From camps to cities: refugees and their path to self-reliance

Posted on October 24, 2017 by comm5775

Story and photo by DEVON ALEXANDER BROWN

Many refugees resettled in the United States have survived horrors of war and persecution in their homelands. Others have endured years of scarcity in refugee camps. Utah Health and Human Rights, an organization that specializes in mental health services for refugees with severe trauma, estimates there are 17,500 survivors of trauma located throughout Utah.  For those granted asylum that trauma is not left at customs — it is carried with them as they ease into new lives. This process ultimately means finding employment and navigating an unfamiliar world, all within a goal of six months.

An individual with refugee status is very different than someone issued an immigrant visa. An immigrant voluntarily takes up residence in a new nation and has the luxury of returning home. A refugee does not have the same luxury. By federal law, anyone granted refugee status must have a “well-founded fear of persecution” based on religion, political opinion, race or social status.

Aden Batar, director of immigration and refugee resettlement for Catholic Community Services, is well aware of the distinction between refugees and immigrants. A former refugee, he fled his native Somalia due to civil war. After two weeks of hiding he traveled alone by road to neighboring Kenya. Once in Nairobi, he paid a pilot to return for his family — with money he kept secretly stitched to the inside of his trousers.

“Looking back I don’t know how I did it,” Batar said while chronicling the measures he took to secure his and his family’s safety. “Thinking about it now, it seems crazy, but it was worth it for peace and a new life.”

Batar endured challenges, but he says he was fortunate. He was a college graduate and had a brother in Logan, studying at Utah State University, who helped him and his family obtain refugee status in the early 1990s. And he managed to quickly land a manufacturing job while studying at USU himself, before relocating to Salt Lake City and joining the CCS staff in 1996.

But many new arrivals are resettled with little or no formal education. And without any ties to their new home, resettlement can be an unnerving and difficult process.

Catholic Community Services is a social services organization located at 745 E. 300 South, in the Avenues neighborhood of Salt Lake City. CCS helps resettle approximately 1,200 refugees a year (a number that is subject to change in 2018) with the primary mission of preparing arrivals for self-sufficiency within six months. Batar estimates 85 percent of the refugees CCS receives meet this goal.

IMG_5553

The Rev. Terence M. Moore initiated the refugee resettlement program in 1974.

Ali Abid, a job developer for CCS, is a refugee from Iraq. And like Batar, he is college educated — having earned a degree in computer science from a university in his homeland. He says he felt self-sufficient by his sixth month because he was proficient in English and secured a decent paying job at a call center. He also resettled alone and did not need assistance for medical conditions or disabilities, although he has struggled to further his education here in the U.S. Abid says English is one of the primary challenges for new arrivals seeking self-sufficiency, but not knowing what’s available in the community is an equally ongoing struggle.

“Let’s say you come [to America], you speak English very well, but you don’t know where to go, how to start, what’s the best option for you,” Abid said while sitting behind a desk in his sun-filled office. “Types of resources like the libraries we have and online education … they might not be all that familiar or popular in some countries, [but] there are many benefits provided from visiting the library and having a membership with libraries and many refugees don’t know about this.”

All refugees are met by agencies like CCS, which places new arrivals in fully furnished housing. They also receive counseling, medical care, a monthly stipend and are advised on different aspects of employment. But caseworkers are often overloaded and limited in how they can aid new arrivals. And after three months of assistance, refugees are expected to pay back the cost of their travel and begin paying their own rent. Abid says it takes around two months for new arrivals to get the documents they need to begin applying for jobs and when they are finally placed with employment, the jobs are generally entry-level.

Most refugees are not college graduates or proficient English speakers. Many are unable to read and write in their native language. And there isn’t a standard definition of what self-sufficiency is. Regardless of the disparities among new arrivals, they’re held to the same timetable. Gerald Brown, director of refugee services for the Utah Department of Workforce Services, strongly believes the rate of achieving self-sufficiency is dependent on background.

“It depends on what community you’re from,” Brown said in a telephone interview. “Iraqis as a group are the most educated and westernized refugee group and speak English better so they should do better faster than any other group.”

It is unclear what it means for a refugee to be self-sufficient, but Brown says he thinks it means having a job and being able to pay the rent — and it comes in stages. For a family, self-sufficiency might mean being able to “negotiate important systems” like their children’s school enrollment and healthcare programs. Brown says that some refugees can do this very quickly, but others can take five years or longer.

Despite the obstacles refugees face, Ali Abid believes Salt Lake City is ideal for resettlement because of resources like the Refugee Training Center — which provides educational courses and job seeking services — and programs offered by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He says this makes self-sufficiency easier to attain and always encourages new arrivals to get a degree or certification.

“It’s better for their future and getting better jobs and better opportunities,” Abid said. “Even if you decide to move, to live in a different state … you maybe can get a better job and will have some skills instead of starting at ground zero.”

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

Hayden S. Mitchell

Posted on October 24, 2017 by comm5775

MY STORIES: 

MY BLOG: 

As I began my beat I didn’t know what to expect. I had written fictional stories, news articles and essays in the past, but I had done nothing like beat reporting. So, when I started out I promised myself a couple of things to ensure I reported well. Firstly, I made sure to give a serious effort in every aspect of this class, Voices of Utah. This included researching the topics I was reporting on, developing sources and writing detailed as well as informative stories.

