Amjambo Africa Vol 5, No 12

ENGLISH | FRANÇAIS | IKINYARWANDA | KISWAHILI | SOMALI | PORTUGUÊS | ESPAÑOL

In this Issue

South Sudan ..............................3

Amjambo Arts 4-5

Ashley Br yan & Paula Wilson

Assasi at Mayo Street

Letter to the editor ...................6

Financial literacy/Taxes 7-11

Preventing tax the

Preparing for taxes In 7 languages

Mmaine House of Representatives

Speaker R achel Talbot Ross (D-Dist 118) sat with Jean Hakuzimana of Amjambo Africa on Febr uar y 6 in Por tland for an hour-long video inter view What follows are excerpts e complete inter view is available on the Amjambo Afr ica YouTube channel

Jean Hakuzimana: Welcome to Amjambo Africa

Speaker R achel Talbot Ross: ank you for having me It’s wonderful to be with you today My name is Rachel Talbot Ross I live in Portland

JH: That’s a special name here in Maine S o welcome, Madam Speaker Cong ratulations on your historic nomination as Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives Could you share w ith u s how you felt when you were elected speaker?

RTR: It was quite over whelming, actually I have always understood that getting to that particular place was not due to my own achievements, but that there were so many people who sacrificed their whole lives to work for that moment I didn’t arrive at it by myself

Paula Wilson, detail of “Creatures of the Fire,” 2020 Relief print, woodblock print, and monotype with acr ylic and oil paint on muslin and canvas 64 x 57 in (162 6 x 144 8 cm) Colby College Museum of Ar t; museum purchase from the A.A. D’Amico Ar t Collection Fund. See page 4 to read full ar ticle on A True Joy in Making: Ashley Br yan & Paula Wilson. On display Feb. 17 - July 31 at the new Paul J. Schupf Ar t Center.

Sp e aker Talb ot Ross disc usses big issues:

An inte r v ie w w ith Jean D. Hakuzimana

It was a combination of many lives that have been lived that reached that point altogether And I was ver y cognizant that I was the vehicle for that achievement; it was not mine alone

JH: Is systemic racism a concern in Maine?

RTR: Yes! Maine prides itself as being established in 1820 as a free state But the truth of the matter is that Maine was still participating and benefiting from the global slave trade in 1820 And it was also not realizing its treaty obligations to the Indigenous Wabanaki tribes here in Maine And so Maine has a ver y long histor y with perpetuating systemic racism Part of my job as a lawmaker is to reveal the truth, to identify and name the problem, and then to work towards a solution Since I’ve been in the state legislature,

Continued on page 31

Yes, you. How are you, really? We’re asking because, chances are, you aren’t asking yourself. So please, stop and ask. Really think about it. Then connect with us at northernlighthealth.org/howareyou

S outh Sudan’s refuge e children sing for peace | By Violet Ikong

Winner/Global Music Video of the Year 2022 at the Funky Kids R adio Global Children’s Entertainment Awards e song reminds listeners of the African philosophy of ubuntu, or humanity, and calls on people to treat refugees as they would treat themselves It is also a gratitude song to Uganda for providing shelter and protection to refugees

Besides music, ICSS runs a counseling program for the kids that allows for in-depth conversations and problem sharing in order to effectively aid the children’s healing and help them forget the difficulties they face as UASC and as child refugees

Keeping home in mind

At the outbreak of conflict and war, parents and guardians almost invariably rush to save their children, and children run to their parents for protection

Sometimes, though, children may be far away from their parents or guardians at such moments and must flee toward safety alone And sometimes parents have no choice but to send their children ahead of them with the hope they will arrive safely in a refugee camp

promising to join them later e children oen have no idea where they are going, or how long it will take them to get there ese refugee children are called Unaccompanied and Separated Children (UASC) When they arrive at a refugee camp, agencies match them with caregivers pending the arrival of their parents or guardians Sometimes, those parents never arrive e Office of the United Nations High C ommissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that there are about 150,000 UASC in the world Of these, over 65,000 were reported in 2019 to be children of South Sudanese origin

South Sudan’s age -long conflic t S outh Sudan’s histor y of conflict can be traced to 1955 when it was still a region in Sudan A civil war broke out that year which lasted until 1972, and resulted in about 500,000 deaths In 1983, a second war started and continued until 2005, killing over 2 million people B oth wars stemmed from ethnic and religious differences in the countr y Many believed South Sudan’s independence in 2011 signaled the end of conflict and violence in the former region, now a countr y But in 2013, a civil war erupted in the newly independent countr y Tribal differences were largely responsible for the war and even though the war ended in 2020, South Sudan still has ongoing tribal conflicts that continue to claim lives, making it difficult for its nationals who are refugees in other countries to go back home

Looking out for refugee children

Stephen Wandu is a South Sudanese refugee who has been living in Kampala, Uganda, since 2016 aer fleeing war in his countr y In 2017, he read a report on the internet about UASC and remembered the challenges he faced when he lived with his parents as a

at discover y gave bir th to I CAN S outh Sudan (ICSS), an organization he founded in 2018

“I thought it would be great to bring them together, teach them to sing and play several instruments, and at the same time, provide emotional support to them,” Wandu said

Child refugees oen forget the histor y and culture of their countries since they are separated from them by great distances To prevent this, ICSS introduced a cultural program for the kids rough this program, the elderly in the camp tell the children stories about South Sudan – its histor y, culture, traditions, and its problem of unending conflict

Sometimes the elders and the children perform cultural songs and dances to keep home in their minds

“ e people fighting should know that we want peace I want them to stop the war so that I can go back to South Sudan to sing and dance there,” Blessing (pseudonym), 13, said Carr ying ever y refugee child along

refugee in the Central African Republic from 1990 to 2000 Wandu wondered how much worse the challenges would be for refugee children with absentee parents He decided he would go in search of the UASC of South Sudan in Uganda and do something to make a difference in their lives

He traveled to the Bidibidi Refugee Camp, which is located in northwestern Uganda, to find the children Bidibidi houses over 270,000 refugees who are primarily f rom S outh Sudan UNHCR helped him identif y the children Wandu brought the children together and found that music helped them stay happy and heal from war-related trauma

He and his team taught the children to compose and sing songs about the challenges that UASC face ey also offered emotional and psychological suppor t ere are currently 155 UASC under the care of ICSS Sometimes the organization provides microloans to caregivers to invest in small businesses in order to raise enough money to take care of the children

Together, the children make songs about the general challenges faced by refugee children e songs call for refugee children’s rights to be respected, and for South Sudan and the world to embrace peace e children enjoy singing and are always eager to turn up for their music practice

“Whenever I sing, I feel like I am preaching peace to people and I also feel like if I should continue singing, people in my countr y will come together one day, and be united,” 13year-old Joseph (pseudonym) said

e children have recorded 17 songs, which are available on music platforms such as YouTube and Soundcloud “Save Me” tells the stor y of family members killed in S outh Sudan’s war “Peace Agreement” calls on South Sudan s leaders and soldiers to respect the peace agreement signed in 2018 so they can go home In “I Have a Dream,” the children sing about their dreams to become doctors, lawyers, and other professions – but go on to ask how those dreams will be possible when there’s continuous war in their countr y

In Februar y 2023 one of their songs, “ Tuko Pamoja,” which means “We Are Together” in Swahili, won the People’s Choice

In 2022, ICSS expanded its programs to include refugee children living with disabilities ey have identified and assessed over 300 children living with cerebral palsy, autism, down syndrome, hydrocephalus, microcephaly, and epilepsy eir parents and caregivers have now been trained on how to take care of them Other programs include sex education and campaigns against child marriage, the distribution of free sanitary napkins to refugee girls, and sporting activities Making it through the setbacks

Most of ICSS’ funding comes from personal contributions and fundraisers S ometimes the organization gets suppor t for specific projects from organizations like Oxfam International, C ohere, Danida, and the UNHCR But funding is not easy to come by According to Wandu, “Most organizations prefer to donate to issues of food and hunger only ey forget that refugees also need to heal from trauma ”

At the moment, ICSS does not have enough volunteers, and the children lack adequate musical instr uments – such as key boards, guitars, and drums

However, Wandu and the children believe that even with these challenges, music can help bring about peace in S outh Sudan, so they keep on singing

Violet Ikong is a freelance journalist based in Nigeria who reports on social issues in sub-Saharan Africa Her stories have been published in Prime Progress and Nigeria Health Watch, in addition to Amjambo Africa

Some of ICSS’ kids

Stephen Wandu, ICSS founder

Music rehearsal at the refugee camp in Bidibidi

ICSS’ kids per formancing a traditional South Sudanese dance

A Tr ue Joy in Making: Ashle y Br yan & Paula Wils

By Brian Boyd

“Landscape and flowers were Ashley’s tru north,” says Gross, who emphasized that one of the aims of the show is to highlight the virtuosity of Br yan ’ s painting, which is sometimes overshadowed by the popularity of his work as an illustrator and author From the quiet strength of his early portraits of his nieces and nephews, to modernist still lifes and a near-abstract rendering of the ascendent energ y of a cathedral spire, to his tactile immersions hollyhocks and lupines, irises and dah Br yan ’ s canvases provide a timeline of s styles and palettes

In Wilson’s “Sunflower,” a 2017 floor-to ceiling assem blage of woodblock print, silkscreen, batik, fabric, and other material, a figure draped in luxuriant green and fier y orange and yellow reaches high over a brick wall to take a video close-up of one of the sunflowers bursting the frame of the rectangle overhead In the impishly surreal video, we see a sunflower’s human hands reach out to rub the seeds from its sunflower face and then rub them into place again “Sunflowers are in our garden and grow wild about town,” says Wilson of her home in Carrizozo, in rural New Mexico, in an inter view last year with Heidi Howard in BOMB Magazine ey rotate toward the light ey demand to be seen, and I was happy to oblige their calling ”

rking behind the transparn of a person kneeling, perin prayer or in suffering e artist holding an antique rame around her head and shoulders and the overlay of drawn and redrawn lines might be an invitation, in the face of histor y ’ s silencing, to reclaim agenc y in telling one ’ s own stories Br yan ’ s tragic and proound series of portraits and ories f rom his book FreeOver Me form what he deas his most difficult oject Aer discovering an estate appraisal f rom 1828 that identified enslaved men, women, and children only by name, age, and price, Br yan was determined to honor and restore their individuality through art and poetr y According to Br yan, he “studied each one, listening for their voices I wrote what I heard in free verse to give emphasis to their words ese words tell of their backgrounds and of their work on the estate en, to bring these people closer, I wrote their inner thoughts as they went about their work, then created the art that illustrates these individuals’ desires to realize their dreams ”

Aspirit of curiosity and wonder, aliveness to detail in the natural world, an all-embracing vision of an artist as a voice for inclusion and belonging – the parallels between ar tists Ashley Br yan (1923-2022) and Paula Wilson (born 1975) are immediately evident on entering the new exhibition at Colby Museum’s Paul J Schupf Art Center in downtown Water ville And one of the brightest of their common threads, according to guest curator Jennifer R Gross, is joy “

“We’re also bridging a hundred years of ar t exhibition strateg y. Ashley’s works are all f ramed Paula’s works don’t have f rames, they’re reaching out, it’s like they were blasted out and are responding to the physical space and the kind of interaction that’s demanded of ar t today aer abstract expressionism We look at and into Ashley’s world but we ’ re confronted by Paula’s world ”

e engine for all of Ashley’s creativity,” said Gross on the eve of the show’s opening in Februar y, “ was this generous interest in being a positive force in the universe, for humanity at theme, that line ran through ever y word he spoke, ever ything he made Paula extends that warmth, and it’s where the title of the exhibition comes from: ‘ Take the World into Your Arms ’ I feel both of these artists wake up ever y day and do that Ashley did that with his art, and Paula does that with hers ”

For both artists, delight in color and experimentation had its roots in childhood e son of immigrants to New York City from the Caribbean island of Antigua, Br yan grew up during the Great Depression in a home that encouraged creativity and resourcefulness In a cut-out collage f rom his 2007 children’s book of African American spirituals Let it Shine, Br yan honors his mother, whom he remembers singing from morning to night e blades of his mother’s sewing scissors are echoed in the outstretched fingers of a pair of open hands as waves of orange, red, and yellow dance alongside musical notes and tropical trees

Br yan ’ s handmade puppets, ingeniously constructed from driwood, shells, bone, and other flotsam gathered from the rocky shores of Little Cranberr y Island, have a mythological, dream-like power Named aer characters in African tales, the puppets absorb manner and gesture from the novelty of their composition e character Abayomi spreads his driwood arms wide, and his gnarled head, bone necklace, and cloak of animal furs lend him a sage-like presence e long hair of Jojo, an East African stor yteller, is made from a castoff fisherman’s glove, and his arched stringed eyebrows, button eyes, and bright orange collar give him a jaunty, mischievous air

In the intimate galler y space, Ashley Br yan ’ s and Paula Wilson’s engagement with nature as both inspiration and art supply makes for fascinating juxtapositions Br yan ’ s kaleidoscopic sea glass windows depicting biblical scenes hang beside Wilson’s almost trompe l’oeil painting of a stained glass window partially blocking the view, through glass, of a desert landscape, which stands beside Wilson’s wearable, acr ylic-on-muslin dress with a stained glass pattern

In another video installation, Wilson explores the symbiosis of the yucca moth with the edible, white yucca flowers, turning the sensuality of their desert blooms into the artist’s symbolic dance with stylized wings Playfulness of scale animates many of Wilson’s multimedia works In “Creatures of the Fire” – a title that references the threat posed to insects by the smoke of wildfires and the climate crisis – Wilson depicts herself holding up a magnif ying glass to a brightly colored moth, the tiny speck of white in the corner of her own eye a fraction the size of the giant eyespots on the moth’s wings Sur prises of scale and self-representation also ser ve in Wilson’s assemblages to reasser t the place of Black and multiracial women in ar t histor y In “Picked,” a woman looks back at us from the intricately car ved handle of a comb hanging from a woman ’ s neck, while over her right shoulder is a distant view of mountains among which strides the giant figure of a woman whose upper torso becomes a tree e towering figure of the artist in “ y Self ” gathers in the architecture of her old-fashioned, ankle-length hoop skirt a world of allusion: a naked woman picking a flower, a shar p-toothed

For curator Jennifer Gross, the heart of the exhibition is the giving spirit that illuminates the work of both artists “Art is a gi,” said Gross “It can be a lesson, but it’s also a gi For Ashley and for Paula, this is ver y important ey are both ver y knowing about the difficulties of the world With all Ashley’s life experience, he is no innocent He chose to be a lover He made a choice, and it was a hard choice Aer the war, he had to find himself – he felt so wounded, wounded by humanity He felt discouraged, and he made a commitment to redeem as much as he could, day by day and relationship by relationship And Paula, in this time of tumult in our countr y and in the world, she believes in that gi also It is an embrace, a belief that beauty is something that nourishes us ever y day B oth of them have that true joy in making ”

Gross continued, “At the end of his life, Ashley was able to circle around and complete the narrative in that he could present his anger and disappointment But that was not why he was an artist, he was an artist in defiance of that And that was empowering to be able to do this in the world, to scatter the stars with his hands ”

JENNIFER R GROSS

The exhibit “Ashley Br ya n/Paula Wilson: Take the World into Your A rms” is on display Feb. 17 - Jul y 31, 2023, a t Colby Museum’s Joa n D igna m S chmaltz G aller y of Ar t at the Paul J. Schupf Ar t Center, 93 Main St., Water ville.

