Items

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  2022-04-03

  The can-do vaccine spirit must be applied to refugees

  This is a news story written by The Sunday Times (cannot find author). The Sunday Times is a British paper and this is detailing the contrast between the generosity of the British citizens towards Ukrainian refugees, but the lack of care from the British federal government. It says that over 200,000 people and organizations have registered to sponsor refugees in the Homes for Ukraine scheme. The overall story is not about the vaccines themselves, but the author is wishing for the can-do attitude of distributing vaccines in the UK to be applied to the refugees. Of the visas applied by refugees, for families, 32,300 applied for a scholarship, but only 4,700 were issued. I think that during the pandemic, the author that wrote this got more used to the government being lenient in helping, but now when faced with a refugee crisis, lacks that same helpful spirit.
• 2021-09-30

  A YEAR IN LEBANON WITH COVID-19

  It all started suddenly. I was visiting my family in the states during Christmas break 2019; everything was perfect life was just fine, and my vacation had to end as planned. I packed my luggage flew back to Sidon, Lebanon, where my husband was waiting for me. I got married in August 2020. I had to leave the state, settle down with my husband, and work because he did not have a green card or American visa. After a few months passed, I decided during the holiday break to visit the U.S. and apply for my husband's alien visa, which is what I did. I went back to my work in Lebanon in the American school after the Christmas break. Our school started again, but all children were sick every day; one of the children did not come at the end of January; almost all the class were absent for a long time. It was the beginning of an immense tragedy. All the news started talking about a new virus spreading fast around the world. I did not even think one percent of the virus would spread worldwide, which was only the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic. The economic situation in Lebanon was destroying every day, and many revolutions plus when covid-19 began, it started to get worst every day. We did not know what to expect my family away from me, which made me more anxious. Our school received a letter from the secretary of education all schools must shut down in two days or less, and this was the situation around the world, not only in Lebanon. By the beginning of February, all schools, government places, even private, malls almost the whole country shut down for more than six months completely. The street was like a horror movie. My life routine got missed up, and the entire planet, many people lost their lives and the people of my family as well. I was so worried about my family, praying that nothing would happen to them, especially I was away. I did not even work from home because I was only a teacher assistant nothing much left to do; even the gym closed, so I started working out at home. One day my lawyer called from the states and told me my husband's case pended because the immigration was closed till further notice, my mental health was distorted and duplicate as well my husband. Due to my husband is a refuge and has no citizen, we could not do anything about it besides waiting. Days passed by, and the situation was getting worse, and nothing was changing. August 4, 2020, we went to my family law spent the day there. Everyone likes to nap through the day, and this was what we were about to do till a one-time big explosion happened in Beruit, Lebanon Hundreds of people lost their lives the country got into a whole tragic pandemic plus outbreak. Two days later, we received an email from the U.S.CIS asking for the rest of the documents to make an interview appointment. We received another email that said my husband's interview would be on November 15. I felt that everything was going in the right direction after months of depression, especially with the covid-19 pandemic and the economic and political situation. Life in Lebanon is not safe for living anymore. There was a lockdown from nowhere; the governor used to pick random days for the lockdown as if it was a puzzle. A day before the interview, the Immigration lawyer called asking me if we received an email about canceling the interview, which I did has no idea what was going on. I was crying so hard felt like life would remain this way called the embassy emergency said, we can not help; this is an emergency for life and death. It would be best if we waited till they decided on a new interview appointment. We got into a massive fight with my husband called my family crying nonstop, telling them how much I missed them and wanted to come back home. Covid-19 is a curse destroying our dreams. I emailed the embassy hundreds of times and called the immigration office in NYC, but nothing they could do for me. I asked them why the embassy canceled my husband's interview, and the answers were like the covid lockdown. They told me you could leave Lebanon and come back without your husband. I would never leave him behind depressed. The next day I received an email that I needed to keep checking the embassy's available interview days, and this is what we kept doing. We felt like we were hopeless and had no more powers. One day at night, my husband told me to check if anything was available for December because the rest of November days are unavailable. We were lucky enough to find one on December 9, 2021. We were so worried about getting canceled again, but luckily it did not, few days passed, and the date had come he got the visa, and obviously, they did not allow me into the embassy due to covid-19. We waited a week to get his passport back. Once we received it, it booked tickets right away and flew to New York. It was the first time for us traveling during covid-19, nothing is easy PCR test is required even though no one asked for it, we wore the face mask for almost 24hours it felt like hell. We arrived safely in the states after months of struggling. We asked not to leave the house for 15 days, filled an application with our phone numbers and address. Before and after Covid-19, nothing was the same hugging my family after a long time was like heaven. For me being by their side was all I needed during these days. I pray for better days, days without covid-19.
• 
  2020-09-01

  Sahrawi refugees in COVID-19 lockdown hit by livestock epidemic

  Refugees from Western Sahara in camps in Algeria’s Tindouf province lose animals to livestock epidemic, while coronavirus restrictions wipe out other means of income.
• 
  2021-07-22

  CDC Resources in Languages Other Than English

  Information on COVID-19 must be available to all individuals if the US as a society and as a country are to successfully deal with this virus and prevent deaths and illness. This information must be available in a variety of languages other than English to meet the needs of those who are not proficient in the English language. The CDC created a website with a wealth of information and materials for individuals in languages other than English, including materials for migrants and refugees. The CDC also has a website for Spanish-speaking individuals.
• 
  2021-03-21