Since our beat was focused on the refugee crisis, specifically in Utah, I gathered as much information as possible, understanding that this would be beneficial to my reporting. I searched through news clippings, online articles and talked to people involved with refugees. No information I collected was more important than the notes I obtained when Aden Batar, the immigration and refugee resettlement director at Catholic Community Services, visited our class. After listening to him talk about his journey to Utah and the struggles he went through, I had a newfound investment in the beat. I felt like there was real reporting to be done on the topic of refugees.

After Batar spoke to us, I decided to continue my reporting by contacting Batar outside of class to find out more information relating to our beat. He helped me understand what people go when they flee from their homes and are forced to search for a new home. Batar shed light on an issue I had very little knowledge of, giving me a new perspective to look through for our beat. This new information I was learning about rarely appeared in the national news because it wouldn’t generate buzz, but this is absolutely something that should be reported on. We could see serious benefits if more people paid attention to the smaller yet important issues.

The issue or topic of refugees is typically used in political discourse, which can create positive and negative feelings on the subject. Some people think that refugees need our help while some think it is not our responsibility. While covering this beat I didn’t look at it through that lens. I looked at it like an assignment. I had no bias or ethical issues going into this beat. All I wanted was to see what was really going on and report my findings. During my reporting I did not find it difficult to remain objective. I understood that in journalism, especially in beat reporting, it is important to present only the facts without any editorializing. This helps the reader understand the real story.

As a result of my reporting this semester, I developed a real understanding of what the profession of journalism looks and feels like. Reporting takes some real effort in order to achieve success. I believe I improved as the year went on. However, I understand that there will always be room to improve my writing and my craft.

ABOUT ME:

biopichsmI am currently 22 and a fifth-year senior at the University of Utah. I plan on graduating in May 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in communication with an emphasis in strategic communication. When I first started my college career I had no interest in the communication department. I was going to be a business major. That goal quickly changed after I struggled my way though a couple of accounting classes. Those were brutal. I did realize a couple of things after making my way through the majority of the business school requirement. Firstly, I will not make it through life if math is involved in any aspect and second I enjoy writing.

Understanding that I like writing I decided to switch my major to communication. There was a real difference in the effort I gave and the focus I had. I was actually learning about subjects I found interesting as well as writing a lot more. Writing was the only subject I ever liked during elementary school and high school. My grades were usually always good.

This year I took classes that focused on journalism, specifically beat reporting. I realized that I do not enjoy that type of writing. I prefer writing a story or essay where I can put my personality into it. In journalism it is important to present the facts when writing. There is no room for editorializing but that is not what this style of writing calls for. I think I am much more proficient when I decide what and when I am writing.

I will  continue to work hard improving myself and my writing. Hard work will hopefully lead to success in whatever I put my mind to.

 

 

 

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

Community remains in the heart of Salt Lake City refugees

Posted on October 24, 2017 by comm5775

Story and photo by HAYDEN S. MITCHELL

All over the world refugees are fleeing their homes from violence, oppression and fear. These families are all looking for a new place to live where they can feel safe. In 2016, Utah became home to a little over 1,200 refugees from multiple countries: Iraq, Iran, the Congo, Somalia and Sudan. The New Americans are experiencing the shock and awe of a new country and culture, places that are vastly different than anything they had ever seen before, according to a PBS story.

When first coming to Utah, refugees have a variety of feelings and emotions ranging from exhilaration to fear. Two individuals, Aden Batar and Romeil Analjok, who have resettled in Utah, discussed how similar their experiences were. They were introduced to a different language, new environments, foreign foods and smells. Add to that, they said the residents of Salt Lake City dressed and acted differently than they had seen before in their home countries. This can create an overwhelming burden for any refugee.

555555555

Romeil Analjok, holding a trophy his daughter won playing basketball. Sports helped the family feel like a part of the community.

“It’s America man, of course it is going to be crazy. I did not know what to expect when my family first came here,” said Romeil Analjok, a refugee from Sudan, who created a new home for himself and his family in Utah in 2004. “Language was the biggest problem along with not knowing anybody … so I enrolled in school hoping to learn English and meet new people.”

While at school, Analjok met a couple of people whom he remains friends with today. He was grateful that they interacted with him during his first few days in class. He did not know how they would talk to him or act around him, but they treated him like everyone else, with respect. Analjok appreciated how quickly he made friends. It made the transition from Sudan to Utah easy and encouraged him that he could create a home for his family and be a part of a community once again.

“Romiel’s story is common for many [who are] moving their families,” said Francis Mannion, a priest who has seen an increase in refugee parishioners within his parish. They need somewhere to start.

For this reason, there are organizations like the International Rescue Committee or Catholic Community Services that will help new arrivals. These groups are in place to assist with the transition and make an adjustment easier for refugees coming to the United States.

In addition to established organizations, becoming part of an open and caring community is vital to helping families transition into a new community. Community allows refugees to make new friends, participate in all sorts of activities, or even worship together. Mannion made it clear that faith is not the predominant force that makes it easier for those going through the refugee process — it is community. A community can hold people up when they struggle the most.