Paula Wilson, “Picked,” 2016 Two-color screenprint and woodblock with foil on paper 22 x 30 in (55 9 x 76 2 cm) Collection of the ar tist

Paula Wilson, “y Self,” 2020 Monotypes on various papers and fabrics with India ink, pastel, charcoal, and crayon; fasteners: acr ylic paint on wood 187 x 99 in (475 x 251 5 cm) Collection of the ar tist

Ashley Br yan, “Dahlias,” c 2000 Acr ylic on canvas 48 x 36 in (121 9 x 91 4 cm) Colby College Museum of Ar t, Gi of the Ashley Br yan Center, 2022

Music, similar experiences conne c t hip-hop ar tist w ith audiences

Portland’s Mayo Street Arts was almost full on Februar y 10 for “Hakawati,” a fusion of Arabic hip-hop and Middle Eastern instruments and sounds by the Syrian-born musician known as “Assasi,” with a guest artist who is a member of his Bilad ElSham ensemble Elevating the tradition of hakawati stor ytellers, who invite audiences into folklore and fables, is the goal of his newest project

“Music is like an international language,”

Assasi said, “and also movement When people come out to a show and see me performing, there’s a lot of body language I use gestures with my fingers or my hands ” If he lets himself, he can get into a “blind mode” while performing and not see anything else But he intentionally makes eye contact “I feel it s ver y important, especially when I m rapping in a foreign language, to give eye contact to each one of the crowd ey’re part of the show ey’re involved ”

At Mayo Street, people tapped their feet to the music, although most could not follow the Arabic lyrics “I perform the song –they have no idea what it is ey’ll get connected to it the way they feel it at the time, and then I’ ll tell the stor y about it aerwards,” he said As he explained the songs in English, Bilam El-Sham ensemble member

Duncan Hardy played Qanun (pronounced “ qanoon”), a traditional Syrian stringed instr ument “It gives this amazing Middle Eastern atmosphere is is an experience,” said Assasi

Aer having to leave his hometown of Aleppo in 2012 due to the conflict, his route took him through Lebanon, then Nepal, India, and Malaysia to Millinocket, Bangor, and now Biddeford Last August, Assasi and Bilad El-Sham ensemble co-headlined, with Coyote Island, a mainstage performance at Biddeford’s River Jam Fringe Fest “ at was the biggest show I did in the U S so far, hundreds of people,” he said “People loved it because we did Middle E astern duson with Arabic rap and singing at’s something unusual here in Maine ”

His first solo show in the U S had been at the small Bangor venue Top of the Nine “It almost sold out,” he said And when he premiered the music video of his song “Damage ” at the nearby Queen City Cinema, he

By Stephanie Harp

didn’t expect many people “But we didn’t have enough seats for ever yone Full house Ever yone wanted to see the video on a big screen ”

In Biddeford, he has more performance opportunities, especially through Heart of Biddeford and venues like Engine “When they get the chance to do events, they book me and other local artists, he said Being closer to Portland is important, too He has worked with the Greater Por tland Immigrant Welcome C enter and recently was hired to be immigration exper t for a high school project about countries with conflict “I’m doing more stuff like that,” Assasi said “I like to be involved in educational stuff because hip-hop is all about education – it’s a tool If you know how to make music, it s a really good distraction for your mind It helps me with my mental health It sounds cliche, but music saved my life My mom and my music – those are who just kept me alive ”

His song “Ghost of Sham” is about his alter egos as a ghost and a rapper “ e ghost of me is how I feel in ever y place that I go, ” he said, “walking in a city that has no souls ” In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he waited for a U S visa, he noticed that aer midnight the streets were empty “ at’s how I feel in ever y place I move to I’m not seen I’m like a ghost in this town I can’t see anyone and no one can see me at’s the experience of a lot of young Syrians who move and have culture shock It literally feels like you ’ re a ghost – that’s what culture shock is ”

On his website, a post accompanying the “Ghost of Sham” video says, “B eing a Syrian in exile can feel like a nightmare you can’t wake up f rom, like walking through the world as a ghost – invisible and cut off from humanity, or inadvertently haunting those around you who can’t understand your pain ”

He knows his feelings and experiences are not unique “All of these things that I talk about in my songs, a lot of readers can relate to somehow It doesn’t have to talk about something ver y specific It’s kind of generalized how the youth are struggling, or how people of all ages have that same struggle at some time ” When he hears f rom listeners who say, “I really had a lot of feeling about

this song It made me cr y, ” Assasi wants to tell them, “I had a lot of feelings about this song Fattoum ’ It made me cr y when I was writing it at makes two of us ”

Transitioning between Syria and Lebanon was a difficult time “ e concept of home, why I’m treated like this even though I’m so loyal, and tr ying to relate and be relevant to this countr y, my countr y When I’m feeling emotional and I want to rap the song, I cr y because the lyrics mean a lot to me and it explains my experience ”

At his first hakawati show, he almost cried performing “Fattoum” as the show’s opening song “I almost cried also because of the tragic, 6 8-magnitude ear thquake that affected my city Aleppo a few days before the show,” he said

Despite the upbeat music, his lyrics address the tragedies and traumas of his homeland and his personal experiences On March 10, he will release his first single, “Ya Nana,” which he premiered at Mayo Street It is about tr ying to make it as a rapper in Damascus, but sleeping in the bus stop He translated the song into English, but doesn’t want to explain too much Instead, he wants people to feel it as it is “ e song is ver y upbeat and dancy, and people can just dance to it and have fun I’m celebrating life I’m not miserable I’m not sad at was a difficult time I went through, but I made it safe I’m not homeless any more, ” he said

Assasi appreciates the suppor t he’s receiving f rom many corners For his first solo

album, “ ird World Wide, Volume 1,” SPACE Galler y in Por tland held a release party

“I chose something that I have so much passion about and I just did it I started with a small community, one friend at the beginning You star t f rom somewhere,” he said Now his YouTube channel has 14,200 subscribers and he is on many other platforms, too “It’s amazing If you ’ re an artist, make clay You want to do whatever you are good at Just go about it and choose it, and it will help you with mental health and trauma and bad experiences at home We can’t measure it and compare to each other’s experiences; we can relate

is is a message especially to youth, but for anyone with negative experiences –which, of course, is ever yone “Just do what you ’ re good at – basketball, fitness, film videos – and it will be a good distraction to help you move for ward,” he said “ e past will never go away, it will just stay there, but we just have to keep moving for ward and celebrate life, when we remember the past I want to make fun music that s not dark, so people can celebrate life with me We’re here, we made it We’re not there, where we were before or what we experienced ”

amjambo africa

Ladder to the Moon Network

PO B OX 10379, Portland ME 04104

Publisher Georges Budagu Makoko

amjamboafrica1@gmail com

Editor in Chief

Kathreen (Kit) Harrison

amjamboafrica@gmail com

Graphic Designer

Stacey Warner, Warner Graphics

Deputy Editor & Amjambo Time Host

Jean D Hakuzimana

Translators

Nathalie Gorey | Joseph Semajambi

Jean Noël Mugabo | Kheyro Jama

Elisabeth Yala | Francisca Smith

Reporters

Abdirahman Hassan Abdi | Violet Ikong

Olive Mukahir wa | Amy Harris

Vincent Kende Niebede | Jean Noël Mugabo

Photographers

John Ochira | Liany Media

Laura deDoes | Mark Mattos

Dear Editor of Amjambo Africa,

e 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights granted those fleeing persecution in their home countr y the right to seek asylum is was later expanded into the Geneva Refugee Convention of 1951 and its 1967 protocol e U S then passed the Refugee Act of 1980, its own law, so that the right to seek asylum would be enshrined in both international and national law Sadly, as we see today, that right is far from secure

If we were to take the right to seek asylum at face value, we would expect that someone arriving at the southern border of the U S would encounter respectful agents who are trained in overseeing the asylum process in an organized and humane way But instead we witness thousands of people who are subjected to cruel treatment rather than the dignity that law requires

Many who enter at the border requesting asylum have their important personal possessions taken from them en they are put in cold cells, perhaps are sent back to dangerous Mexican border cities, are flown back to the countr y they fled, or are bused to detention centers or cities far f rom their desired destinations I continue to hear about families that are separated is treatment is not what those who wrote and signed the asylum conventions and protocols envisioned In fact, these laws were written to prevent just this sort of treatment

Asylum laws say you must present yourself in the countr y where you are seeking asylum

Yet people f rom Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua are now told to request asylum before arriving in the U S Officials expect them to have access to a phone, stable wifi, and a sponsor, and to successfully use the finicky Customs and Border Patrol’s app, CBP One – which many people say struggles to recognize Black and Brown faces, and which is available only in a limited number of languages

Since 1783, more than 86 million people have immigrated to the United States Over 200 years of policies have influenced today’s attitudes and actions regarding immigration Many who look at the immigration histor y of the U S say that our policies have been piecemeal, unfocused, and reactionar y Some believe the policies dictating the lives of those seeking safety here are orchestrated to keep people out in order to maintain wealth and power in the hands of the white elite From the ver y inception of this countr y, racist capitalism has led national policy decisions e need to change these policies so protection of individuals who are at great risk of violence and persecution has never been greater

Mar y Dunn, Maine

HarpWorksWriting@outlook.com www.HarpWorksWriting.com

Facebook: HarpWorksWriting Twitter: @HarpWorks 207.852.6746

Writing | Editing | Grant Writing Publicity | Research Good Writing Is Good Business

Qu'il s'agisse de retraités ayant un peu de temps libre ou de jeunes diplômés à la recherche d'une carri

— Carmen H. Professionnel de Soutien Direct

rence que vous faites dans la vie de quelqu'un d'autre est incroyable.”

Preventing tax identity the

Tax identity the, which is the filing of fake tax returns using stolen identities, is a form of tax fraud that affects hundreds of thousands of taxpayers ever y year Unfortunately, identity thieves aren’t filing tax returns to help their victims – they are aer their victims’ tax refund money Knowing what steps individuals can take to prevent tax identity the can help people reduce their risk:

File returns as soon as possible

e earlier you file your tax returns, the less likely you ’ ll fall victim to tax refund the Once you file your return, any further attempts to file in your name will be automatically denied So even if a fraudster does gain access to your Social Security number, the identity thief wouldn’t be able to file or gain access to the refund

Keep personal identifying information

private

In order for an identity thief to file a fraudulent return, they would need to have their victim’s personal identif ying information

Identity thieves can do a lot of financial harm with a lost or stolen wallet, mail, or documents that are thrown away To limit the chances of identity the, it’s important to safeguard important documents at home ese include the Social Security card, birth cer tificate, passpor t, financial statements, and tax documents Put these documents in a secure location If you throw away any documents containing personal information, tear or shred them first Sensitive materials such as financial account statements, credit applications or offers, insurance forms, medical statements, checks, and util-

ity bills can be used by thieves if they search through the trash Keeping information safe in the digital world is equally impor tant To protect information, u multi-factor authen tion on all accounts, create strong passwords, and regularly update your soware

Choose a trusted tax preparer

B efore choosing a tax preparer or online tax filing ser vice, make sure they are a trustworthy resource Look up customer reviews or ask for references – that increases the odds that the person or ser vice is legitimate and will keep data secure

You may qualif y for free and trusted tax preparation ser vices through Ca$h Maine With a variety of options for tax prep, Ca$h Maine volunteers can securely help people through the filing process

Be aware of phishing attempts

Scammers use email, fake social media accounts, and other forms of online communication tools to tr y to steal passwords, account numbers, Social Security numbers, and more With that information, they can gain access to people’s accounts, sell their information to other scammers, and file fraudulent tax returns in their name To protect yourself, enable email spam filters, ignore “friend” requests or “follow” requests from users who are unfamiliar, and keep an eye out for anything that looks suspicious Don’t click on suspicious-looking links or open any unexpected attachments If a communication of some kind (email, phone, letter) threatens a consequence or the loss of an opportunity unless urgent action is taken – it’s likely a scam is approach is used to rush people into action before they have an op-

portunity to study the communication or ask for help

Monitor financial accounts

Actively monitor accounts for suspicious activity If something seems out of the ordinar y through online or mobile banking, or on a bank statement, conct your financial institution to or t it as soon as possible Suspicious activity may mean someone has your personal information, which can be used to file f raudulent returns Also monitor your tax information on the Internal Revenue Ser vice’s website If you discover you ’ ve been a victim of identity the, report it immediately to the IRS

The bottom line

Whether or not you are expecting a refund, following these tips can help prevent your identity f rom being stolen Personal identif ying information is one of the most valuable resources to a fraudster, so practicing good habits and taking the proper preventative steps can lower your chances of experiencing financial fraud

K I S WA H I L I

Kuzuia wizi wa utambulisho wa kodi

Wizi wa utambulisho wa kodi, ambao ni uwasilishaji wa marejesho ya kodi bandia kwa kutumia vitambulisho vilivyoibiwa, ni aina ya ulaghai wa kodi ambayo huathiri mamia ya maelfu ya walipa kodi kila mwaka

Kwa bahati mbaya, wezi wa vitambulisho hawatoi marejesho ya kodi ili kuwasaidia waathiriwa wao - wanafuata pesa za kurejesha kodi za waathiriwa wao Kujua hatua ambazo watu binafsi wanaweza kuchukua ili kuzuia wizi wa utambulisho wa kodi kunaweza kusaidia watu kupunguza hatari yao:

Faili inarudi haraka iwezekanav yo Kadiri unavyowasilisha marejesho yako ya ushuru mapema, ndivyo uwezekano mdogo wa kuwa mwathirika wa wizi wa kurejesha kodi Mara tu unapowasilisha rejesho lako, majaribio yoyote zaidi ya kuwasilisha kwa jina lako yatakataliwa kiotomatiki Kwa hiv yo hata kama tapeli atapata ufikiaji wa nambari yako ya Usalama wa Jamii, mwizi wa utambulisho hataweza kuwasilisha au kupata ufikiaji wa kurejesha pesa

Weka maelezo ya kibinafsi ya utambuzi kuwa ya faragha

Ili mwizi wa kitambulisho awasilishe malipo ya ulaghai, atahitajika kuwa na maelezo ya kibinafsi ya kumtambulisha mwathiriwa wake Wezi wa vitambulisho wanaweza kufanya madhara mengi ya kifedha kwa pochi iliyopotea au kuibiwa, barua, au hati zinazotupwa Ili kupunguza uwezekano wa wizi wa utambulisho, ni muhimu kulinda hati muhimu nyumbani Hizi ni pamoja na kadi ya Usalama wa Jamii, cheti cha kuzaliwa, pasipoti, taarifa za fedha na hati za kodi Weka hati hizi mahali salama Ukitupa hati zozote zilizo na taarifa za kibinafsi, zirar ue au uzipasue kwanza Nyenzo nyeti kama vile taarifa za akaunti ya fedha, maombi ya mikopo au matoleo, fomu za bima, taarifa za matibabu, hundi na bili za matumizi zinaweza kutumiwa na wezi wakitafuta kwenye tupio Kuweka taarifa salama katika ulimwengu wa kidijitali ni muhimu vile vile Ili kulinda maelezo, tumia uthibitishaji wa vipengele vingi kwenye akaunti zote, unda nenosiri thabiti na usasishe programu yako mara kwa mara Chagua k itayarishaji cha ushuru k inachoaminika

Kabla ya kuchagua kitayarisha ushuru au huduma ya uwekaji ushur u mtandaoni, hakikisha ni rasilimali inayoaminika Tafuta maoni ya wateja au uulize marejeleo - ambayo huongeza uwezekano kwamba mtu au

Continued on page 8

huduma ni halali na itaweka data salama

Unaweza kufuzu kwa huduma za utayarishaji kodi bila malipo na unazoaminika

kupitia Ca$h Maine Kwa chaguo mbalimbali za maandalizi ya kodi, wafanyakazi wa kujitolea wa Ca$h Maine wanaweza kuwasaidia watu kwa usalama kupitia mchakato wa kuwasilisha

Jihadharini na majaribio ya kuhadaa ili kupata maelezo ya kibinafsi Walaghai hutumia bar ua pepe, akaunti ghushi za mitandao ya kijamii na aina nyinginezo za zana za mawasiliano mtandaoni ili kujaribu kuiba manenosiri, nambari za akaunti, nambari za Usalama wa Jamii na zaidi Kwa maelezo hayo, wanaweza kufikia akaunti za watu, kuuza taarifa zao kwa walaghai wengine, na kuwasilisha marejesho ya kodi ya ulaghai kwa jina lao Ili kujilinda, washa vichujio vya barua taka, puuza maombi ya "rafiki" au "fuata" maombi kutoka kwa watumiaji ambao hujui, na uangalie chochote kinachoonekana kutiliwa shaka Usibofye viungo vinavyotia shaka au kufungua viambatisho vyovyote usivyotarajiwa Ikiwa mawasiliano ya aina fulani (bar ua pepe, simu, bar ua) yanatishia matokeo au kupoteza fursa isipokuwa hatua za haraka zichukuliwe - kuna uwezekano kuwa ni ulaghai Njia hii hutumiwa kuharakisha watu kuchukua hatua kabla ya kupata fursa ya kusoma mawasiliano au kuomba msaada