  Ilhan Omar Thread on Current Border Policy

  People who lack empathy to imagine circumstances outside their own two feet is what we’re dealing with. A bunch of folks who have never left America, let alone their own state. If they did it was to the “big city” and their understanding of American politics is that it’s a game and they don’t want to lose. They don’t know why they’re playing they just don’t want to lose. They have no faith in anything other than the American myth of pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps. How do we lead a horse to water who isn’t thirsty? Focus the herd towards the water and the stubborn horse will eventually drink
• 
  2021-01-07

  How the Pandemic Has Affected Refugees

  In this episode, we at the Podcast of the Plague Year were granted the opportunity to record interviews with two organizations assisting refugees that have been relocated to Arizona- RICE and Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest. Refugees are those who have been forced to flee their country because of a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, or political opinion. Almost 3 quarters of a million refugees have been resettled in the United States since 2008; they often come with very little resources to begin life anew once resettled. Life for refugees during resettlement comes with hope, but also with struggles to learn a new language, navigate new employment and educational systems and integrate into a new society. It is easy to imagine how a pandemic could intensify already existing struggles.
• 
  2020-07-23

  Snap Judgment podcast episode on covid-19 in San Quentin state prison (CA)

  Podcast episode produced by Snap Judgment in which they look at covid-19 outbreaks in San Quentin prison
• 
  2020-11-04

  Displaced Syrians Fear Spread Of Coronavirus

  When the US (Obama & Bush administrations) and Russia intervened in the Syrian revolution utilizing a relentless bombing campaign a massive refugee crisis and ISIS was born. The aftermath of these interventions left many Syrians in refugee camps where they are currently to this day. The density of these camps creates a dire situation for the spread of COVID-19. A fear these refugees have to live with.
• 
  2020-09-14

  Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest (LSS-SW)

  OUR MISSION We stabilize people during crisis and transition, build a foundation where people can thrive, and preserve dignity and respect for the most vulnerable. OUR VISION A future where all people thrive. OUR STATEMENT OF SHARED VALUES Dignity: We demonstrate through our actions that all people have value and are worthy of respect. Diversity: We recognize and accept the differences among people, fostering an environment inclusive of all. Social Justice: We model and promote a culture of open-mindedness, compassion, and inclusiveness, promoting fairness, justice, and equal opportunities for all. Quality: We commit to excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement through anticipation and dynamic response to opportunities for change. Community Partnerships: We build collaborative partnerships to strengthen individuals, families and communities. Faith-based: We serve all people with an attitude of compassion and caring, recognizing and honoring our Christian heritage of God’s love in Christ for all.
• 
  2020-09-14

  Iranian American Society of Arizona (IASAz)

  At Iranian American Society of Arizona (IASAz), we strive to enrich the lives of Arizona residents by promoting an awareness of the Iranian culture, heritage, language, history and contributions through education, music, dance, theater, arts, food and sense of community. Our goal is to preserve, promote and encourage through education and charitable work, the richness of Iranian-American culture. We achieve this by organizing social, educational, recreational and other functions to promote better understanding and friendship both among the members of the organization and among individuals and organizations in Arizona who share an interest in Iranian culture.
• 
  2020-09-14

  International Rescue Committee (Phoenix)

  The International Rescue Committee helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and regain control of their future.
• 
  2020-09-08

  Catholic Charities of Arizona

  Arizona has more than 62,000 refugees, who have been forced out of their country of origin due to persecution of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership to a particular social group. These are hard-working, often educated people who are struggling to survive. You can help them be welcomed into our country by helping provide for them as they start to settle. When you partner with Catholic Charities, you’ll help provide refugees with support in getting settled into American culture.
• 
  2020-08-26

  Arizona nonprofits boost aid to help refugees impacted by COVID-19 pandemic

  By Sarandon Raboin/Luce Foundation: Southwest Stories Fellowship
• 
  2020-03

  MIRA’s agenda for an inclusive response to COVID-19

  The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition collected a series of helpful documents for immigrants and refugees in Massachusetts about the COVID-19 pandemic. At the start, they created an agenda on how the federal and local governemnts should react to the pandemic in relation to immigrant communities. Part of the agenda calls on Trump to release detainees that cannot be kept safe, but as the news as shown, ICE continues to detain immigrants and some have died in detention centers of the virus.
• 
  04/09/2020

  Refugee advocates beseech bylaw to 'warn and inform' after man handed $880 fine

  Article from CBC News Ottawa relaying an incident in which a young man allowed his siblings to play in a playground not knowing it was out of bounds and received a fine as a result. The article goes on to discuss how misinformation communicated to refugees, and language barriers make them more likely to break covid19 restrictions and be issued fines when they have no malicious intent or are simply ill informed. *Hillary Johnstone, CBC News Ottawa
• 
  2020-04-08

  Refuge Church NOLA Signange Offers Virtual Spiritual Services and Literature, New Orleans, LA

  Religious organizations unable to congregate in person during the stay-at-home order, Refuge Church NOLA advertises online and virtual spiritual services on a posting hung on a telephone pole.
• 
  2020-03-18

  Covid-19: Responding as One Region

  Email from the leader of Welcoming America's One Region subcommittee to share resources for members in metro Atlanta to help vulnerable populations in their municipalities and other networks respond effectively to the COVID-19 crisis--- especially multilingual resources.
• 
  2020-03-20

  COVID-19 Update

  Transition email from Refugee Women's Network describing ways the organization will continue to support refugee families during the pandemic.