“Every week in Sudan, we gathered with our friends and family, just celebrating everything good we had in life,” Analjok said. “I was happy to be a part of something every week … it gave me something to look forward to.”

Analjok said he felt out of sorts until he found a stable, welcoming community. He treasures it. In his community were fellow refugees from the Sudan who generously donated their time to helping him find friends and a new church, Saint Patrick’s, located at 1058 W. 400 South in Salt Lake City. Becoming involved with this church allowed Analjok some networking in the business world, eventually leading to a new job opportunity.

He said finding a new community can be a lifesaver for refugees. Without this connection, families and individuals can sometimes feel like they are on their own. Typically the countries that these refugees are coming from have a strong sense of community. They must rely on each other significantly to survive, eat and exist. This is why it can be such a challenge for refugees in America because it is solely their responsibility to provide for themselves and their families.

“Having a strong, loyal community around you will always make everything easier in life,” said Mannion, pastor at St. Vincent de Paul. “As refugee families come to church through the years, you can see the change happen. They start off nervous and still, and gradually became an active member of the community.”

Aden Batar, immigration and refugee resettlement director with Catholic Community Services, said refugees can have a hard time adjusting because they are coming from a life we have very little knowledge of. Life in countries like Iran, Sudan and Somalia is not easy. Batar, a refugee from Somalia who now helps other refugees in the resettlement process, said it is a real struggle every day for people living there to provide for their families and keep them safe. He said families are forced to flee because they are being oppressed or they fear potential threat and violence. Batar added that most people never anticipate leaving their home and are not prepared when it happens.

Such disruption can negatively impact people and even cause Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in many individuals, Batar said.

Analjok said, “When we came to Utah we were welcomed by a lot of refugees who came here before us.”  He reiterated the importance of community to his family’s resettlement. “They made me very comfortable and treated me well. It was also nice to see them all doing well,” he said. “It gave me hope for me and my family.”

Filed under: Health & Fitness, Immigrants & Refugees, Mental Health, Religion | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

Jace Barraclough

Posted on October 24, 2017 by comm5775

MY STORIES: 

089MY BLOG:

At the beginning of the semester the topic for my enterprise story haunted me as I was unsure of what to write about. I was also unfamiliar with much of the crisis surrounding refugees. The only real exposure I had was a documentary I had volunteered to usher at Sundance Film Festival last year, as well as the van-loads of refugees who would come to the employment agency where I previously worked. Unfortunately, I was prohibited from asking any questions or learn about the hardships of those people because I had to keep our conversations to professional standard and avoid personal questions.

The idea of social media refugee fundraising came to me as I saw ads from refugee charities on my newsfeed on Facebook. They were mostly by United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) with a link that took you directly to a page that let you donate quickly and easily. I thought it was genius.

I started to search for refugee charities utilizing social media for fundraising and found a video of a feature story by KSL. It was about a woman and her family who gave up their own Christmas presents to donate to a Syrian refugee family through a website called Humanwire. I immediately began digging into the site to learn how it worked.

The premise of the website was that a donor could look through profiles of refugee families and essentially take that family under their wing. Depending on the amount donated would determine how much contact you have with them.  Smaller donations merited updates on their situation. Larger donations gave you the option of having live-streamed conversations with them to encourage a better relationship.

I interviewed three donors and got a statement from one of the co-founders within a short amount of time. One of those interviews was same woman who was featured on KSL’s story previously mentioned. Everything seemed wonderful. Only one of the three had mentioned any mishaps with the company, but nothing compelling enough to make me think the company might be fraudulent.

The night before the first draft was due I received a message from one of the women I interviewed. She told me she was tipped off by the other co-founder of the company who had recently quit, that they were being investigated for fraud. I had to completely rethink the angle of the story. It went from something positive and motivational to investigative and cautionary for those thinking of donating.

It was a whirlwind of an experience. However, I learned a great deal in a matter of minutes upon receiving that message. I learned the importance of flexibility after learning how quickly a story can change. I figured I had two options: I could take the easy road and continue with the story I had, or I could do what any good journalist would do — write the story the people need requiring a significant amount of more work. I chose the more difficult course of action.

Something I learned while researching the company is how common it is for fraudulent companies to claim legitimacy and charity as a means steal people’s money. On almost every website whether government or otherwise, experts caution people to make sure to do research on any charity claiming to be the real deal. Advisories such as these come when enough cases have been reported to deem it necessary to caution people.

I feel my work was necessary because people need to be warned of the white-collar crime happening by thieves posing as philanthropists. Unfortunately, in cases dealing with the financial side of white-collar crime, there must be a case built against the suspect before accusations can be made. This includes the investigation of expenditure reports, bank account activity, financial reports, etc. This is an extensive process that can take a lot of time.

In the case of Andrew Baron of Humanwire, more than $100,000 of charitable donations had been taken before they were able to arrest him. The money he took was raised by generous people who sacrificed their time, talents, and even Christmas presents for their families. It’s highly unlikely that money will ever be repaid.

With this semester focusing on refugees, it has opened my eyes to the necessity of our assistance in helping them. My church has made it very clear that we need to be looking for opportunities to serve these people. I believe my stories will be contributing pieces of the puzzle to bring awareness and a call to action to aid them in whatever capacity we can.