Fuatilia hesabu za fedha

Fuatilia kikamilifu akaunti kwa shughuli

za kutiliwa shaka Ikiwa kuna jambo lisilo la kawaida kupitia benki ya mtandaoni au kwa

simu, au kwa taarifa ya benki, wasiliana na taasisi yako ya fedha ili kuripoti haraka

iwezekanav yo Shughuli ya kutiliwa shaka

inaweza kumaanisha kuwa mtu fulani ana

taarifa zako za kibinafsi, ambazo zinaweza

kutumika kuwasilisha marejesho ya ulaghai

Pia fuatilia maelezo yako ya kodi kwenye

tovuti ya Huduma ya Ndani ya Mapato Ukigundua umekuwa mwathirika wa wizi wa utambulisho, ripoti mara moja kwa IRS

Mstari wa chini

Iwe unatarajia kurejeshewa pesa au la, kufuata vidokezo hivi kunaweza kusaidia

kuzuia utambulisho wako usiibiwe Taarifa za utambuzi wa kibinafsi ni mojawapo ya nyenzo muhimu zaidi kwa mlaghai, kwa hivyo kufuata tabia nzuri na kuchukua hatua

zinazofaa za kuzuia kunaweza kupunguza uwezekano wako wa kukumbwa na ulaghai wa kifedha

I K I N YA R WA N DA

U ko wakw irinda kw ibwa amakuru

akwerekeye

Kwibwa umwirondoro wifashishwa mu by’imisoro, ari byo kuzuza asaba gusubizwa imisoro hifashishijwe umwirondoro w ’umwibano, ni bumwe mu bur yo bwo kunyereza imisoro ibi bikaba biba kandi mu majana y’ibihumbi mu basora buri mwaka Ikibabaje, aba bajura b’umwirondo ntabwo buzuza iyi misoro ngo bafashe abo baba bibye, ahubwo babikora bashaka kwiba imisoro umuntu yemerewe gusubizwa Kumenya uko ukwiye kwitwara ngo wirinde kwibwa umwirondoro bishobora gufasha abantu kugabanya ibyo byago:

File returns as soon as possible

Saba gusubizwa imisoro hakiri kare

Uko urushaho kuzuza imisoro yawe hakiri kare, ni ko ugabanya ibyago byo kwibwa

umusoro wemerewe gusubizwa Igihe umaze kuzuza ibijyanye n’imisoro yawe, ukundi kose bagerageza kwiba imisoro mu

mazina yawe bizahita byanga Bivuze ko n ’ubwo umujura yabasha kugera ku makuru yerekeranye n ’umubare wawe ukuranga, uyu

mujura ntabwo azabasha kuzuza no kwakira

imisoro yawe

Witangaza amakuru y ’ingenzi akwerekeye

Kugirango umujura abashe kuzuza asaba

gusubizwa imisoro y’imyibano, agomba kuba afite amakur u y’ingenzi y ’ uwo ari

kwiyitirira A b ’ i m y i r o n d

baba bashobo

g u k o r

a m a k o s a

m e n s h i

b a y a k u y e nko mu

b y a n -

g o m b w a

b y a t a k a y e

c yang wa se

b y i b w e i b a r u w

c yang wa ur undi r upa

r wajuguny we

rango umun

ubu bujura, ni ingenzi c yane

kubika kubika amabar uwa y’ingenzi mur ugo Aha harimo ikarita iriho numero iranga umuturage, ic yangombwa c y ’ amavuka, pasiporo, ibyangombwa byerekana uko umuntu akoresha umutungo ndetse n’impapuro z’imisoro Bika izi mpapuro ahantu hizewe kandi harinzwe Igihe ujugunye urupapuro ruriho amakuru akwerekeye, banza uruce, impapuro ziriho amakuru y ingenzi nk izigaragaza iby umutungo n uko ukoreshwa, izo gusaba c yang wa kwemerer wa umwenda, iz’ubwishingizi, izo kwa muganga, sheke ndetse n’izishyuza zishobora kwifashishwa n ’abajura igihe bashakishije mu myanda Kubika amakur u neza hifashishijwe ubur yo bw’ikoranabuhanga nabyo ni ngombwa cyane Kugirango urinde umwirondoro, koresha ubur yo bwo kwinjira muri konti zawe wifashishije ubur yo burenze bumwe bwo kwimenyekanisha (multi factor authentication) kuri konti zawe zose, himba ijambo-banga rikomeye, kandi uhore uvugurura sisiteme ukoresha

Hitamo ukuzuriza imisoro wizewe

Mbere yo guhitamo ukuzuriza imisoro c yang wa se ubur yo ukoresha wuzuza imisoro wifashishije ikoranabuhanga, menya neza ko ari abo kwizer wa Banza urebe icyo abanda babavugaho kuri interineti – ibyo byongera ic yizere c y uko uwo muntu c yang wa se ibyo akora byemewe n ’amategeko kandi bizarinda amakuru yawe neza

Ushobora kandi kubona ubur yo cyang wa abakuzuriza imisoro k ubuntu ukoresheje

Ca$h Maine Wakwereka ubur yo butandukanye bwo kuzuza imisoro, abakorerabushake ba Ca$h Maine mu bur yo butekanye bashobora gufasha abantu mu gikor wa cyo kuzuza iby’imisoro Menya ibijyanye no kugerageza kwiba amakuru

Abiba amakuru kuri mudasobwa bakoresha imeyili, konti zo ku mbuga nkoranyambaga z’impimbano ndetse n ’ubundi bur yo bwo kuvugana bagerageza kwiba amagambo y’ibanga, nimero za konti, umubare uranga umuntu n’ibindi Igihe babonye ayo makuru baba bashobora kugera kuri konti z ’umuntu, bakagurisha amakuru yabo ku bandi bajura bagenzi babo, cyang wa se bakuzuza basaba gusubizwa imisoro utari uwabo mu mazina y ’amibano Kugirango wirinde, fungura ubur yo bwo kuyungurura za imeyili wakira, wirengagize ubusabe bw’ubucuti c yang wa ubusabe bwo gukurikira abantu udasanzwe uzi, ikindi kandi uhore ugenzura ko hari ikintu giteye amakenga wabona Ntukande ku kintu ubona giteye kwibaza, c yang wa ngo ufungure ikintu cyose utizeye Igihe ubur yo bwose bwo guhererekanya amakur u nka (imeyili, telefone, ibaruwa) biri kukubwira ko uri mubibazo cyang wa se hari amahir we ugiye kubura igihe utagize ic yo ukora byihuse, akenshi usanga ari ibije kukwiba amakuru Ubu bur yo burakoreshwa mu kugirango abantu birukankire mu gufata ibyemezo mbere y ’uko babona amahir we yo gutekereza kuri icyo kintu cyang wa ngo abe yanasaba ubufasha Genzura konti zawe

Ku bur yo buhoraho genzura konti zawe ngo urebe ko nta gikor wa giteye amakenga

r waho Igihe hari ubonye gisa k ’ i k i d a s a n z w e kinyuze mu bur yo bwo guhere r e k a n y a amadolari hifashishijwe mud a s o b w a c yang wa telefone, c yang wa ukabibona kuri raporo y’imikorehereze ya konti, a uhamagara ikigo mari c yawe bidatbi biba bivuze ko tu ufite amakur u akwerekeye, ibi kandi bikaba

bishobora kwifashishwa umuntu asaba umusoro wawe mu bur yo bw’ubujura

Ikindi kandi genzura amakur u agendanye n’imisoro ku rubuga r w ’ ur wego r w’igihugu rushinzwe imisoro igihe ubonye ko wibwe umwirondoro, hita ubimenyesha IRS

Ibyerekeye umutungo wawe

Waba utegereje gusubizwa imisoro cyang wa se ntayo utegereje, gukurika aya mabwiriza

bishobora kugufasha gusigasira umwirondoro wawe kugirango utibwa Amakur u bwite yerekeye umuntu ni ingenzi cyane kuri wawundi ushaka kwiba, bityo rero kugira umuco mwiza no gufata ingamba zikwiye zo kuyarinda bishobora kugabanya ibyago byo kwibwa umutungo wawe

F R A N Ç A I S

Prévention de l'usurpation d'identité

fiscale

L'usurpation d'identité fiscale, qui consiste à remplir de fausses déclarations de revenus en utilisant des identités volées, est une forme de fraude fiscale qui touche des centaines de milliers de contribuables chaque année Malheureusement, les voleurs d'identité ne remplissent pas de déclarations de revenus pour aider leurs victimes, mais pour obtenir le remboursement de leurs impôts

En connaissant les mesures que les particuliers peuvent prendre pour prévenir l'usurpation d'identité fiscale, les gens peuvent réduire leur risque : Produisez vos déclarations le plus tôt possible

Plus vous déposez vos déclarations de revenus tôt, moins vous risquez d'être victime d'un vol de remboursement d'impôts

Une fois que vous avez rempli votre déclaration, toute autre tentative de déclaration en votre nom est automatiquement refusée

Ainsi, même si un fraudeur a accès à votre numéro de sécurité sociale, le voleur d'identité ne sera pas en mesure de remplir la déclaration ou d'accéder au remboursement

Préser vez la confidentialité des informations d'identification personnelle

Pour qu ' un usurpateur d'identité puisse déposer une déclaration frauduleuse, il doit disposer des données d'identification personnelles de sa victime Les voleurs d'identité peuvent causer beaucoup de dégâts financiers avec un por tefeuille perdu ou volé, du courrier ou des documents jetés

Pour limiter les risques de vol d'identité, il est impor tant de conser ver les documents importants à la maison Il s 'agit notamment de la carte de sécurité sociale, du certificat de naissance, du passeport, des relevés financiers et des documents fiscaux Mettez ces documents dans un endroit sûr Si vous jetez des documents contenant des informations personnelles, déchirez-les d'abord Les documents sensibles tels que les relevés de comptes financiers, les demandes ou les offres de crédit, les formulaires d'assurance, les relevés médicaux, les chèques et les factures de ser vices publics peuvent être utilisés par des voleurs s'ils fouillent dans les poubelles Il est tout aussi important de protéger les informations dans le monde numérique Pour

protéger les informations, utilisez l'authentification multifactorielle sur tous les comptes, créez des mots de passe for ts et mettez régulièrement à jour vos logiciels Choisissez un préparateur d'impôts de confiance

Avant de choisir un préparateur d'impôts ou un ser vice de déclaration d'impôts en ligne, assurez-vous qu'il s 'agit d'une ressource digne de confiance Consultez les avis des clients ou demandez des références - cela augmente les chances que la personne ou le service soit légitime et assure la sécurité des données

Vous pouvez bénéficier de ser vices de préparation des déclarations de revenus gratuits et fiables grâce à Ca$h Maine Avec une variété d'options pour la préparation des impôts, les bénévoles de Ca$h Maine peuvent aider les gens en toute sécurité pendant le processus de déclaration Faites attention aux tentatives d’escroquerie

Les escrocs utilisent des courriels, de faux comptes de médias sociaux et d autres formes d'outils de communication en ligne pour tenter de voler des mots de passe, des numéros de compte, des numéros de sécurité sociale, etc Avec ces informations, ils peuvent accéder aux comptes des personnes, vendre leurs informations à d'autres escrocs et remplir des déclarations de revenus frauduleuses en leur nom Pour vous protéger, activez les filtres anti-spam, ignorez les demandes d'"amis" ou de "follow" émanant d'utilisateurs qui ne vous sont pas familiers et gardez l'œil ouver t sur tout ce qui vous semble suspect Ne cliquez pas sur des liens suspects et n ' ouvrez pas de pièces jointes inattendues Si une communication quelconque (courriel, téléphone, lettre) menace d'une conséquence ou de la perte d'une opportunité si une action urgente n 'est pas entreprise, il s 'agit probablement d'une escroquerie Cette approche est utilisée pour pousser les gens à agir avant qu'ils n 'aient eu l'occasion d'étudier la communication ou de demander de l'aide

Sur veillez les comptes financiers

Sur veillez activement les comptes pour détecter toute activité suspecte Si quelque chose semble sor tir de l'ordinaire dans les ser vices bancaires en ligne ou mobiles, ou sur un relevé bancaire, contactez votre institution financière pour le signaler dès que possible Une activité suspecte peut signifier que quelqu'un possède vos informations personnelles, qui peuvent être utilisées pour remplir des déclarations frauduleuses Surveillez également vos informations fiscales sur le site de l'Internal Revenue Ser vice Si vous découvrez que vous avez été victime d'un vol d'identité, signalez-le immédiatement à l'IRS

En conclusion

Que vous attendiez ou non un remboursement, ces conseils peuvent vous aider à éviter le vol de votre identité Les informations d'identification personnelle sont l'une des ressources les plus précieuses pour un fraudeur En adoptant de bonnes habitudes et en prenant les mesures préventives appropriées, vous pouvez réduire vos risques de fraude financière

P O RT U G U Ê S

Pre venç ão do roub o de identidade fiscal

O roubo de identidade fiscal, que é o depósito de declarações fiscais falsas com identidades roubadas, é uma forma de f raude fiscal que afeta centenas de milhares de contribuintes todos os anos Infelizmente, os ladrões de identidade não estão a apresentar declarações fiscais para ajudar as suas vítimas – estão atrás do dinheiro do reembolso de impostos das vítimas Saber que medidas os indivíduos podem tomar para prevenir o roubo de identidade fiscal pode ajudar as pessoas a reduzir o seu risco:

Devoluções de ficheiros o mais rápido possível

Quanto mais cedo apresentar as suas declarações de impostos, menor é a probabilidade de ser vítima de roubo de reembolso de impostos Assim que apresentar a sua devolução, quaisquer outras tentativas de arquivamento em seu nome serão automaticamente negadas Assim, mesmo que um burlão tenha acesso ao seu número de Segurança Social, o ladrão de identidades não poderia arquivar ou ter acesso ao reembolso

Mantenha a informação de identificação pessoal privada

Para que um ladrão de identidades arquive uma devolução fraudulenta, teriam de ter a informação pessoal da vítima Os ladrões de identidade podem causar muitos danos financeiros com uma carteira, correio ou documentos perdidos ou roubados que são deitados fora Para limitar as hipóteses de roubo de identidade, é impor tante salvaguardar documentos importantes em casa

Estes incluem o cartão da Segurança Social, certidão de nascimento, passaporte, demonstrações financeiras e documentos fiscais

C oloque estes documentos num local seguro Se deitar fora quaisquer documentos que contenham informações pessoais, rasgue-os ou rasgue-os primeiro Materiais sensíveis como demonstrações de contas financeiras, pedidos de crédito ou ofer tas, formulários de seguro, demonstrações médicas, cheques e contas de utilidade podem ser usados por ladrões se pesquisarem no lixo Manter a informação segura no mundo digital é igualmente importante

Para proteger a informação, utilize a autenticação de vários fatores em todas as contas, crie senhas fortes e atualize regularmente o seu soware

Escolha um preparador de impostos de confiança

Antes de escolher um ser viço de preparação de impostos ou de depósito de impostos online, certifique-se de que são um recurso de confiança Procure avaliações de clientes ou peça referências – o que aumenta as probabilidades de a pessoa ou ser viço ser legítimo e manter os dados seguros Você pode se qualificar para ser viços de preparação fiscal gratuitos e confiáveis através de Ca$h Maine Com uma variedade de opções para preparação de impostos, os voluntários do Ca$h Maine podem ajudar seguramente as pessoas durante o processo de arquivamento

