizations — and volunteers — in Salt Lake City help with resettlement.

One such organization is the Catholic Community Services of Utah, whose Refugee Resettlement Program helps individuals reach a point of self-sufficiency by providing them with necessary tools and assistance.

For over 21 years, Aden Batar has been a part of immigration and refugee resettlement at Utah’s Catholic Community Services. Batar himself is a refugee from Somalia who came to Utah with his family in 1996. That same year he got involved with the Catholic Community Services and five years later he became the director of the program.

Now Batar and his organization help refugees from around the world arriving in Utah with housing, financial aid, acquiring jobs, learning the language and much more.

Concepts that seem simple to those who have lived here their whole lives can be brand new to a refugee who has lived a completely different lifestyle in their home country.

For example, a lot of these people have never seen what we would consider everyday appliances like microwaves or refrigerators. Batar and the staff and volunteers from the Refugee Resettlement Program teach them how to adjust to a new way of life. But they can’t do it all.

One of the major obstacles these refugees face is simply learning how to interact with their new community. Batar said volunteers can help new Americans overcome this obstacle by interacting and welcoming refugees to their new home.

“Volunteering can go a long way,” Batar said, “It can teach new refugees a lot of things.”

Volunteers for the resettlement program help in the best of two worlds by assisting with the resettlement process as well as helping teach refugees how their new world works. They assist with tasks including grocery shopping, tutoring school-age refugees and teaching them the English language. The organization understands that not everyone can be a volunteer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help out in your everyday life.

“It almost feels like people are even scared to have any sort of interaction with refugees around here,” said Robert Dean, a student at Salt Lake Community College. “Locals act like refugees aren’t equal because they aren’t the exact same as the rest of us.”

Dean has a unique perspective on refugees. His mother was a counselor at the school he went to at a young age where a couple of refugee families also had their children attend. To help with these children’s integration into their new lifestyle and school, Dean’s mother helped them make friends by setting up play dates with other students including Dean and his siblings.

He’s maintained his relationships with several of these refugee students, and through them has developed friendships with other New Americans. Dean said that being introduced to refugees at age 7 made it easy to look past the kids being any different than him. He attributed this to his still budding concept of the world as he recalled a memory of his friend Emmanuel, a refugee, who had never seen video games before visiting Dean’s house.

“I can’t even imagine going on the crazy journey all these guys have,” Dean said, referencing his friends. “Making it a little easier can go a long way for them and it only takes a little from us.”

Alyssa Williams, an attorney and coordinator of Utah’s Catholic Community Services Immigration Program, said that no matter what sort of life refugees led in their home country, starting a new beginning and integrating into a brand new culture is one of the toughest parts of what refugees have to go through. It has become clear that help and personal interaction from the community add to a smooth transition to their new lives. But Williams also said that while we need to do our part as a community to help, refugees also help us.

The mural above the Catholic Community Services building by Ruby Chacon depicts the organization and the city’s ability to bridge cultural divides.

“Refugees provide a tremendous value both economically and through rich and diverse cultural experiences to our community,” Williams said. “As a community we need to make them understand the importance they bring as an addition to Utah.”

This becomes more relevant as the Trump administration focuses on allowing fewer refugees into the country.

Williams and the Catholic Community Services want those in charge see that they are politicizing this global issue and affecting lives.

Aden Batar said the month of September, which ends the organization’s fiscal year, is usually the busiest time for CCS. However, 2017 was a different story due to a drastic reduction in the number of refugees coming to the U.S.

Catholic Community Services encourages people to contact their representatives and let them know that they do not support the administration’s policies regarding refugee resettlement.

Filed under: Immigrants & Refugees, Nonprofits, Organizations | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

Katie Undesser

Posted on November 2, 2017 by comm5775

Screen Shot 2017-11-28 at 9.39.53 AMMY STORIES: 

MY BLOG:

Throughout the Fall semester, the students in Voices of Utah were to focus on the beat of refugees. Some students chose the angle of the process to become a refugee while others chose an angle such as refugee farmers. All of us had the opportunity to discover our own angle within the beat and were able to report on that angle.

Over the course of my student journalism career I discovered that although writing may be fascinating and fast-paced, it is not for me. Journalism takes zero mistakes, which means that my writing would have to be damn-near perfect. I’m not saying that one day it might not be perfect if I kept practicing, but I am saying I am choosing not to continue to practice it.

Something about me is that I am a firm believer in strengthening your strong points. Writing is not one of my strong points. With that said, one of my strong points is communicating with one another. This was the aspect of journalism that I found extremely enjoyable.

Being able to interview someone I never met before and hear what they have to say really encouraged me to want to know more. For example, after interviewing the principal of Utah International and hearing how passionate she was about all the cultures it made me excited to learn more about the school, which in the long run helped my reporting.

First, I would like to say that this class turned out to be nothing like I thought it was. When I enrolled in the class, I was under the impression that it was a discussion about the many voices of Utah and how they were expressed in such a conservative state. I did not know what a community engaged learning class was and I was not prepared to be in a journalism class. However, I think I ended up surprising myself with my writing.

The best part of this class was it required me to go outside my normal realm of thinking and my knowledge of Salt Lake City. As a result of my reporting this semester, I was able to learn about Granite School District, which helped me out even further with volunteer opportunities within the schools. I was also able to get a bigger picture of what it is I would want to do with my career, which is not journalism.

To conclude, Voices of Utah was an excellent experience for the outside world of school and how you need to act. Professor Mangun gave us multiple openings to reach out for a career path as well as set us up for success with our LinkedIn profile and Lindsey Kass.

ABOUT ME:

Katie is currently a student at the University of Utah studying strategic communication with a minor in business. She expects to graduate in May 2018.

Katie has been an active member of the Utah Alpha Pi Beta Phi Fraternity on her campus since 2014 and currently serves as the policy and standards chairman for the 2017-2018 academic school year. She was recently inaugurated into Order of Omega, which is an undergraduate inter-fraternal society recognizing mean and women who have attained a high standard of leadership.

She is the program director at The Little Gym of Salt Lake City where she takes part in training the incoming staff as well as helping the gym director in her duties.

Katie has great time management skills, is very organized and works every day on advancing her communication skills. She enjoys working in a social environment that allows her to work in a team.

Filed under: Blogs & Bios, Student-Journalists | Leave a comment »

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