ABOUT ME:

I was born and raised near Salt Lake City, Utah. I’m a senior at the University of Utah majoring in journalism. I have worked in various areas in media industry, including radio, photography, TV, film and writing. I recently co-directed a documentary that won awards at four different film festivals. I currently work as a studio technician at KSTU Fox 13.

Filed under: Blogs & Bios, Student-Journalists | 3 Comments »

Anna Stump

Posted on October 24, 2017 by comm5775

MY STORIES: 

MY BLOG:

When I found out I was going to cover the refugee community in Utah for my beat this semester, I was both excited and equally nervous. I signed up for this class without prior experience in writing news stories and had a limited understanding of how to conduct a proper interview.

I have always been interested in cultures other than my own. Despite our differences, I believe the human experience is a shared one, so I was eager to learn about a group of individuals that I knew very little about. The people I interviewed were all unique and held vastly different roles in the refugee community, some of whom were refugees themselves. Interviewing such a diverse community allowed me to gain an expansive perspective of those affected by war and famine and individuals who are working together to help people in need.

Most of what I struggled with was not knowing how much narrative content to share while still keeping the story “newsworthy”. I learned a great deal that I was unable to communicate with my readers, which felt like sacrificing my personal voice. While I did all that was required of me, I was not able to portray the look on the Somalian woman’s face when she told me she hasn’t seen her husband in 7 years. My writing is the best that it has ever been, though I don’t think I fully shined a light onto the emotions portrayed by those I interviewed.

I realize now that I have a skill in connecting with people from all walks of life. As much as I have enjoyed this class, I don’t believe that my avenue of sharing stories is in news writing. I’m not sure what my future career will be, but I am eager to see where my passions lead me.

ABOUT ME: 

Hello all, my name is Anna Stump. I am a senior at the University of Utah studying communication with an emphasis in journalism, as well as a minor in parks, recreation and tourism. I will be graduating in the Spring of 2018, and have high hopes for my future as a communicator.

BIO VOU

My passions lie in the outdoors, where I spend almost all of my free time. I enjoy climbing, skiing, paragliding, rafting, mountain biking, campfires with strangers etc. etc. If it pushes my limits and puts me outside, I’m all over it.

I was born and raised in the suburbs of Alpharetta Georgia, where I spent 18 years of my life. I was later accepted to the University of Utah, and made the spontaneous decision to pack my bags and fly across the country in pursuit of mountainous adventure. I am currently a competitive rock climber and love every moment of being gripped on rock. I am also working as a sales rep for Red Bull, planning events and spreading my wings as a communicator in the adventure industry.

My hopes for the future run far and wide. I don’t exactly know what it is I will be doing once I graduate, which is both liberating and terrifying. I would like to explore my potential as a writer in the context of adventure travel or documentary filming. Above all else, I love new experiences and the abundance of learning through travel.

 

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

Refugee mother of seven longs to see husband and sons again

Posted on October 24, 2017 by comm5775

Mother flees Somalia after men in family are kidnapped, relocates to Salt Lake City with her five daughters.

Story and photos by ANNA STUMP

Halimo Ismail was living with her husband and seven children in Somalia when their lives unraveled. One night, Halimo woke to discover that her two sons and husband were missing. She quickly realized that they had been kidnapped, but had no idea by whom or whether they were still alive.

Halimo and her five daughters fled to Egypt in 2011, where they spent the next five years in a small apartment just in view of the pyramids. Her youngest daughter, Asmaa, was just shy of 6 years old. The other daughters were ages 7, 8, and 9.

In February 2017, Halimo Ismail and her daughters resettled in Salt Lake City.

100kb - Voices of Utah-2

A family who lives in the same complex as Halimo Ismail and her family decorates for Halloween.

Asmaa, now 12, sits beside her mom in a two-bedroom townhome in South Salt Lake City, where the smell of incense fills the room with a musky aroma. She agreed to help translate for her mother, who speaks Somali and Pashto but is not yet conversant in English. Communication seems to be a problem outside of the interview, where Halimo finds herself too timid to converse beyond the small Muslim community she is a part of. Young Asmaa translates her mother’s responses to a reporter’s questions in her own words.

“My mom says sometimes she feels people are better than her because they can talk together,” she said.

Asmaa is comfortable communicating due to her inclusive public schooling and speaks in short and well thought out sentences. She is now attending middle school, and has a group of friends who teach her customs that did not exist in Somalia or Egypt. Her middle school offers a variety of extracurricular activities that she takes part in, her favorite being basketball.

“I guess I’m pretty good. I don’t know,” she said with a bashful grin as she gazed down at her feet.

She said her elementary school in Egypt offered no games for the children to play. “It was not as good, the schools. The schools here are better.” Asmaa added that she and her sisters feel welcome in Utah, despite their cultural differences.

100kb - Voices of Utah-10

Children play on a fence in the complex where Halimo Ismail and her daughters live.

The same is not true for her mother, however, who mostly interacts with those who speak in her native tongue. There is a small Muslim population in Salt Lake City, and they support one another like family. It is a tight-knit community and holidays are often spent together. During the last day of Ramadhan, on the holiday known as “Eid al-Fitr,” all of the men get dressed up and the community gathers for dinner. Halimo misses her husband and sons deeply, but still enjoys the sense of unity that surrounds her during religious gatherings.