Esteja atento às tentativas de phishing Os burlões usam e-mails, contas falsas nas redes sociais e outras formas de ferramentas de comunicação online para tentar roubar senhas, números de conta, números de Segurança Social e muito mais Com essa informação, podem aceder às contas das pessoas, vender as suas informações a outros burlões e apresentar declarações fiscais fraudulentas em seu nome Para se proteger, ative filtros de spam de e-mail, ignore os pedidos de "amigo" ou "siga" pedidos de utilizadores que não são familiares, e fique atento a qualquer coisa que pareça suspeita Não clique em links suspeitos ou abra quaisquer anexos inesperados Se uma comunicação de algum tipo (e-mail, telefone, carta) ameaçar uma consequência ou a perda de uma opor tunidade a menos que sejam tomadas medidas urgentes – é provável que seja uma f raude Esta abordagem é usada para levar as pessoas à ação antes de terem a oportunidade de estudar a comunicação ou pedir ajuda

Monitorizar as contas financeiras

Monitorize ativamente as contas de atividades suspeitas S e algo parecer fora do comum através de bancos online ou móveis, ou num extrato bancário, contacte a sua instituição financeira para o denunciar o mais rapidamente possível Atividades suspeitas podem significar que alguém tem as suas informações pessoais, que podem ser usadas

para apresentar devoluções f raudulentas Consulte também a sua informação fiscal no site do Ser viço de Receita Interna Se descobrir que foi vítima de roubo de identidade, reporte imediatamente ao IRS

Ponto - chave

Se está ou não à espera de um reembolso, seguir estas dicas pode ajudar a evitar que a sua identidade seja roubada A informação de identificação pessoal é um dos recursos mais valiosos para um burlão, por isso praticar bons hábitos e tomar as devidas medidas preventivas pode reduzir as suas hipóteses de sofrer fraude financeira

S O M A L I

Ka hortaga xatooyada aqoonsiga canshuurta

Xatooyada aqoonsiga canshuur ta, oo ah xereynta canshuur celinta been abuurka ah iyada oo la adeegsanayo aqoonsiga la xaday, waa nooc ka mid ah khiyaamada canshuuraha ee saameeya boqolaal kun oo canshuur bixiyeyaasha sanad kasta Nasiib darro, tuugada aqoonsiga ma xareeyaan canshuur celinta si ay u caawiyaan dhibanayaashooda - waxay raadinayaan lacag celinta canshuur ta dhibbanayaasha Ogaanshaha tillaabooyinka ay shaqsiyaadku qaadi karaan si ay uga hortagaan xatooyada aqoonsiga canshuurta waxay dadka ka caawin kartaa inay yareeyaan khatartooda:

Soo celinta faylka sida ugu dhakhsaha badan

Marka hore ee aad xerayso canshuur celintaada, waa yaraaneysaa inaad dhibane ugu noqon doonto xatooyo canshuur celin ah Markaad xerayso soo celintaada, isku day kasta oo kale oo lagu fayl gareeyo magacaaga si toos ah ayaa loo diidi doonaa Markaa xataa haddii uu khiyaamo galo lambarkaaga S ooshal S ekuuritiga, tuuga aqoonsiga ma awoodo inuu xareeyo ama ma heli karo lacagta soo celinta

Xogta aqoonsiga gaarka ha ahaato mid gaar ah

Si tuuga aqoonsiga uu u xareeyo soo celinta been abuurka ah, waxay u baahan doonaan inay helaan xogta aqoonsiga dhibbanahooda Tuugada aqoonsiga waxay waxyeelo dhaqaale oo badan ku samayn karaan boorsada lunta ama la xado, boostada, ama dukumentiyada la tuuro Si loo xaddido fursadaha xatooyada aqoonsiga, waxaa muhiim ah in guriga lagu ilaaliyo dukumentiyada muhiimka ah Kuwaas waxaa ka mid ah kaarka L ambarka Bulshada, shahaadada dhalashada, baasaboorka, bayaannada maaliyadeed, iyo dukumentiyada canshuurta Dhig dukumeentiyadan meel ammaan ah Haddii aad tuurto dukumeenti kasta oo ay ku jiraan macluumaadka shakhsiyeed, jeex ama jar marka hore Alaabta xasaasiga ah sida xisaabaadka xisaabaadka, codsiyada amaahda ama dalabyada, foomamka caymiska, bayaannada caafimaadka, jeegaga, iyo biilasha utility waxa isticmaali kara tuugtu haddii ay ka dhex baadho qashinka Ilaalinta macluumaadka badbaadada adduunka dhijitaalka ah ayaa sidoo kale muhiim ah Si loo ilaaliyo macluumaadka, isticmaal xaqiijinta arrimo badan oo dhan akoonnada, samee furaha sirta ah, oo si joogto ah u cusboonaysii sowarekaaga

Dooro cashuur diyaariye la isku halayn karo

Kahor intaadan dooran diyaariyaha cashuuraha ama adeega xaraynta cashuuraha ee khadka tooska ah, hubi inay yihiin khayraad la aamini karo U fiirso dib u eegista macaamiisha ama weydii tixraacyotaasi waxay kordhisaa khiyaamada in qoa ama adeeggu uu sharci yahay oo ilaalin doona xogta Waxa laga yaabaa inaad u qalanto adeegyada diyaarinta cashuurta ee bilaashka ah oo la isku halayn karo ee Ca$h Maine Iyada oo leh xulashooyin kala duwan oo loogu talagalay diyaarinta canshuurta, Volunteer Ca$h Maine ayaa dadka ka caawin karta si badbaado leh

habka xereynta

Ka digtoonow isku dayga phishingka Khayaanada ayaa isticmaala iimaylka, xisaabaadka warbaahinta bulshada ee been abuurka ah, iyo noocyada kale ee agabka isgaadhsiinta ee khadka tooska ah si ay isugu dayaan inay xadaan furaha sir ta ah, lambarada akoontiga, nambarada Social Security-ga, iyo in ka badan Macluumaadkaas, waxay geli karaan akoonnada dadka, waxay ka iibin karaan macluumaadkooda kuwa wax khiyaano kale ah, waxayna ku xareyn karaan canshuur celin been ah magacooda

Si aad naaada u ilaaliso, karti geli filtarrada iimaylka, iska dhaaf codsiyada "saaxiibka"

ama " raac " codsiyada isticmaalayaasha aan la garanayn, oo isha ku hay wax kasta oo u muuqda shaki Ha gujin isku-xir yada eegaya shakiga ama ha furin wax lifaaq ah oo lama filaan ah Haddii nooc kasta oo isgaarsiineed (email, telefoon, warqad) uu ku hanjabo cawaaqib ama lumin fursad haddii tallaabo degdeg ah la qaadin - waxay u badan tahay khiyaano Habkan waxa loo adeegsadaa in dadka lagu degdego ficilka ka hor inta aanay fursad u helin inay bar taan sida loo wada xidhiidho ama caawimo weydiistaan

La soco xisaab xirka

Si firfircoon ula soco xisaabaadka dhaqdhaqaaqa shakiga leh Haddii wax aan caadi ahayn ugu muuqdaan khadka tooska ah ama bangiga gacanta, ama bayaan bangi, la xidhiidh hay'addaada maaliyadeed si aad ugu warbixiso sida ugu dhakhsaha badan

Dhaqdhaqaaqa shakiga leh waxaa laga yaabaa inay la macno tahay in qof haysto macluumaadkaaga shakhsiyeed, kaas oo loo isticmaali karo in lagu xareeyo soo celinta been abuurka ah Sidoo kale la soco macluumaadkaaga cashuur ta bogga Adeegga

Dakhliga Gudaha Internal Revenue Ser vice website Haddii aad noqoto dhibane xatooyo aqoonsiga, isla markiiba u soo sheeg IRS Gunta hoose Haddii aad filayso lacag celin iyo haddii kale, raacitaanka talooyinkan waxay kaa caawin karaan ka hortagga aqoonsigaaga in la xado Macluumaadka aqoonsiga shakhsi ahaaneed waa mid ka mid ah ilaha ugu qiimaha badan ee khiyaanada, markaa ku celcelinta caadooyinka wanaagsan iyo qaadashada tallaabooyin ka hor tag ah oo habboon waxay yareyn kartaa fursadahaaga inaad la kulanto khiyaamo maaliyadeed

E S PA Ñ O L

Prevención del robo de identidad fiscal

El robo de identidad fiscal, que es la presentación de declaraciones de impuestos falsas utilizando identidades robadas, es una forma de fraude fiscal que afecta a cientos de miles de contribuyentes cada año Desafortunadamente, los ladrones de identidad no presentan declaraciones de impuestos para ayudar a sus víctimas, sino que buscan el dinero del reembolso de impuestos de sus víctimas Saber qué pasos pueden tomar las personas para prevenir el robo de identidad

fiscal puede ayudar a las personas a reducir su riesgo:

Haga su declaración lo antes posible

Cuanto antes presente sus declaraciones de impuestos, es menos probable que sea víctima de un robo de reembolso de impuestos

Una vez que presente su declaración, cualquier otro intento de presentarla en su nombre será denegado automáticamente

Entonces, incluso si un estafador obtiene acceso a su número de Seguro Social, el ladrón de identidad no podrá presentar ni obtener acceso al reembolso

Mantenga privada la información de identificación personal

Para que un ladrón de identidad presente una declaración f raudulenta, necesitaría tener la información de identificación personal de su víctima Los ladrones de identidad pueden causar mucho daño financiero

con una billetera, correo o documentos perdidos o robados que se tiran Para limitar las posibilidades de robo de identidad, es impor tante proteger los documentos importantes en casa Estos incluyen la tarjeta del Seguro Social, el certificado de nacimiento, el pasapor te, los estados financieros y los documentos fiscales Guarde estos documentos en un lugar seguro Si tira cualquier documento que contenga información personal, rómpalo o triturelo primero Los ladrones pueden utilizar materiales confidenciales como estados de cuentas financieras, solicitudes u ofer tas de crédito, formularios de seguros, estados médicos, cheques y facturas de ser vicios públicos si buscan en la basura Mantener la información segura en el mundo digital es igualmente impor tante Para proteger la información, utilice la autenticación multifactor en todas las cuentas, cree contraseñas seguras y actualice regularmente su soware

Elija un preparador de impuestos de confianza

Antes de elegir un preparador de impuestos o un ser vicio de declaración de impuestos en línea, asegúrese de que sean un recurso confiable Busque reseñas de clientes o solicite referencias; eso aumenta las probabilidades de que la persona o el ser vicio sea legítimo y mantenga los datos seguros Puede calificar para ser vicios de preparación de impuestos gratuitos y confiables a través de Ca$h Maine C on una variedad de opciones para la preparación de impuestos, los voluntarios de Ca$h Maine pueden ayudar de manera segura a las personas durante el proceso de preparación

Tenga cuidado con los intentos de phishing (suplantación de identidad) Los estafadores usan correo electrónico, cuentas de redes sociales falsas y otras formas de herramientas de comunicación en línea para intentar robar contraseñas, números de cuenta, números de seguro social y más C on esa información, pueden obtener acceso a las cuentas de las personas, vender su información a otros estafadores y presentar declaraciones de impuestos fraudulentas a su nombre Para protegerse, habilite los filtros de correo no deseado, ignore las solicitudes de "amigo" o las solicitudes de "seguimiento" de usuarios que no conozca, y esté atento a cualquier cosa que parezca sospechosa No haga clic en enlaces que parezcan sospechosos ni abra archivos adjuntos inesperados Si una comunicación de algún tipo (correo electrónico, teléfono, carta) amenaza con una consecuencia o la pérdida de una oportunidad a menos que se tomen medidas urgentes, es probable que se trate de una estafa Este enfoque se utiliza para apresurar a las personas a actuar antes de que tengan la oportunidad de estudiar la comunicación o pedir ayuda Super visar las cuentas financieras Super vise activamente las cuentas en busca de actividad sospechosa Si algo parece fuera de lo común a través de la banca en línea o móvil, o en un extracto bancario, comuníquese con su institución financiera para informar lo antes posible La actividad sospechosa puede significar que alguien tiene su información personal, que puede usarse para presentar declaraciones fraudulentas También controle su información fiscal en el sitio web del Ser vicio de Impuestos Internos Si descubre que ha sido víctima de un robo de identidad, repórtelo de inmediato al IRS

La línea de fondo

Ya sea que espere o no un reembolso, seguir estos consejos puede ayudar a evitar que roben su identidad La información de identificación personal es uno de los recursos más valiosos para un estafador, por lo que practicar buenos hábitos y tomar las medidas preventivas adecuadas puede reducir sus posibilidades de sufrir un fraude financiero

Prepare early for tax process

In the U S , filing an a n n u a l tax return and paying income tax by April 15 each year is required C ollecting documents well ahead of time and storing them in a secure place is a good idea Here is a list of what you will need to help prepare for tax season

Personal information

Names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers are required for filing taxes is information will need to be listed for any family members (including spouses and dependents) To receive an electronic refund deposited to a bank account, gather the routing and account numbers for the account Any banking employee can help find this information; the routing number is oen listed on a financial institution’s website Refunds can also be issued by check

Tax documents

Januar y is the month when people start to receive documents needed for filing taxes ese are usually provided by employers and can include W-2s (a form that shows earnings for the prior year) or 1099s (another type of earnings form for contracted employees) It is important to claim all income that you earn over the course of the year, whether it is f rom a traditional employer, self-employment, or even what was paid in cash You may also receive one or more of the following: 1099-INT (Interest Income), 1098 (Mortgage Interest Statement), Health Savings Account Contribution or Distribution, or an IRA Distribution Form

Receipts

e Internal Revenue Ser vice (IRS) will sometimes grant credit for necessar y purchases made over the course of the year ese are called “deductions” and reduce the amount of income that is required to be repor ted When income is reduced, people may have to pay less in taxes or be able to receive a higher refund Gather receipts or other proof of purchase for expenses that may be able to be deducted is is called itemization ” Possible deductions include the cost of running a business, such as rent or business supplies; charitable donations; medical expenses, including the cost of health insurance; childcare expenses; educational expenses; personal contributions to retirement savings; and energ y-efficient home improvements See a tax professional or irs gov for a complete list

Filing taxes

Taxes can be prepared by hand and mailed to the IRS ey can also be filed online using tax preparation soware Small business owners oen use accountants to help prepare tax documents because accountants are well-versed in tax law S ome nonprofit organizations help people prepare taxes

Receiving refunds

If you are eligible to receive a refund, options include direct deposit or a check mailed to you Direct deposit allows the funds to be collected much faster Setting up a bank account ahead of time helps streamline the process of receiving these funds

Saving records

Aer filing your taxes, it is a good idea to keep all the documents together in a secure location, including receipts and copies of your tax forms, called returns en the following year, the process will be even more simple

E S PA Ñ O L

Prepárese temprano para el proceso de impuestos

En los EE UU , se requiere presentar una

declaración puestos an pagar el puesto sob la renta antes del 15 de abril de cada año Es u n a b u e n a idea recopilar los documento con muc anticipació guardarlos lugar segur una lista de lo que necesi tará para ayudar a prepararse para la temporada de impuestos

Información personal

S e requieren nombres, fechas de nacimiento y números de Seguro Social para declarar impuestos Esta información deberá incluirse para cualquier miembro de la familia (incluidos los cónyuges y dependientes) Para recibir un reembolso electrónico depositado en una cuenta bancaria, reúna los números de ruta y de cuenta de la cuenta Cualquier empleado bancario puede ayudar a encontrar esta información; el número de ruta a menudo aparece en el sitio web de una institución financiera Los reembolsos también se pueden emitir mediante cheque

Documentos fiscales

Enero es el mes en que las personas comienzan a recibir los documentos necesarios para declarar impuestos Por lo general, los proporcionan los empleadores y pueden incluir W-2 (un formulario que muestra las ganancias del año anterior) o 1099 (otro tipo de formulario de ganancias para empleados contratados) Es importante reclamar todos los ingresos que gana en el transcurso del año, ya sea de un empleador tradicional, trabajo por cuenta propia o incluso lo que se pagó en efectivo También puede recibir uno o más de los siguientes: 1099-INT (ingresos por intereses), 1098 (estado de cuenta de intereses hipotecarios), contribución o distribución de la cuenta de ahorros para la salud o un formulario de distribución de IRA