Gerald Brown, the state refugee coordinator and assistant director of the Refugee Services Office, says it is important for those within the mainstream to become friends with refugees like Halimo, who struggle with seclusion after a long journey through the refugee resettlement process. “I know people who have been here for 12 years and don’t have any American friends,” Brown says.

Volunteers can have a positive impact on the lives of refugees. The Refugee Services Office offers a Refugee Family Mentor Program that helps “guide refugee families in areas such as education, health care, [and] accessing local services and resources.” Brown understands the impact of this program from firsthand experience.

“And even if the refugees can’t speak any English, just having somebody across the table who smiles at them from the mainstream is real important,” Brown says.

His wish for Salt Lake City is for more people to become involved in the lives of refugees through volunteer programs. “To get integration, though, you’ve got to have mainstream [people] getting to know [and] befriending, refugees. Which is why our volunteer program is probably the most important thing that we do,” Brown says.

Nine volunteer agencies operate throughout the country, each of which have affiliates across the US. One organization is the Catholic Community Services. Adan Batar, the director of immigration and refugee resettlement for CCS, says women who are at risk are a priority for Utah.

“Every year, I fill what we call a capacity survey, so I tell them what type of cases I can take — what language, what religion, the mix of the cases,” he said. Utah seeks to take in single mothers with children who are escaping violence, like Halimo and her daughters.

As for Halimo, however, her heart is set on reconnecting with her husband and two sons. She is less interested in becoming an integrated part of Utah culture, and more determined to reunite her family. After five years of uncertainty, she received news upon her arrival in Utah that her husband and sons are alive and currently living in Belgium.

When asked if she believes if her family will be whole again, Halimo Ismail responds in Arabic.

“Insh’Allah.” God willing.

 

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source Citations:

 

“Get Involved.” Get Involved | Salt Lake City – The Official City Government Website, http://www.slcgov.com/get-involved.

 

“Home.” Catholic Community Services of Utah, http://www.ccsutah.org/.

 

Saber, Latifa. “6 Words Everyone Should Know: Muslim Slang 101.” Mvslim, 24 Apr. 2017, mvslim.com/6-words-everyone-should-know-muslim-slang-101/.

 

Filed under: Education, Immigrants & Refugees, Organizations, Religion | 1 Comment »

Emily Anderson

Posted on October 24, 2017 by comm5775

MY STORIES: 

MY BLOG: 

It took me months to apply for my first writing job because I was intimidated. I was afraid that I didn’t have anything to offer — I was scared of what others would think of my writing. Then, I realized, journalism isn’t about the writer. It’s about the story and the people within it. Writing on this beat reaffirmed that idea.

When discussing issues surrounding refugees, it’s easy to get stuck on numbers. When reporting on refugees, however, it’s critical to amplify refugees’ voices and experiences. For numerous reasons, refugees are frequently marginalized and left out of conversations that involve their suffering and well-being. As journalists, we are obligated to seek out stories that are swept under the rug. There is value in telling the stories that are hard to tell, uncovering injustices and writing about how they affect those who have been wronged.

Although refugees’ experiences can be impactful and emotional, it’s important for reporters to step back and let them tell their own story. All writers approach stories with some degree of bias. This must be balanced by interviewing a breadth of sources and truly listening. Just because journalists are telling others’ stories, however, doesn’t mean they don’t have a responsibility to fact-check those stories. There are multiple sides to every conflict. Solid reporting captures all of those sides.

As I worked on this beat, I reconnected with what originally pushed me to pursue journalism. I rediscovered my love for learning, human connection and storytelling. I remembered what it’s like to lose yourself in a character and unwrapping their story.

ABOUT ME: 

Emily Anderson-2600Emily is an honors student studying journalism and the Middle East at the University of Utah. She spent summer 2016 taking classes in Arabic and politics at Princess Sumaya University for Technology in Amman, Jordan. Emily is on the editorial board for the Hinckley Journal of Politics and is the news editor at the Daily Utah Chronicle. Since 2015, she has covered stories from nearly every beat at the Chronicle. Emily enjoys going to punk shows in her free time, which has led her to be a contributor at SLUG Magazine and do freelance writing for Maximum Rocknroll. In 2016, Emily was selected as the Robert Avery Communication Scholar, which allowed her to intern with RadioWest and KUER News at Utah’s NPR affiliate station. Emily was the summer 2017 government and politics desk intern at The Salt Lake Tribune, where she wrote the Political Cornflakes newsletter and a number of stories on the beat. She hopes to eventually be a foreign correspondent based in the Middle East.

Filed under: Student-Journalists | Leave a comment »

Refugee Justice League, SLCPD work to help refugees feel comfortable with justice system

Posted on October 24, 2017 by comm5775

Story and photos by EMILY ANDERSON

When then 17-year-old Abdullahi “Abdi” Mohamed was shot by police in downtown Salt Lake City in 2016, a wave of shock washed over the community.

According to reports from The Salt Lake Tribune, police said Mohamed was involved in an altercation and armed with a metal broomstick. When police ordered him to drop the weapon, Mohamed appeared to attempt to hit the man he was fighting, so officers fired at him. Mohamed’s family later disputed these claims.

Hundreds mobilized in support of the Somali refugee and rallied against police brutality toward people of color. Meanwhile, many refugees living in the Salt Lake Valley were paralyzed with terror.

“Anytime there is a publicized law enforcement-refugee conflict, it reinforces the fear [of law enforcement],” said Brad Parker, one of the founders of the Refugee Justice League, in a telephone interview.

IMG_7098s

Abdi Mohamed was shot by Salt Lake City Police at 200 S. Rio Grande St.

Refugees frequently have negative memories of police in their home countries, according to Natalie El-Deiry, the deputy director of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) — one of the agencies that resettles refugees in Salt Lake City. Along with the military, law enforcement is commonly used to silence those who speak out against an oppressive government.

“One thing that is often the case with people who have fled persecution from another country is that they often didn’t have the protection of law enforcement when they fled,” El-Deiry said in a telephone interview. “So when people first arrive, there is definitely a skepticism or uncertainty around whether law enforcement is really there to protect you.”

Police officers frequently participate in behaviors considered war crimes by international organizations like Human Rights Watch. For example, Kenyan police officers repeatedly target Somali refugees with rape, arbitrary arrests and unlawful deportations.

Jodi Larson-Farrow of the Boise Agency for New Americans, which helps resettle refugees in Boise, Idaho, has interviewed recent refugees about their feelings toward police. Her research was included in a report on law enforcement relations with refugees released by the Police Executive Research Forum in May 2017. The words and phrases refugees most commonly associate with police, she found, are “fear, rapist, power, corruption, intimidation, no trust, they will beat you, they will take your life and run from them.”

“In addition to the language and cultural barriers that separate refugees and police in many U.S. localities, there is a deeper source of distrust that can hamper engagement from the outset,” read the report. “To fully understand the barriers that may stand in the way of building trust, U.S. police must be educated about the historical experiences of refugee communities with their native police forces.”

Refugees’ understanding of the U.S. justice system also tends to be influenced by the way criminal cases are handled in their country of origin. The Police Executive Research Forum’s report said that refugees’ home countries generally convict people of crimes more quickly than in the U.S. These experiences, the forum believes, led to confusion after Abdi Mohamed was shot.

“The Salt Lake City Police Department [SLCPD] discovered in the aftermath of a police-involved shooting of a refugee that members of the refugee community assumed there would be no consequences for the officer, simply because the investigation was still pending and they had not been aware of the process,” the report said. “As a result of this incident, the department recognized the need to expand their educational efforts to avoid confusion surrounding such issues in the future.”

After Abdi Mohamed was shot, SLCPD held town halls to assuage the fears of the refugee community and hosted Citizens Academy, which allows refugees and other Salt Lake City residents to learn how the department functions. SLCPD also has a refugee liaison, Detective Robert Ungricht, who attends community events in an effort to get to know refugees.

Ungricht said in a telephone interview that the department is working to bring refugees onto the force, but are running into problems because many refugees aren’t citizens. This is an issue that the Utah State Legislature, or even Congress, he said, would have to address.

“We’re trying our hardest,” Ungricht said. “We get told a lot that the refugee community sees that we’re really doing a lot more than some agencies. I’m happy to hear that they’re happy that we’re trying to fight for them and fight for their rights and give them these opportunities.”

The Salt Lake City Public Safety Building houses the Salt Lake City Police Department’s refugee liaison and Citizens Academy.

SLCPD attends orientation sessions given by the International Rescue Committee for newly-arrived refugees. Natalie El-Deiry said the police department has become an advocate for refugees who are feeling unsafe in the community.

“There’s always room for improvement, but I think [SLCPD] is doing a really great job,” El-Deiry said.

However, Brad Parker feels refugees in the Salt Lake Valley still struggle to rely on law enforcement. His group, the Refugee Justice League — a coalition of lawyers formed to defend refugees’ rights — is now trying to bridge that gap.

“The Salt Lake City Police Department has done a great job in an outreach effort to build trust with refugees,” Parker said. “The fear is just deep-seated enough that it hasn’t completely worked.”

The league was formed after President Donald Trump was elected, as some refugees faced harassment and were concerned about the prospect of Trump following through with threats to build a Muslim registry. Attorneys who have since joined the organization wanted to help represent refugees who feel they are being discriminated against or are in trouble. All lawyers working with the league do so pro bono.

If a refugee is at the police station, Parker said, an attorney will go meet with the refugee. The attorney will communicate that everything the refugee says is confidential and that the attorney’s priority is to help. If the refugee has been accused of a crime, the Refugee Justice League will then secure a criminal attorney. If needed, the representative will help the refugee communicate with police.

“In those cases, it’s a win-win. It’s a win for refugees, and it’s a win for law enforcement,” Parker said.

To help refugees navigate encounters with the police, the Refugee Justice League has distributed personalized cards. Each card includes the refugee’s name, photo and preferred language. It says that the cardholder is represented by an attorney from the Refugee Justice League and gives the refugee instructions on how to comply with law enforcement while protecting the person’s rights.

“We did the cards to help the refugees become more fully-engaged participants in the legal system,” Parker said. “It gives us the chance, as we assist them, to model appropriate behavior when you’re dealing with police — that is a polite, cooperative behavior in many instances.”