Ingresos

El Ser vicio de Impuestos Internos (IRS, por sus siglas en inglés) a veces otorgará crédito por las compras necesarias realizadas durante el transcurso del año Estas se denominan “deducciones” y reducen la cantidad de ingresos que se requiere declarar Cuando se reducen los ingresos, es posible que las personas tengan que pagar menos impuestos o recibir un reembolso mayor Reúna los recibos u otra prueba de compra de los gastos que puedan deducirse Esto se llama "desglose" L as posibles deducciones incluyen el costo de administrar un negocio, como el alquiler o los suministros comerciales; donaciones de caridad; gastos médicos, incluido el costo del seguro de salud; gastos de cuidado de niños; gastos educativos; aportes personales al ahorro para el retiro; y mejoras de eficiencia energética en el hogar C onsulte a un profesional de impuestos o vaya a irs gov para obtener una lista completa Declaración de impuestos

Los impuestos se pueden preparar a mano y enviar por correo al IRS También se pueden presentar en línea usando un soware de preparación de impuestos Los propietarios de pequeñas empresas a menudo usan contadores para ayudar a preparar documentos fiscales porque los contadores conocen bien la ley fiscal Algunas organizaciones sin fines de lucro ayudan a las personas a preparar los impuestos Recibiendo reembolsos

egible para recibir un olso, las opciones inen depósito directo o n cheque enviado por correo El depósito directo permite que los fondos se recauden mucho más rápido C onfigurar una cuenta bancaria con anticipación ayuda a agilizar el proceso de recepción de estos fondos

uardar registros

Después de declarar sus stos, es una buena idea r todos los documentos j ugar seguro, incluidos los recibos y copias de sus formularios de impuestos, llamados declaraciones Luego, al año siguiente, el proceso será aún más simple —

K I S WA H I L I

Jitayarishe mapema kwa

mchakato wa ushuru

Nchini Marekani, kuwasilisha marejesho ya kodi ya kila mwaka na kulipa kodi ya mapato kufikia tarehe 15 Aprili kila mwaka kunahitajika Kukusanya hati vizuri kabla ya wakati na kuzihifadhi mahali salama ni wazo zuri Hapa kuna orodha ya kile utahitaji kusaidia kujiandaa kwa msimu wa ushuru

Taarifa za kibinafsi Majina, tarehe za kuzaliwa na nambari za Usalama wa Jamii zinahitajika ili kuwasilisha kodi Taarifa hii itahitaji kuorodheshwa kwa wanafamilia wowote (pamoja na wanandoa na wategemezi) Ili kupokea pesa za kielektroniki zilizowekwa kwenye akaunti ya benki, kusanya njia na nambari za akaunti za akaunti Mfanyikazi yeyote wa benki anaweza kusaidia kupata habari hii; nambari ya uelekezaji mara nyingi imeorodheshwa kwenye tovuti ya taasisi ya kifedha Marejesho yanaweza pia kutolewa kwa hundi Hati za ushuru

Januari ni mwezi ambapo watu huanza kupokea hati zinazohitajika kwa ajili ya kuwasilisha kodi Kawaida hizi hutolewa na waajiri na zinaweza kujumuisha W-2 (fomu inayoonyesha mapato kwa mwaka uliotangulia) au 1099s (aina nyingine ya fomu ya mapato kwa wafanyikazi walio na kandarasi) Ni muhimu kudai mapato yote unayopata katika kipindi cha mwaka mzima, iwe ni kutoka kwa mwajiri wa kitamaduni, kujiajiri, au hata yale uliyolipwa kwa pesa

taslimu Unaweza pia kupokea moja au zaidi kati ya zifuatazo: 1099-INT (Mapato ya Riba), 1098 (Taarifa ya Riba ya Rehani), Mchango au Usambazaji wa Akaunti ya Akiba ya Afya, au Fomu ya Usambazaji ya IRA

Risiti

Huduma ya Mapato ya Ndani (IRS) wakati mwingine itatoa mkopo kwa ununuzi unaohitajika kufanywa katika kipindi cha mwaka Hizi huitwa "makato" na kupunguza kiwango cha mapato kinachohitajika kuripotiwa Mapato yanapopunguzwa, huenda watu wakalazimika kulipa kidogo zaidi katika kodi au waweze kurejeshewa pesa nyingi zaidi Kusanya risiti au uthibitisho mwingine wa ununuzi kwa

gharama ambazo zinaweza kukatwa Hii inaitwa "itemization " Makato yanayoweza kukatwa ni pamoja na gharama ya kuendesha biashara, kama vile kodi ya nyumba au vifaa v ya biashara; michango ya hisani; gharama za matibabu, ikiwa ni pamoja na gharama ya bima ya afya; gharama za utunzaji wa watoto; gharama za elimu; michango ya kibinafsi kwa akiba ya kustaafu; na uboreshaji wa nyumba zisizo na nishati Tazama mtaalamu wa kodi au irs gov kwa orodha kamili

Kuwasilisha kodi Ushur u unaweza kutayarishwa kwa

mkono na kutumwa kwa IRS Wanaweza pia kuwasilishwa mtandaoni kwa kutumia programu ya kuandaa ushuru Wafanyabiashara wadogo mara nyingi hutumia wahasibu ili kusaidia kuandaa nyaraka za kodi kwa sababu wahasibu wanafahamu sheria ya kodi Baadhi ya mashirika yasiyo ya faida huwasaidia watu kuandaa kodi

Kupokea marejesho

Iwapo unastahiki kurejeshewa pesa, chaguo ni pamoja na amana ya moja kwa moja au hundi iliyotumwa kwako Amana ya moja kwa moja inaruhusu pesa kukusanywa kwa haraka zaidi Kufungua akaunti ya benki kabla ya wakati husaidia kurahisisha mchakato wa kupokea fedha hizi Kuhifadhi kumbukumbu Baada ya kuwasilisha kodi zako, ni vyema kuweka hati zote pamoja mahali salama, ikiwa ni pamoja na risiti na nakala za fomu zako za kodi, zinazoitwa marejesho Kisha mwaka uliofuata, mchakato utakuwa rahisi zaidi

I K I N YA R WA N DA

Te g ura hak iri k are ibijyanye n’ imisoro

Muri U S , kugaragaza imisoro ndetse no kwishyura umusoro ku mutungo winjizwa bitarenze tariki 15 z ukwa Kane buri mwaka ni itegeko Kwegeranya ibikenewe byose kandi ukabibika ahantu hizewe ni ibintu byiza cyane Dore urutonde r w’ibyo uzakenera kugirango ubashe kuzuza ibijyanye n’imisoro Amakuru akwerekeye Amazina, amatariki y ’amavuko, ndetse na numero iranga umuntu birakener wa mu kuzuza imisoro Aya makuru kuri buri wese mu bagize umur yango aba agomba kugaragazwa (harimo uwo mwashakanye ndetse n ’abana) Kugirango usubizwe imisoro ku bur yo bw’ikoranabuhanga amadolari agashyir wa kuri konti yawe, egeranya numero ya banki ndetse na numero ya konti yawe Buri mukozi wa banki ashobora kugufasha kubona aya makur u; akenshi numero iranga banki iba iboneka ku r ubuga r wa interineti r wa banki c yang wa ikigo c y’imari mukorana Amadolari wemerewe gusubizwa kandi ashobora kukugeraho hakoreshejwe sheke Impapuro z ’imisoro Ukwa mbere ni ukwezi abantu batangira kwakira impapuro zikener wa mu kuzuza ibijyanye n’imisoro Akenshi izi mpapuro zitang wa n ’umukoresha ugasanga akenshi zigizwe n’izwitwa W-2 (urupapuro r werekana amafaranga winjije mu mwaka wabanje) cyang wa se ur witwa 1099 (urundi rupapuro ruhabwa abakorera ku masezerano y’igihe gito) Gusaba imisoro wemerewe ku byo winjije byose mu mwaka ni ingenzi c yane, haba umushahara wakoreye mu kazi bisanzwe, yaba ayo winjije wikorera, ndetse n ’ ayo wishyuwe muntoki Ushobora kandi kwakira rumwe cyang wa se nyinshi muri izi mpapuro: 1099-INT (inyungu kubyinjijwe), 1098 (ur utonde r w’inyungu ku Mwenda w’inzu), konti yo kwizigamira mu bwunganizi mu buvuzi, c yang wa se IRA Distribution form, ari r wo r upapuro r uhabwa ababikuje ku bwizigamire bwabo bw’izabukuru

inyemezabwishyu

Ikigo gishinzwe imisoro imbere mu gihugu (IRS) hari ubwo gitanga amanota igihe uguze bimwe mu bintu bikener wa mu mwaka wose Ibi ni byo bita “deductions” ibi bikagabanya ingano y ’amadolari umuntu asabwa kugaragaza Igihe ibyinjijwe bigabanyijwe, abantu bashobora gusabwa kwishyura imisoro mike, c yang wa se gusubizwa ayisumbuyeho Egeranya inyemezabwishyu c yang wa se ikindi c yemeza ubugure ku bintu bihenze uba waraguze maze bigufashe kuba wasubizwa amadolari yisumbuyeho Ibi ni byo bita mu cyongereza

“itemization ” Bimwe mu bishobora kukugabanyiriza imisoro harimo nk’ikiguzi c yo

gukora ubucur uzi bwawe nk’ubukode c yang wa se ibikoresho by’ubucur uzi; ayatanzwe mu bikor wa by’ubugiraneza; ayo kwivuza, harimo n’ikiguzi c y ’ubwishingizi mu kwivuza; amafaranga yishyur wa amarerero, amadolari yishyur wa amashuri; ur uhare r wawe mu gushyigikira konti yo kuzigamira izabukur u, harimo kandi n’ikiguzi c yo guteza imbere no kugabanya

ingufu inzu yifashisha Ushaka urutonde rurambuye wakwegera impuguke mu misoro cyang wa se ugasura urubuga irs gov

Kuzuza iby ’imisoro

Imisoro ishobora kuzuzwa umuntu akoresheje intoki ubundi akayohereza kuri IRS

Ushobora kandi kuyuzuza hifashishijwe ikoranabuhanga hifashishijwe apurikasiyo zabigenewe Abafite ubucur uzi buto akenshi

bifashisha impuguke mu by’icungamutungo

kugirango zibafashe kuzuza impapuro z ’ u-

musoro bitewe n ’uko aba bantu baba

bahugukiwe neza ibijyanye n ’amategeko

agenga imisoro Bimwe mu bigo bidaharanira inyungu bifasha abantu kuzuza

imisoro

Gusubizwa imisoro

Niba wemerewe gusubizwa imisoro, ufite ubur yo bwo kuyakira kuri konti c yang wa

kukoherereza sheke mur ugo aho utuye

Kunyuza amadolari yawe kuri konti bifasha mu gutuma umuntu yakira amadolari ye byihuse Gushyira numero yawe ya konti muri

sisiteme hakiri kare bifasha mu gutuma

amadolari yawe akugeraho hakiri kare

Kubika ibimenyetso

Nyuma yo kuzuza iby’imisoro, ni ngombwa c yane kubika neza impapuro zose kandi ahantu hamwe kandi hizewe, harimo inyemezabwishyu hamwe na za kopi z impapuro zawe z’imisoro Ubundi umwaka ukurikiyeho, bigatuma woroher wa c yane n’icyo gikor wa

F R A N Ç A I S

Se préparer tôt à la procédure fiscale Aux États-Unis, il est obligatoire de remplir une déclaration de revenus annuelle et de payer l'impôt sur le revenu avant le 15 avril de chaque année Il est bon de rassembler des documents bien à l'avance et de les conser ver dans un endroit sûr Voici une liste de ce dont vous aurez besoin pour vous préparer à la saison des impôts

Informations personnelles

Le nom, la date de naissance et le numéro de sécurité sociale sont nécessaires pour la déclaration d'impôts Ces informations devront être indiquées pour tous les membres de la famille (y compris les conjoints et les personnes à charge) Pour recevoir un remboursement électronique déposé sur un compte bancaire, rassemblez les numéros d'acheminement et de compte du compte Tout employé de banque peut vous aider à trouver ces informations ; le numéro d'acheminement est souvent indiqué sur le site Web d'une institution financière Les remboursements peuvent également être émis par chèque

Documents fiscaux

Janvier est le mois où l'on commence à rec

les documents nécessaires à la déclaration d'impôts Ces documents sont généralement fournis par les employeurs et peuvent comprendre des W-2 (un formulaire indiquant les revenus de l année précédente) ou des 1099 (un autre type de formulaire indiquant les revenus des employés sous contrat) Il est important de déclarer tous les revenus que vous gagnez au cours de l'année, qu'ils proviennent d'un employeur traditionnel, d'un travail indépendant ou même d'un paiement en espèces Vous pouvez également recevoir un ou plusieurs des documents suivants : 1099-INT (revenus d'intérêts), 1098 (relevé d'intérêts hypothécaires), cotisation ou distribution d'un compte d'épargne santé, ou un formulaire de distribution d'un IRA Reçus

L'Internal Revenue Ser vice (IRS) accorde parfois des crédits pour des achats nécessaires effectués au cours de l'année C es achats sont appelés "déductions" et réduisent le montant du revenu qui doit être déclaré Lorsque le revenu est réduit, les gens peuvent avoir à payer moins d'impôts ou recevoir un remboursement plus élevé R assemblez les reçus ou autres preuves d'achat pour les dépenses qui peuvent être déduites C'est ce qu ' on appelle le "détail des dépenses" Les déductions possibles comprennent le coût de l'exploitation d'une entreprise, comme le loyer ou les fournitures professionnelles, les dons de charité, les frais médicaux, y compris le coût de l'assurance maladie, les frais de garde d'enfants, les frais d'éducation, les contributions personnelles à l'épargne-retraite et les améliorations énergétiques de la maison Consultez un professionnel de l'impôt ou irs gov pour obtenir une liste complète

Dépôt des impôts

Les impôts peuvent être préparés à la main et envoyés par courrier à l'IRS Ils peuvent également être déposés en ligne à l'aide d'un logiciel de préparation des impôts Les propriétaires de petites entreprises font souvent appel à des comptables pour les aider à préparer les documents fiscaux, car ces derniers connaissent bien la législation fiscale Certaines organisations à but non lucratif aident les gens à préparer leurs impôts

Recevoir des remboursements

Si vous avez le droit de recevoir un remboursement, vous pouvez opter pour le dépôt direct ou un chèque envoyé par la poste Le dépôt direct permet de percevoir les fonds beaucoup plus rapidement L'ouverture d'un compte bancaire à l'avance permet de rationaliser le processus de réception de ces fonds

Conser ver les dossiers

Après avoir rempli votre déclaration d'impôts, il est bon de conser ver tous les documents ensemble dans un endroit sûr, y compris les reçus et les copies de vos formulaires fiscaux, appelés déclarations L'année suivante, le processus sera encore plus simple

P O RT U G U Ê S

Preparar cedo para o processo fiscal

Nos EUA, é necessário apresentar uma depagar imposto e abril de cada os com antenum local sedeia Aqui está e precisa para parar a tempopostos ações pesomes, datas de cimento e meros da S eurança S ocial ão necessários para a apresentação de impostos Esta

informação terá de ser listada para qualquer membro da família (incluindo cônjuges e dependentes) Para receber um reembolso eletrónico depositado numa conta bancária, recolha os números de encaminhamento e conta para a conta Qualquer funcionário bancário pode ajudar a encontrar esta informação; o número de encaminhamento é frequentemente listado no site de uma instituição financeira Os reembolsos também podem ser emitidos por cheque Documentos fiscais

Janeiro é o mês em que as pessoas começam a receber documentos necessários para a apresentação de impostos Estes são geralmente fornecidos pelos empregadores e podem incluir W-2s (um formulário que mostra ganhos para o ano anterior) ou 1099s (outro tipo de formulário de ganhos para os trabalhadores contratados) É importante reivindicar todos os rendimentos que obtém ao longo do ano, seja de um empregador tradicional, do trabalho por conta própria ou mesmo do que foi pago em dinheiro Pode ainda receber um ou mais dos seguintes documentos: 1099-INT ( Juros), 1098 (Declaração de Juros Hipotecários), C ontribuição ou Distribuição da C onta