In order to receive the card, refugees must complete a training that instructs them on when it is appropriate to show it. The Refugee Justice League tells them not to use the cards in incidents like traffic stops or domestic disputes. Refugees are also taught how they are expected to react to police.

Parker said the organization had three goals in creating the cards — to protect refugees’ rights, to reduce fear and build trust and to enhance communication between refugees and law enforcement. Because refugees are often not yet citizens, giving police a false statement out of fear or not following instructions can result in a withdrawal of their refugee status and deportation.

“A lot of times if refugees are questioned by the police, they just clam up,” Parker said. “Sometimes they’ll pretend that they don’t understand the language — and sometimes they don’t. They’re worried that they might get in trouble for something they say, so they say nothing.”

When the card was first proposed, Ungricht worried that the cards would destroy the trust SLCPD has worked to develop with refugees.

“I was like, ‘That’s going to create some major tension,’” Ungricht said. “It’s going to knock down a lot of bridges that we’ve built in the [refugee] community.”

Since the league announced the program, they have worked with numerous groups including SLCPD, the International Rescue Committee and the American Civil Liberties Union to make changes to the card. El-Deiry said that through these conversations, the cards can accommodate all parties.

“I think that there is potential for [the cards] to be helpful,” said El-Deiry. “I think that there are some concerns around the Justice League actually working with law enforcement themselves to make sure that there is a unified voice around that, and those are some discussions that we’ve had and they’re ongoing.”

The Refugee Justice League believes that through the combined effort of SLCPD and attorneys, refugees will feel safer in the Salt Lake Valley. As a result, the league hopes refugees will be more cooperative and further integrated into the justice system and society.

But first, Parker said, law enforcement must continue to build relationships with refugees on an individual level.

“A lot of them are scared of talking to the police,” Parker said. “These psychological scars that they have aren’t just easily set aside. It’s hard to say, ‘Oh, don’t worry anymore, now the police are your friends.’ You can preach that all you want, but until they’ve had an experience that helps them realize that, there’s sort of this deep-seated fear that comes from their past.”

Read a related story about the Refugee Justice League.

Filed under: Immigrants & Refugees, Law and Justice, Legal Aid, Nonprofits, Organizations | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Danny O’Malley

Posted on October 19, 2017 by comm5775

MY STORIES:

MY BLOG:

When I first read the description of this course, I was excited to hit the pavement and start talking about things I wanted to cover (craft beer, geek culture, and so on). Upon realizing that it wasn’t a total free-for-all, and that we would be assigned to a specific part of the community, I felt a mixture of disappointment and curiosity. However, I recognized that immigrants and refugees often have amazing stories to tell, and at this moment in our country’s history, it’s critical that we tell them. So I dove in.

It’s been a gut-check. If you’re reading this from the U.S., you are abundantly privileged just by virtue of living here. But it never really crystallizes until you talk to someone who has been through hell before they arrived. My choice of career (marketing and public relations) relies on an immense amount of faith in the economy, society and people. Refugees have had that faith questioned via threats to their lives, not just to their job security.

Civic responsibility is about staying informed and being a part of the community. Both of those concepts have waned, it seems, in society at large over the last few years. Thanks to covering refugees and aspects of the lives they lead here, I’m much more aware of the contributions every person can make to their community, not to mention the potential that many natural-born citizens are squandering on petty things. It has been said that “people make the place.” We need to enable people of all walks of life to thrive in this world, not erect barriers and point fingers.

I grew up in Berkeley, California, so it’s hard to shake my inner hippie. Human society is at its pinnacle (or at least has the potential to reach great heights) when people of diverse backgrounds and viewpoints are allowed to live truthfully and respectfully with one another. The current administration wants to paint all non-Americans as “the other” and deepen the trenches of fear and doubt and misunderstanding. We don’t need a wall. We don’t need a cap on humanitarian aid. We need to address the lack of understanding through telling stories and sharing experiences. And especially through civic action and responsible journalism.

It was easy to feel like an intrusive outsider when asking people to talk to me. Luckily I spoke with people who invited my inquisitiveness. If we were to work this beat, say, in the actual refugee camps, being an outsider would likely be a handicap. Trust is hard to gain, and it’s tough to say whether a stranger is out to help or harm until you talk to them and see their actions and motivations play out. Knowing what questions to ask and how to draw out the best in your interviewees is a complex web of research, interaction and more research. As student journalists, we’re lucky that we haven’t been assigned an “agenda” by anyone, other than the pursuit of higher learning. That wouldn’t be the case if we introduced ourselves as CNN or Fox News reporters.

I thanked every person I spoke with and usually threw in something like “at the risk of editorializing, I think you and your work are amazing, keep it up.” So, yes, it was extremely difficult to remain objective. Journalism can easily stray into hot water by showing bias and taking sides, but it would take a tremendously apathetic person not to be wowed by the feats accomplished by people who really care and who have overcome incredible odds.

I feel a little disappointed that I couldn’t do more. But I attended a volunteer orientation for the “Know Your Neighbor” program through Salt Lake City, and if I’m accepted I hope I can make a larger impact. I definitely want to take part in future charitable events with the International Rescue Committee. I’ve met some incredibly kind people there, and I’d love to have some of that rub off on me. I’ve grown a little cynical in my old age.