Poupança Saúde ou Um Formulário de Distribuição do IRA Recibos

O S er viço de Receita Interna (IRS) por vezes concede crédito pelas compras necessárias efetuárias ao longo do ano Estas são chamadas de "deduções" e reduzem o montante dos rendimentos que é necessário para serem repor tados Quando o rendimento é reduzido, as pessoas podem ter de pagar menos em impostos ou poder receber um reembolso mais elevado Recolha recibos ou outro comprovativo de compra para despesas que possam ser deduzidas Isto chama-se "itemização" As possíveis deduções incluem o custo de gestão de uma empresa, como o arrendamento ou o fornecimento de negócios; doações de caridade; despesas médicas, incluindo o custo do seguro de saúde; despesas de acolhimento de crianças; despesas de educação; contribuições pessoais para a poupança de reforma; e melhorias de casas energeticamente eficientes Consulte um profissional fiscal ou irs gov para obter uma lista completa Depósito de impostos

Os impostos podem ser preparados à mão e enviados para o IRS Também podem ser arquivados online usando soware de preparação fiscal Os pequenos empresários usam frequentemente os contabilistas para ajudar a preparar documentos fiscais porque os contabilistas são bem versados na legislação fiscal Algumas organizações sem fins lucrativos ajudam as pessoas a preparar impostos

Receber reembolsos

Se você é elegível para receber um reembolso, as opções incluem depósito direto, ou um cheque enviado para você O depósito direto permite que os fundos sejam recolhidos muito mais rapidamente A criação de uma conta bancária com antecedência ajuda a agilizar o processo de receção destes fundos Guardar registos

Depois de apresentar os seus impostos, é uma boa ideia manter todos os documentos juntos num local seguro, incluindo recibos e cópias dos seus formulários fiscais, chamadas devoluções Então, no ano seguinte, o processo será ainda mais simples

S O M A L I

U diyaargarow goor hore habka canshuurta

Dalka Mareykanka, xereynta canshuur celinta sanadlaha ah iyo bixinta canshuurta dakhliga Abriil 15 sanad walba ayaa loo baahan yahay In la ururiyo dukumeenti waqti ka hor oo lagu kaydiyo meel ammaan ah waa fikrad wanaagsan Halkan waxaa ah liis

ah waxaad u baahan doonto si aad gacan uga geysato diyaarinta xilliga canshuurta Warbixin shaqsiyeed Magac yada, taariikhda dhalashada, iyo nambarada Lambarka Bulshada ayaa looga baahan yahay xereynta canshuuraha Macluumaadkan ayaa u baahan doona in lagu qoro xubnaha qoyska (oo ay ku jiraan lamaanaha iyo kuwa ku tiirsan) Si aad u hesho lacag celin elektaroonik ah oo lagu shubay akoon bangi, soo ur uri lambarada wareega iyo xisaabaadka akoontiga

Shaqaale kasta oo bangiyeed ayaa kaa caawin kara helida macluumaadkan; nambarka dariiqa inta badan wuxuu ku qoran yahay mareegaha hay'adda maaliyadeed L acag celinta sidoo kale waxaa lagu bixin karaa jeeg

Dukumentiyada canshuur ta Janaayo waa bisha marka ay dadku bilaabaan helitaanka dukumeentiyada looga baahan yahay xereynta canshuurta Kuwaas waxaa badanaa bixiya loo-shaqeeyayaasha waxaana ku jiri kara W-2s (foom muujinaya dakhligii sannadkii hore) ama 1099s (nooc kale oo dakhli ah oo loogu talagalay shaqaalaha qandaraaska haysta) Waa muhiim inaad sheegato dhammaan dakhliga aad kasbato muddada sanadka, hadday tahay shaqo-bixiye dhaqameed, iskaa u shaqeyste, ama xataa waxa lagu bixiyay lacag caddaan ah Waxa kale oo aad heli kartaa mid ama in ka badan oo ka mid ah kuwan soo socda: 1099-INT (Dakhliga dulsaarka), 1098 ( Bayaanka Dulsaarka Amaahda), Qay binta Koontada Kaydka Caafimaadka, ama Foomka Qaybinta IRA

Rasiidhada

Adeegga Dakhliga Gudaha (IRS) ayaa mararka qaarkood ku siin doona credit iibsiyada lagama maarmaanka ah ee la sameeyo muddada sanadka Kuwaas waxaa loo yaqaan "jar-jar yada" waxayna yareeyaan qaddarka dakhliga ee loo baahan yahay in la soo sheego Marka dakhliga la dhimo, dadku waxa laga yaabaa inay bixiyaan cashuur ka yar ama ay awoodaan inay helaan lacag celin sare U soo ururi rasiidhada ama cadaymaha kale ee iibsashada kharashyada laga yaabo in laga jari karo Tan waxa loo yaqaan "shaybaadh " Wax ka jarista suurtagalka ah waxaa ka mid ah kharashka socodsiinta ganacsiga, sida kirada ama saadka ganacsiga; deeqaha samafalka; kharashyada caafimaadka, oo ay ku jiraan kharashka caymiska caafimaadka; kharashyada dar yeelka ilmaha; kharashaadka waxbarashada; wax ku biirinta shakhsi ahaaneed ee kaydinta hawlgabka; iyo hagaajinta guriga tamar-ku-ool ah Liis dhamaystiran ka eeg xirfadle cashuureed ama irs gov

Xareynta canshuuraha

Canshuuraha waxaa lagu diyaarin karaa gacanta waxaana lagu diri karaa IRS Waxa kale oo lagu xerayn karaa onlayn iyadoo la isticmaalayo soware diyaarinta cashuurta Milkiilayaasha ganacsiga yar yar waxay inta badan isticmaalaan xisaabiyeyaasha si ay uga caawiyaan diyaarinta dukumentiyada canshuur ta sababtoo ah xisaabiyeyaasha ayaa si fiican u yaqaan sharciga canshuurta Qaar ka mid ah ururada aan faa'iido doonka ahayn ayaa dadka ka caawiya diyaarinta canshuuraha

Helitaanka lacag celin

Haddii aad xaq u leedahay in laguu soo celiyo, xulashooyinka waxaa ka mid ah deebaaji toos ah ama jeeg laguu soo diray Debaajiga tooska ah wuxuu u oggolaanayaa in lacagaha si dhakhso leh loo ur uriyo Samaynta akoon bangi wakhti ka hor waxa ay gacan ka gaysanaysaa habsocodka helitaanka lacagahan

Kaydinta diiwaanada

Ka dib marka aad xarayso cashuurtaada, waxa fiican in aad dhammaan dukumeentiyada ku wada xafido meel ammaan ah, oo ay ku jiraan rasiidhada iyo nuqullada foomamka cashuur ta, ee loo yaqaanno celinta Kadib sanadka soo socda, habka ayaa noqon doona mid aad u fudud

Care erC enters help job se ekers

By Angelina Klouthis

If you are looking for a job, want to advance in your career, or learn more about training oppor tunities, the Maine CareerC enters are a great place to start Each CareerCenter has a team of consultants ready to assist you, no matter what your career goals are To learn more, Maine Depar tment of L abor talked with Diane Uwera, a career consultant based in Portland CareerCenter

Please tell us a little about yourself

I grew up in Rwanda and have been working as a career consultant at the Greater Portland CareerCenter for almost a year Although I am somewhat new to my position, it brings me great joy to connect community members to career opportunities

CareerC enters provide a variety of employment and training ser vices at no charge for workers and businesses We assist all sizes of employers with recr uiting, hiring, training, workforce ser vices, and access to labor market information We also help individuals or job seekers connect with quality training and employment

What typically happens when someone comes to a CareerCenter for the first time?

ere is always a team member available to welcome people to the CareerCenter and let them know about ser vices and programs

Typically, we first ask a few questions to de-

Even if you aren’t sure what you want to do, the C a r e e rC enter is a great plac to explo work opt

LLA TUOBA HT E WORKFORCE Brought to you by ê

We have so activities that we can guide you through to help determine what might be a great fit Some of my favorite career programs for people interested in tr ying something new are “earn-while-you-learn” opportunities – where you earn a paycheck while you explore new opportunities

With Maine JobLink, an online resource we can help you navigate, we can assist individuals in finding a job and learning about resources related to employment and training ser vices ese ser vices include, but are not limited to: upcoming workshops, job trainings, funding, and support ser vices for eligible Maine residents to pursue degree programs or other training that can lead to high-wage, quality jobs

What if I need help making a resume?

Ever yone can benefit from resume help!

If you are new to making a U S resume, we offer introductor y classes If you already have a resume, a CareerC enter consultant will work with you to improve what you have

A career counselor like myself can also sit down with you and share ideas Depending upon your experience, we can recommend inter view workshops or get you connected to other opportunities to highlight all of the skills you would bring to an employer

at if I have a complicated past istor y of employment?

We believe that each person has unique skills to offer

Whether you are foreigntrained, have a histor y with the criminal justice system, took some time out of the workforce, or just don’t have a lot of experience, we can help

We will work with you to undernd any barriers you may have, as as your challenges, and your

We have a lot of experience meeting people where they are – for example, if they need an employer that offers a flexible work schedule because of childcare issues, or if they need help with transportation

What if I don’t speak English?

CareerCenters strive to employ staff that reflect the communities they ser ve For example, I speak French and am happy to help people out in French Additionally, any customer who requests an interpreter can have one for free for the duration of ser vices offered in the CareerC enter E ach CareerCenter has a sign posted – just point to your preferred language and a team member will get an interpreter on the phone if needed Where are the CareerCenters located and how can I connec t?

ere are 12 CareerCenter locations in the state, and all have both in-person and virtual ser vices CareerCenter staff can also oen be found out in the community, such as in local libraries To find your local CareerC enter, visit www mainecareercenter gov/locations/ e CareerC enter can also be reached by email at MaineDOL CareerCenter@maine gov, by phone at (207) 623-7981, or through the LiveChat feature at MaineCareerCenter gov

Tips

& info

If it se ems too good to be tr ue, it probably is: protec ting yourself f rom scam s

By Bistra Nikiforova and Sylvia Harkins

Have you ever heard the phrase, “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is”? is describes situations which seem so good that their possibility is unbelievable or unlikely to happen Scams are examples of these too good to be true” encounters A scam is a dishonest scheme or fraud – a series of actions by a person or a group intended to misguide another person to give their money away

Have you ever received an email or phone call that announces you have won a trip to a nice vacation spot or – even better – that you have won the national lotter y in another countr y? ink about it: how could you win a trip when you never entered the competition? It’s a scam! e same applies to the message you get explaining that you have inherited money from an aunt – one you never heard of! And to the work somebody says they’ ll do to fix your roof for a fraction of the cost others have quoted, but you have to pre-pay 50% of the negotiated amount be-

fore the job begins? Financial hardship can push us to fall for these “too good to be true” situations

Some scams rely on what is known as the “L aw and Order” voice – emails or phone calls that announce you have failed to send a payment for your car, or that you are the subject of tax-evasion investigation, or that your computer virus protection program is turned off because of a missed payment, or that there is something wrong with your green card and it will be taken away All of these scams have one goal – to scare us and make us act immediately Many people will call the given phone number to avoid being arrested, or click on the link to pay We act because we are scared

One of the most common scams involves romance e scammers prey on people’s loneliness and their hopes of finding the love of their life rough madeup stories of misfortunes, the scammer –hidden behind a fake picture – steals money f rom their victim, an innocent person who was just looking for love

So take a few hours to carefully think things over before handing over money Reach out to somebody you trust and ask them what they think of the situation And remember the phrase “too good to be tr ue ” when judging a situation Finally, you think you might have fallen for a scam, do not hesitate to use this link to report it: reportfraud c gov/#/

Scammers try to t tims by imperson trustworthy organi tions. For example, scammers may contact vic tims by phone, te or email, posing a nancial institutio well-known company such as N e t f l i x , Geek Squad, or Amazon. Once they make contact, they will attempt to gather account-sensitive information such as online banking details, a debit card number, verification code, or PIN number. They use sophisticated software that disguises their phone number or email to appear that it is from a reliable source. If anyone asks you for sensitive information like that listed above, hang up.

Education

Sponsored by

Fulfilling potential: a path for ward for fore ig n-trained physicians in Maine

By Sally Sutton, Program Coordinator, New Mainers Resource Center, Por tland Adult Education

On Januar y 19, the New Mainers Resource C enter (NMRC), Por tland Adult Education, and the Daniel Hanley Center for Health Leadership came together to host a remote conference, “Fulfilling Potential: Foreign Trained Physicians

A Pathway For ward for Maine ”

As Maine tries to address healthcare workforce shortages, the foreign-trained physicians living in Maine are a resource for the state ese doctors have gone to medical school, been licensed, have years of practice in their home countr y, and have immigrated to and now live in Maine Many arrived here as refugees and asylum seekers For a range of reasons, the vast majority are not able to complete the numerous steps in the licensing process to be able to apply to the Maine B oard of Licensure in Medicine is situation is not unique to Maine but is a national problem

During the past few years, several states have begun to look at this issue For NMRC and the Daniel Hanley Center, this seemed like an opportune time for Maine to also explore steps that the state can take to help these physicians fully use their knowledge and skills Maine can learn a great deal from other states, but also must learn from the doctors themselves who are living here Together we can come together to cra a solution for the state

e conference included leaders from around the countr y who shared their insights and experiences about how to best address the issue of skilled physicians not being allowed to practice in Maine Some of Maine’s foreign-trained doctors told their stories and shared the challenges they face as they tr y to enter the Maine healthcare field

Several other states, such as Colorado and Massachusetts,

have established state commissions to gather information about this complex issue and then recommend strategies that will work for that state One of the purposes of Maine’s conference was to lay the groundwork to introduce legislation that would establish a similar commission in Maine

Wrapping up the conference, Lewiston Representative and Assistant House Majority Leader Kristen Cloutier spoke about such legislation that she is sponsoring: “An Act to Establish a Special C ommission Regarding Foreign-Trained Physicians Living in Maine ” Cloutier said the commission would bring together interested stakeholders to discuss what would work best for Maine

While establishing a Special Commission would be a great step for ward in helping foreign-trained physicians meet these challenges, employers, schools, funders, and others can take helpful steps that don’t require legislative action In 2020, NMRC released its Repor t of the Foreign-Trained Health Professional Licensing Pilot Project, which presented findings and recommendations aimed at reducing barriers not just for doctors, but for other health professionals as well Many of the recommendations are also more broadly applicable to other skilled or licensed professionals

For more information about the proposed legislation, NMRC’s report, or additional information related to suppor ting foreign-trained physicians, contact: Sally Sutton, NMRC Program C oordinator, suttos@por tlandschools org, or Vanessa Sylvester, NMRC Healthcare Professions Program Associate, sylvev@portlandschools org

Dr David Ngala, from DRC, 1st year Medical Resident in Internal Medicine Residency Program, Maine Medical Center

Welcome to PA E’s E S OL5 showcase

e three ESOL5 classes at Portland Adult Education

two meeting in person and one online

spent the fall working on a project comparing their home communities to Portland Each student chose a specific topic to focus on Students visited websites, practiced summarizing and paraphrasing information, and learned how to cite sources. Some used a rubric to help identif y errors in spelling, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation, and ever yone made many corrections Some errors remain, underscoring the difficulty of learning English

I created this community projec t in the fall of 2018 with several goals in mind. First and foremost, students would learn and practice skills to help them in their future academic life, such as conducting internet research, citing sources, editing their work , and planning and delivering an oral presentation – all in English

Also, the projec t would give students an oppor tunity to share information about their home countries. This sharing would motivate them to work hard, and show them that others in the communit y value them and their contr ibutions. As you read excer pts from student repor ts, I hope you will benefit by learning a little about the places the students call “home ”

Shoshana Hoose, ESOL Teacher, Por tland Adult Education

A comparison of popular food in Maine and Abidjan, C ôte d’ Ivoire By Epiphanie

Pizza is a staple food in Portland and garba is a staple in Abidjan both foods come from other countries pizza is from Italy, and garba is from Niger e preparation isn’t the same To make a pizza, we have to bake it in the oven and add cheese For garba we don’t need the oven or cheese –just fr y the red tuna fish in ver y hot oil, and aer the red tuna fish is ready, you can eat it with cassava semolina and some chopped raw vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and chilies (red and green peppers)

Garba is one of the dishes of the Ivor y Coast Attiéké is a side dish made from cassava and is a popular traditional cuisine in West Africa Garba is named aer a leader from Niger, and is sold mainly by Nigerien nationals In 1990, with the arrival of a musical genre Zouglou to Ivor y Coast, garba became increasingly popular among Ivorians Garba is popular among Ivorians and generally sold by men in small street stalls called gabardromes

Garba is the ultimate traditional fast food, quick and cheap For the population of the Ivor y Coast, especially Abidjan, it’s even better when you eat it with your fingers Pizza also is a common fast food in the United States and it’s even better to eat with your fingers So ever y hour is good to eat them, like breakfast, lunch, or dinner I grew up eating garba in my countr y and I love it When I moved to Maine and tried pizza for the first time, I didn’t like it too much – but aer tr ying it more I began to like it a lot I found that there were many varieties to choose from, and I like pepperoni and vegetables the best I will always like garba better because it brings good memories

Por tland Adult Education

offers six levels of English s t u d y. E SO L 5 i s co n s i de re d i n te r m e d i a te E n gl i s h , ro ug h l y e q u i va l e n t to fi f t h - g ra d e E n g l i s h s k i l l s S o m e E SO L 5 s t ud e n t s h a ve s l ow l y worked their way up the l e ve l s. O t h e r s, p a r t i c ul a r l y t h o s e w h o we re we l l - e d u ca te d i n t h e i r home countries, have adva n ce d m o re q u i c k l y M a ny s t u d e n t s s p e a k multiple languages. They d ra w o n t h a t l a n g ua g e k nowledge to help them master English

Photo by Mark Mattos

Photo by Richard Connelly

Por tland Adult E d ESOL Showc ase

We ddings in Portland and Mogadishu

By Khadra

In both cities, on the wedding day, the bride and groom ’ s families and friends come together to celebrate ere is dancing, music, and food! Also, the guests give the couples gis

In Somalia, there is a special gi given to the groom ’ s family by the bride’s family called Xeedho It is a wooden container which has a special meal placed inside it In Mogadishu, before the actual wedding reception, there is a small ceremony that is called the Nikkah Nikkah is the religious ceremony required by Islamic law (marriage contract) It is the most important part of the wedding Aer the Nikkah, the actual wedding starts On the other hand, in Portland there is no Nikkah In Mogadishu, the wedding’s cost and expenses are paid by the groom But in Portland, both the bride and groom ’ s families usually share the cost

ere is also a difference about who goes down the aisle first in Maine and Somalia weddings In Mogadishu, the bride comes in first with her bridesmaids, then the groom comes a few hours later When both of them sit down, all the dancing and music starts ey cut the cake and then the wedding ends with taking the bride and the groom to their new home In a Portland wedding, the groom and his parents come first, and then the bride comes down the aisle with her father, and he gives her away to the groom en they take the vows and they cut the cake Even though in both cities the wedding cultures are different, the meaning behind it is the same, which is to celebrate their big day

I am going to compare bir yani from Dhak a, Bangladesh, with an American food – burgers from Por tland, Maine. One of the similarities between bir yani and burgers is that both of them are heavy foods Bengalis eat bir yani at lunch or dinner time, and Americans also eat burgers at lunch or dinner time But burgers are not healthy I t can make us fat Bir yani is like a burger because bir yani has a lot of spices and masala S o, eating too much is also not good for [one’s] health. Another similarity is that bir yani and burgers are both delicious foods that are popular and loved by the people of their countr y or city Bengalis only eat bir yani occasionally ever y time there is anything special like a bir thday, wedding, or guest coming They never get tired of eating it, and because of its r ich ingredients and spices, it is a satisfying meal that fills you quick ly. In the words of Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Thakur, “I have loved you hundreds of times in hundreds of ways ” Americans also eat burgers occasionally sometimes Americans make burgers on holidays like 4th of July Also, bir yani are made with meat, and burgers are also made with meat S ome people eat vegetables with bir yani They make salad to eat with bir yani Some people also add lettuce, tomato, olive, cucumber, and other vegetables to the burger One big difference between bir yani and burgers is that bir yani is made with rice, but burgers are eaten with bread They are also cooked in different ways Burgers are much easier to cook than bir yani A burger is a patty of ground beef, grilled and placed bet ween t wo halves of a bun I t is cooked on medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes and then flipped and cooked for another 3 to 5 minutes Then we can add other optional toppings or ingredients like vegetables and sauces as we like Bir yani [requires] a lot of steps and ingredients Bir yani is basically cooked in one of two ways In Pakki bir yani, meat and r ice are cooked separately, then placed in layers for roasting To make K achi bir yani, mutton is mar inated with yogur t and spices over night, then placed at the bottom of a big cook ing pot Potatoes and rice go on top of the meat and the lid of the pot is sealed with dough to make it air tight The meat, potatoes, and rice all are cooked together over a slow fire which helps the dish retain its natural aromas

Bibi Kulsum

A difference bet ween [the transpor tation systems of ] Kinsha sa and Por tland is that the costs of public bus transpor tation in Por tland are fixed: $2 for local ser vice, and $4 for Breez bus because it is an express ser vice Conversely, in Kinsha sa the price varies according to the hours and temperament of the drivers, contrar y to the price list published by the Cit y Hall.

Jean Claude, DRC

The climate of Togo is charac ter ized by two seasons (rainy season and dr y season) but the climate of Por tland enjoys four different seasons (winter, spr ing, summer, fall). In Togo, the rains star t in April and end in November The dr y season runs from December to March during the rainy season, ever ything comes alive The plants grow into beautiful, healthy, produc tive crops with beautiful green leaves and the animals give bir th and multiply Then we can see new small birds learn how to fly and sing in the blue wide sk y … When the cold of winter in Por tland lays white snow on the ground, then in Togo the dr y season hits heavily and the countr y goes through tough times What a contrast is this?! Both climates have a season of rest where the plants die I n Togo this season is hot and dr y ; in Por tland this season is winter, where the temperatures are ver y cold, and it snows The climates and seasonal changes are ver y different between Togo and Maine.

Nimome

Photo by Mark Mattos

Photo by Mark Mattos

Photo by Mark Mattos

Photo by Mark Mattos

Por tland Adult E d ESOL Showc ase

We dding day in Burundi By arcisse

Today I will tr y to tell you about weddings in my countr y e wedding party is generally celebrated on Saturdays guests are present, some coming from different places across the countr y, even from outside e wedding ceremonies start with a civil ceremony [and] the exchange of wedding rings in the presence of the close family of groom and bride Aer that, we have a wedding mass attended by almost all of the wedding guests

Aer the mass follows a short session of souvenir photos with close members of the two families And finally the reception where we eat and we drink, especially beer, because in my countr y people like it so much

During the reception, the groom ’ s father welcomes the guests and the bride’s father officially gives his daughter to the groom; it is the most important moment of the ceremony During this time, gis are offered to the newlyweds Some of them give cows, sheep, building plots, and different things

Aer that, most of people go home, but the newlyweds’ friends continue with a dancing party

Pet ownership in Iraq and Maine

I n Por tland, p eople eat corn on the cob with butter. In Angola, we eat corn on the cob also, but without butter And we also use corn to make our traditional meal, which we c all funge. First we dr y [the corn] and we smash it. Af ter that it is ready for the funge. Corn is used in Angola out of the cob by boiling it and mixing it with other ingredients such as p ork , sausage, homemade chorizo, cabbage, onion, collard, garlic, carrot, tomatoes, olive oil, bay leaves. I n Angola, we feed doves with cracked corn.

– Teresa

Th e re t a i l m a rke t i n L i b re v i l l e, G a b o n , i s p re d o m inantly informal, [however] that of Por tland, Maine, is highly structured and formalized. We see big diffe re n ce s b e t we e n t h e wa y t h e m a rke t i s o rg a n i ze d i n t h e s e t wo places In Libreville, the price of go o ds is alway s negotiable when buying, because we p a y w i t h ca s h d i re c t l y to t h e ow n e r s o f t h e g o o d s. I n Po r tland, retail prices are non-negotiable, and accounting involves sophisticated ca sh register mac h i n e s t h a t a cce p t b o t h ca s h and cards, with or without the inter vention of a ca shier.

– Guelore

By Shaymaa

ere are a lot of pets in this world and ever y countr y has its favorite animal according to its culture

In this report, I am comparing pet ownership in Iraq with Maine People in Iraq and Maine both like pets

e bulbul, called “nightingale” in English, is the most common pet in Iraq we don’t have [bulbuls] in Maine I miss him a lot Sometimes my sister sends me some pictures of her bulbul It is a kind of small, beautiful bird with a gray color and a small beak and gray body It is found in northern Iraq and east of the Arabian Peninsula Bulbuls have a long tail, and it has a beautiful sound in tweeting, and lives in homes And [if we train him] we can carr y him on the palm of the hand and the bulbul can stand on the shoulder and you can feed him directly He is a ver y beautiful bird and lives in a wooden cage When he’s asleep and his owner wakes up, he’s happy and starts tweeting

In Maine, there are support organizations such as animal shelters where they have many animals: dogs, cats, rabbits, and birds like parakeets ey provide care and support for animals until they are adopted In Iraq that does not exist Sometimes I worr y about cats in Iraq because they are in danger It is possible that when they are walking in the street alone, they get hit by a car and die is is ver y sad I hope that there are organizations that support this, and this is the total difference between the two places

Photo by Mark Mattos

Photo by Mark Mattos

Photo by Mark Mattos

Photo by Mark Mattos

Photo by Mark Mattos

Photo by Mark Mattos

Photo by Mark Mattos

Por tland Adult E d ESOL Showc ase

C omparing Independence Day in Kinshasa, DRC, and Portland, Maine

By Lorlette

Kinshasa was formerly (until 1966) Léopoldville It is the largest city and capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo One of the largest cities in sub-Saharan Africa, it is a special political unit equivalent to a Congolese region, with its own governor e inhabitants of the city are known as Kinois June 30th is the Congolese national holiday It marks the independence of the countr y from B elgium in 1960

Portland is Maine’s largest city Located on Maine’s southern coast along Casco Bay, Portland is recognized as the center of the region’s economy, tourism, and growth e city has a rich histor y in industr y, fishing Ever y year on July 4, the United States celebrates independence from England in 1776 Independence Day is important in both Kinshasa and Portland B oth cities have public events picnics and barbecues People have the day off in the DRC as they also do in Maine

e 4th of July is the most important summer holiday in the United States June 30 is the biggest holiday in the DRC

In Kinshasa, people listen to live music Football (soccer) matches between the three major teams in Kinshasa have become festive times People attend concerts in public squares June 30 is traditionally marked by the television broadcast of a state-of-the-nation address by the president and the official celebration of a militar y parade to mark the anniversar y of DRC independence

In Portland Maine, to celebrate the occasion, people witness fireworks (the sky lights up with fireworks) I was in Portland on the 4th of July in the years 2021 and 2022 and [saw] the celebration and thought there were similar and different things about how the two cities celebrate their holidays

Example: In Kinshasa, I didn t see fireworks In Portland, I didn t see the militar y parade, the president s speech Other things are similar as explained above

By making this comparison of these two communities, I learned some things that the population has in common such as the joy of commemorating Independence Day, the patriotic spirit, the love of their countr y, and the commitment to celebrate their national holidays

One of the differences between high school in Por tland, Maine, and high school in Basra, I raq, is the school unifor ms I n Basra, students do not get to choose what they wear to school whereas in Por tland students have the freedom to choose their own clothing School uniforms are a major requirement in order to attend school in Basra. Girls have to wear a white blouse with a nav y dress on top and white sneakers Boys have to wear a white blouse with a tie and navy pants For girls, there is a daily inspec tion by teachers on whether they have makeup or nails on, and bags have to be checked for any sor t of accessories which are not allowed However, in Por tland, Maine, girls are allowed to wear makeup and other accessories. Bags are also not inspected daily by teachers I got this information from being in high school in Por tland

Another difference bet ween schools in Basra and Por tland is that elec tronics are prohibited in Basra schools Students are not allowed to have any sor t of elec tronic device dur ing school hours Students are not able to carr y them in their bags either. They are to stay at home while attending school If an elec tronic device is seen, even if not being used, students are to either get suspended, marked down a big percentage of the grade, and family are to be informed Some students bring their devices to school without their families’ permission, so once that is seen not only are they in trouble in school, but also punished at home. I k now this from attending school in Basra In Por tland, schools allow elec tronic devices but [teachers] ask [that they] not be used during class hours For example, when I went to D eer ing H igh S chool, students were allowed to have their elec tronics with them but were asked to be put [them] away during class sessions

B oys and gir ls do not go to the same school in Basra Girls and boys attend singlegender schools In Por tland, boys and girls have coeducation Gir ls schools in Basra have only female faculty and staff, and boys schools have only male faculty and staff In Por tland, schools have both genders and both genders are able to work at the same school That is another reason why schools in Basra and Por tland are different.

Hadeel Oudah, Iraq

–

I will compare t ypical daily foods in Baghdad, Iraq, to the foods in Por tland, M aine. One of the differences is the amount of rice that is eaten in a typical day in each cit y I n I raq, people love to e a t many different varieties and flavors of rice for example, when you make roasted chicken it can either have red rice or plain white rice with lentils with it However in M aine, r ice is not really ever used at restaurants or in ever yday meals. People mostly eat bread and fr ied foods. Like when you buy a steak at Texas Roadhouse in Por tland, they give you french fries with the steak , and bread with dipping sauce at the ver y beginning A second difference is in the types of meat and fish that is eaten in each cit y I raqis mostly eat lamb, unlike here in Maine [where] ever ywhere you go, it ’s some type of seafood

Esraa Al Zuabidi

Photo by Mark Mattos

Photo by Mark Mattos

Photo by Mark Mattos

Photo by Mark Mattos

Photo by Richard Connelly

S omali Bantu C ommunity Association

will oversee both projects He has worked with the community before, on several projects

For Somali Bantu Community Association (SB CA) Executive Director

Muhidin Libah and his staff, winter is a busy time, full of planning for the coming season at Liberation Farms, and of projects at the downtown office on Pine Street in Lewiston Liberation Farms

Two large building projects are planned for springtime at the farm – building a goat barn, and also a corn house for processing and storage Local contractor Scott Doyon

Good Shepherd Food Bank is suppor ting the goat barn; a State of Maine grant is funding the corn house In addition, a new small commercial kitchen is going into the building that currently houses the farm stand e space will allow community members to process produce grown at the farm Jenn Legnini is the consultant for the project Libah said he has confidence in his new and returning farmers, and looks for ward to a strong 2023 grow season Laura Neale is the new Fa Manager She has plans to heat a high tunnel, or hoop house, an will be planting new seeds soon B fore long, the growing season will off and running

e Lewiston Public S chool Maine Farm and S ea C ooperativ collaborating with SB CA, and new have been developed for sale of f duce Liberation Farms and the Agrarian

L and Tr ust are continuing their par tne ship, and Maine Farmland Trust is helping to ensure future land protection through an easement process that is currently under way 222 Pine Street office

Hawa Ibrahim, Women’s Community Advocate for SB CA, said programs for th benefit of the community include offeri licensing trainings for childcare provide collaborating with other organizations provide mental health ser vices for the S mali Bantu community, developing Kasheekee program for children, and exploring a class for teaching basket weaving Four community members will be participating in a homeowners ’ class, starting in March, that is offered by Healthy Homeworks in Lewiston