As a result of my reporting and covering this beat this semester, I will dedicate more of my time to serving causes I believe in. There’s a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that’s been rattling around inside my head all year: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” After meeting the amazing people involved in the cause of helping refugees and building our communities, I want to do what I can to weigh that curve.

ABOUT ME:

Photo.jpg

I’m a jack of many trades. My professional resume consists of graphic design, customer service, online marketing, solar power sales and small business consultation. I’ve volunteered as a weekend radio DJ, helped plant trees and cleaned up local parks, and served craft beer at a brewery supply taproom. I’ve welded steel sculptures and whittled wooden wands. I’m a science and nature enthusiast with a budding passion for photography.

When I was 11 years old, I wrote an epic galaxy-spanning sci-fi novella, and my English teacher made me cut it down to a measly 10 pages. Despite that crushing blow to my youthful enthusiasm, I’ve continued to write creatively and pursue artistic endeavors throughout my life. (I’ve got several hundred pages of certifiable proof that I’m a huge fantasy and sci-fi geek if you need it.) I received a certificate in 3D Animation from the Gnomon School of Visual Effects in 2007. I graduated from the University of Utah in December 2017 with a B.S. in Communication.

It’s my life goal to continue helping the environment and sharing knowledge with others. We have a critical responsibility to make the planet better for future generations. My motto is “meet beautiful people, leave beautiful artifacts.”

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

Ukrainians flee the iron fist

Posted on October 19, 2017 by comm5775

Story and photo by JACE BARRACLOUGH

“Me and my wife had to escape and almost got killed since we never supported Russia”

 

Protesters rally in the Maidan. Photo courtesy of Art Ira via Facebook.

The winter of 2013-14 changed the lives of Ukrainians forever. Thousands were displaced and forced to find shelter in either refugee camps located in more peaceful areas of Ukraine or across the border in Russia.

This happened when former Ukrainian President Yanukovych decided to back out of joining the European Union (EU), which would have allowed better trade with European countries and a step toward westernization.

Instead, Yanukovych rejoined with Russia. In the bitter cold, citizens took to the streets to protest the decision and demand the impeachment of their president.

Thousands of protesters filled the town square in Kiev, also known as the Maidan. Not even the Berkut (riot police) could force them out. A civil war erupted between the Berkut and protesters. It was then that President Yanukovych fled to Russia and gave the Russian military permission to take control of the situation.

As bombs shook some homes and demolished others, thousands of Ukrainians fled, only taking what they could fit inside the suitcases they would be carting around for months, potentially years.

According to the United Nations, there are over 2 million Ukrainians displaced and another 300,000 seeking asylum in neighboring countries.

Aden Batar, immigration and refugee resettlement director for Catholic Community Services, says that refugee camps are crowded and some of the tents may be filled to capacity, forcing people to make their own shelter using other resources.

Batar says one can receive refugee status for various reasons, but in the case of Alex Evgeniya — it was his political affiliation.

“We are refugees from Ukraine, but our status is still pending,” Alexey Evgeniya says.

Evgeniya and his wife are from Crimea, a peninsula that was part of Ukraine until Russia invaded in February 2014. Russia then decided to annex the peninsula making it its own.

“Me and my wife had to escape and almost got killed since we never supported Russia,” he says.

Along with their escape comes anonymity. They, as well as many other Ukrainian refugees, are reluctant to divulge information in fear of Russian intelligence intercepting any and all channels of communication, thus putting their own lives in danger.

Ukraine is no stranger to conflict. Ukraine fought for Germany in World War I. In World War II Ukrainians were divided. Some fought for Germany, others Russia and many for their own independence.

As a country pinned between the influences of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, it seems they’ve battled a constant game of tug-of-war being pulled in all different directions. It wasn’t until 1991 that Ukraine declared its independence from the USSR.

However, in 1994 Ukraine signed an agreement to be protected by the Russian military. Thus, allowing Russia to once again grab hold.

“I feel that refugees [are] afraid to talk about their stories,” says Oleh Kernytsky, mission facilitator  at St. Jude Maronite Catholic Church in Murray. “It is not only for security reason[s], but they don’t want [to] go again through all troubles they had in the past.”

Kernytsky says most refugees he associates with tend to focus more on life since their resettlement and choose to leave the past where they believe it belongs — in the past.

One of Kernytsky’s congregation members was a professional bobsledder who trained for the Nagano, Japan, Winter Olympics. Though she was the superior athlete, another candidate bribed the officials and made the team instead.

She was discouraged but decided to continue training for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. This time she made the team.

It was unclear as to what the “bribe” entailed. However, it would be one of the major factors as to why she didn’t dare go back to Ukraine following the 2002 Olympics after making and competing in the bobsledding event she was denied four years prior.

Seeking asylum, she stayed in Utah and graduated from the University of Utah with a Ph.D. in physical therapy. She is now married with children and works as a physical therapist in Salt Lake City.

Class at the University of Utah.

It’s likely tough to imagine something good on the horizon when you are engulfed in such hostile and tense situations. But tragedy often helps one to understand and appreciate the most important things.

Aden Batar helps us to recognize most of those things aren’t necessarily tangible.

He says, “Peace is something you cannot buy.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed under: Immigrants & Refugees, Law and Justice, Politics | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

« Previous Page — Next Page »