To learn more ab out SBCA, see: www.somalibantumaine.org

| by Bonnie Rukin

Winter can trigger seas affe ctive disorder

By Amy Harris

Adjusting to Maine’s longer, colder, and darker winter season can be a challenge for immigrants and others not originally from Maine Sometimes people may feel sad or not like their usual selves Seasonal changes in light and temperature can make people depressed If such a mood change becomes severe enough to impact daily life, and happens each year with the shi from fall to winte the cause could be a particular type of depress called seasonal affective disorder (SAD) e s toms of SAD overlap with those caused by o orders, so a medical professional should be t diagnose SAD

TLAEH H&WELLNESS ê ê

e symptoms of SAD include a persistent low mood, a loss of interest in ever yday activities, irritability, despair, guilt, low self-esteem, tearfulness, feeling stressed or anxious, having reduced sex drive, or less interest in social activities People may become physically inactive because they feel like they have no energ y is can lead to trouble sleeping at night, wanting to sleep for longer periods than normal, or having difficulty getting up in the morning Concentration can become a problem, as can weight gain Some people feel hungrier, or crave foods containing lots of carbohydrates, such as potatoes, bread, rice, and pasta, which can lead to weight gain Over time, being less active, gaining weight, and lacking enough sleep can increase people’s risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease

periencing ” And the of seeking counseling many f rom getting p e severity of symptoms for those who suffer f rom SAD varies f rom person to person, but the disease occurs more f requently in people with other co-occurring mental health diagnoses, uch as major depresve disorder, bipolar rder, attentionhyperactivity disorder, orders, anxiety disorder, and panic disorders ere is limited research on the overlap between people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and SAD, and there are no research studies of immigrants with PTSD and SAD, although experts guess that there is probably a high rate of co-occurrence For some, SAD can be life-threatening and lead to thoughts of suicide

People who think they may be experiencing SAD s h o u l d t a l k t o t h e i r h e a l t h c a r e p r o v i d e r o r a m e n t a l h e a l t h s p e c i a l i s t T h e m o s t e f f e c t i v e t r e a t m e n t s f o r s e a s o n a l a f f e c t i v e d i s o r d e r ( S A D ) a r e c o u n s e l i n g , a n t i d e p r e s s a n t s , a n d bright light therapy

Scientists don’t fully understand what causes SAD ey think that serotonin, a brain chemical that helps regulate mood, may not be as active in people with SAD Research also suggests that sunlight helps to maintain normal serotonin levels is sunlight-regulating mechanism for serotonin may be broken in people with SAD, resulting in decreased serotonin levels in the winter when there is less sunlight

may all co-occur in these populations

Bright light therapy mimics the sun ’ s light and may cause a chemical change in the brain Light boxes for SAD treatment deliver a therapeutic dose of bright light Another way to improve SAD symptoms is getting as much natural sunlight as possible – perhaps by spending time sitting near a window each day during winter or exercising regularly outdoors

Julie Mulkern, Executive Director of WinterKids, said, “When you spend more time outdoors, you are more physically active, your sleep patterns improve, and you reduce stress levels Getting outdoors becomes increasingly important in the winter when daylight is shorter, and we tend to want to stay indoors Humans were not meant to hibernate ”

Ruth Olujobi le her home in Nigeria for the first time to attend B owdoin College in 2021 She remembers the overwhelming darkness of that first fall season more than anything else “I [was] in so much shock it’s like 4:30 p m I [could] not believe how dark it was ” Olujobi did not realize how winter had changed her mood until “winter was over, and I started feeling happier Maybe sometime in Februar y or March I was feeling more energized I think there was this one particular day when I realized that, oh, just seeing the sun, it’s making me feel so happy!”

Kate Nicholson, the Assistant Director of Student Wellness at B owdoin College, explained that many international students or people f rom other cultures or par ts of the globe have “ no reference point, no language for how to name what

S ome research shows that people with depression also have low circulating vitamin D levels in their blood, so the two factors may be related Sometimes called the “sunshine vitamin,” the human body makes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight People with darker skin have more sunlightblocking pigment (melanin), so they may be at higher risk for vitamin D deficienc y In fact, studies of migrants now living in Sweden showed that as many as 65% of immigrants from the extended Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa are deficient in vitamin D Low vitamin D levels during pregnanc y are connected to postpar tum depression in all women, regardless of skin color or citizenship status Vitamin D deficiency becomes more common with age us, immigrant seniors may also be at risk Not enough is known the extent to which vitamin D deficiency, PTSD, and SAD

While outdoor activity cannot resolve all cases of SAD, it does help many people Maine organizations such as Portland Trails, WinterKids, and Teens to Trails work to overcome the many barriers that make it difficult for immigrant and refugee families to get outdoor physical activity during winter Lindsay Conrad of Portland Trails noted that residents may not access outdoor spaces for a variety of reasons, including lack of transportation, not having suitable clothing or equipment, fear of getting lost, anxiety because of a language barrier, not knowing how to read trail maps, or not even knowing those spaces are open to the public

Teens to Trails aims to introduce younger Mainers to the fun of winter activities by offering seasonal programming to middle and high school outdoors clubs across Maine is winter, as part of their Winter Outdoor Series, they’ve organized free or low-cost events for students, and a Welcome to Winter Festival that introduced attendees to low-barrier winter activities and provided tips and tricks for winter dressing

WinterKids is now offering a free family membership to the WinterKids App for Amjambo Africa r e a d e r s . V i s i t t h e i r w e b s i t e w w w . w i n t e r k i d s . o r g a n d e n t e r t h e c o d e AMJAMBO by 3/31/23 to access free and discounted winter family activities across Maine.

This page brought to you in par t by:

Ruth Olujobi has launched “Blooming Daily,” her own public health-focused podcast, which was inspired by her first long winter in Maine

Photo by Justin Smulsk i, Tide to Pine Creative

Hepatitis A outbreak in Maine | Portland Public Health

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) has declared an outbreak of hepatitis A in the state Since 2019, the Maine CDC has identified 297 cases of hepatitis A, a significant increase from the previous yearly average of 7 5 cases

Those most at risk for hepatitis A include international travelers, recreational drug users, and people living in crowded shelters When a person is infec ted with hepatitis A, the infec tion leaves the body through the person’s bowel movements Unwashed hands c an spread the virus to anything the infec ted person touches, including food, water, sur faces, and other people

The word hepar is Latin for “ liver ” and -itis simply means “swelling ” So hepatitis is “swelling of the liver ” When the liver swells, it is damaged and doesn’t do its job of balancing nutrients and filtering blood Hepatitis A symptoms include jaundice, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, dark urine, clay- colored stool, and diarrhea

While most cases of hepatitis A resolve by themselves, with rest and fluids, infec tion may lead to serious complications and death Maine CDC had repor ted a 43% hospitalization rate during the current outbreak The best prevention for hepatitis A are vaccination with the hepatitis A vaccine and prac ticing good hand hygiene

Vaccines are available for adults and children at Por tland Public Health For eligibility information and appointments, call (207) 874-8446 or email vaccines@por tlandmaine gov

Many community health centers, including federally qualified health centers across the state, also provide hepatitis A vaccines (mepca org/community-health- centers/locations/) More information about hepatitis A c an be found on Maine CDC’s website at w w w.maine.gov/dhhs/hepatitis.

Cagaarshowga A ayaa ka dilaacay Maine

Caafimaadka Dadweynaha Portland Xarunta Maine ee Xakamaynta iyo Kahor tagga Cudurrada (Maine CDC) ayaa ku dhawaaqday inuu gobolka ka dillaacay cagaarshow A Ilaa 2019, Maine CDC waxay aqoonsatay 297 xaaladood oo c agaarshow A, koror aad u weyn marka loo eego celceliska sanadkii hore ee 7 5 xaaladood Kuwa khatar ta ugu jira cagaarshowga A waxaa ka mid ah dadka safarka ah ee caalamiga ah, isticmaalayaasha maandooriyaha madadaalada, iyo dadka ku nool hoyga ciriiriga ah Marka qofka uu ku dhaco cagaarshow A, infekshanku wuxuu k a baxaa jidhk a iyada oo loo marayo dhaqdhaqaaqa xiidmaha ee qofk a G acmaha aan la dhaqin waxay ku faafi karaan fayraska wax kasta oo qofka cudurka qaba uu taabto, oo ay ku jiraan cunto, biyo, sagxadaha, iyo dadk a k ale Erayga hepar waa Laatiink a "B eerk a" iyo -itis si fudud macnaheeda waa "barar " Mark aa c agaarshow waa "barar beerk a " Mark a beerku bararo, wuu dhaawac ma oo ma qabto shaqadiisa isku dheelitirka nafaqooyinka iyo shaandhaynta dhiiga Cagaarshowga A waxaa ka mid ah cagaarshow, qandho, daal, c unto xumo, lallabbo, kaadi madow, saxaro midab

dhoobo ah, iyo shuban

Iyadoo inta badan kiisask a c agaarshowga A ay iskood u xal-

liyaan nasasho iyo dareere, c aabuqu wuxuu u horseedi k araa

dhibaatooyin halis ah iyo dhimasho

Maine CDC ayaa sheegtay 43%

heerka isbitaal dhigista inta lagu guda

jiro cudurka dillaacay Kahor tagga ugu fiic an ee c agaarshowga A waa tallaalk a c agaarshowga A iyo ku celcelinta nadaafadda gacmaha oo

wanaagsan

Tallaalooyinku waxay diyaar u yihiin dadka waaweyn iyo carruur ta ee Caafimaadk a Dadweynaha Por tland Si aad u hesho macluumaadk a u- qalmitaank a iyo ballamaha, wac (207) 874-8446 ama iimayl u dir vaccins@por tlandmaine gov

Xarumo caafimaad oo badan oo bulshada ah, oo ay ku jiraan xarumaha caafimaadka ee federaaliga ah ee gobolka oo dhan, ayaa sidoo kale bixiya tallaalada cagaarshowga

A (mepca org/community-health- centers/locations

Macluumaad dheeraad ah oo ku saabsan cagaarshowga

A waxaa laga heli k araa shabak ada Maine CDC ee w w w.maine.gov/dhhs/hepatitis.

Sur to de hepatite A no Maine

Saúde Pública de Portland

O Centro de Controle e Prevenção de Doenças do Maine (Maine CDC) declarou um sur to de hepatite A no estado Desde 2019, o Maine CDC identificou 297 casos de hepatite A, um aumento significativo em relação à média anual anterior de 7,5 casos

Os que correm maior risco de contrair hepatite A incluem viajantes internacionais, usuários de drogas recreativas e pessoas que vivem em abrigos lotados Quando uma pessoa está infeta

A, a infeção sai do corpo através dos movi testinais da pessoa As mãos não lavadas espalhar o vírus para qualquer coisa que a soa infetada toque, incluindo alimento

água, super fícies e outras pessoas

A palavra hepar é latim para " fígado" eé simplesmente signific a "inchaço"

Assim, a hepatite é "inchaço do fígado"

Q uando o fígado incha, é danific ado e não faz o seu trabalho de equilibrar os nutrientes e filtrar o sangue Os sintomas da hepatite A incluem ic terícia, febre, fadiga, perda de apetite, náuseas, urina esc ura fezes cor de argila e diarreia

Enquanto a maioria dos casos de hepatite A solve por si só, com repouso e fluidos, a i pode levar a complicações graves e mor te O havia relatado uma taxa de hospitalização

Flambé e d'hépatite A dans le Maine | Santé publique de Portland

Le Centre de contrôle et de prévention des maladies du Maine (Maine CDC) a déclaré une épidémie d'hépatite A dans l'État Depuis 2019, le CDC du Maine a identifié 297 cas d'hépatite A, soit une augmentation significative par rappor t à la moyenne annuelle précédente de 7,5 cas

Les personnes les plus exposées à l'hépatite A sont les voyageurs internationaux, teurs de drogues récréatives et les personnes vivant dans urpeuplés Lorsqu'une personne est infec tée par l'hépatite ec tion quitte le corps par les selles Des mains non lavées vent transmettre le virus à tout ce que la personne infectée ouche, y compris la nourriture, l'eau, les sur faces et d'autres personnes

HTLAEH NEWS ê HEALTH SWEN ê

o sur to atual A melhor prevenção para a hepatite A é a vacinação com a vacina contra a hepatite A e a prática de uma boa higiene das mãos

As vacinas estão disponíveis para adultos e crianças na Por tland Public Health

Para informações sobre elegibilidade e marcações, ligue para (207) 874-8446 ou envie um e -mail para vaccines@por tlandmaine gov

Muitos centros de saúde comunitários, incluindo centros de saúde qualificados pelo governo federal em todo o estado, também fornecem vacinas contra a hepatite A (mepca org/community-health- centers/locations/)

Mais informações sobre a hepatite A podem ser encontradas no site do Maine CDC em w w w maine gov/dhhs/hepatitis

Mlipuko wa Hepatitis

A huko Maine

Afya ya Umma ya Portland

Kituo cha Maine cha Kudhibiti na Kuzuia Magonjwa (Maine CDC) kimetangaza mlipuko wa homa ya ini katika jimbo hilo Tangu 2019, Maine CDC imegundua kesi 297 za hepatitis A, ongezeko kubwa kutok a wastani wa mwaka uliopita wa kesi 7 5 Wale walio katika hatari zaidi ya hepatitis A ni pamoja na wasafiri wa kimataifa, watumiaji wa dawa za burudani, na watu wanaoishi k atik a mak azi yenye watu wengi Wakati mtu anaambukiz wa na hepatitis A, maambukizi huondoka mwili kwa njia ya utumbo wa mtu Mikono isiyooshwa inaweza kueneza virusi kwa kitu chochote ambacho mtu aliyeambukiz wa hugusa, ikiwa ni pamoja na chakula, maji, nyuso na watu wengine Neno hepar ni la Kilatini la "ini" na -itis linamaanisha "uvimbe " Kwa hiyo hepatitis ni “ kuvimba kwa ini ” Ini linapovimba, huharibik a na haifanyi k azi yake ya kusawazisha virutubisho na kuchuja damu Dalili za Hepatitis A ni pamoja na homa ya manjano, homa, uchovu, kukosa hamu ya kula, kichefuchefu, mkojo mweusi, kinyesi chenye rangi ya udongo, na kuhara

Ingawa kesi nyingi za hepatitis A hutatua peke yake, kwa kupumzik a na maji, maambukizi yanaweza kusababisha matatizo makubwa na kifo

Maine CDC ilikuwa imeripoti kiwango cha kulazwa hospitalini 43% wakati wa milipuko ya sasa Kinga bora zaidi ya homa ya ini A ni chanjo kwa chanjo ya hepatitis A na kufuata sheria za usafi wa mikono Chanjo zinapatikana kwa watu wazima na watoto katika

Por tland Public Health Kwa maelezo ya kustahiki na miadi, piga simu (207) 874-8446 au barua pepe vaccines@por tlandmaine gov Vituo vingi v ya afya v ya jamii, ikiwa ni pamoja na vituo v ya afya viliv yohitimu serikali katika jimbo lote, pia hutoa chanjo za homa ya ini (mepc a org/communit y-healthcenters/locations/)

Taarifa zaidi kuhusu hepatitis A inaweza kupatik ana kwenye tovuti ya M aine CDC k atik a w w w.maine.gov/dhhs/hepatitis.

Le mot hépar signifie "foie" en latin et -itis signifie simplement "gonflement" L'hépatite est donc un "gonflement du foie" Lorsque le foie enfle, il est endommagé et ne fait pas son travail d'équilibre des nutriments et de filtration du sang Les symptômes de l'hépatite A sont les suivants : jaunisse, fièvre, fatigue, per te d'appétit, nausées, urine foncée, selles de couleur argileuse et diarrhée

la plupar t des cas d'hépatite A se résolvent d'eux-mêmes, c du repos et des liquides, l'infec tion peut entraîner de complications et la mor t Le CDC du Maine avait signalé un spitalisation de 43 % pendant l'épidémie ac tuelle La ntion de l'hépatite A est la vaccination avec le vaccin contre l'hépatite A et la pratique d'une bonne hygiène des mains

Les vaccins sont disponibles pour les adultes et les enfants à la santé publique de Por tland Pour obtenir des informations sur l'éligibilité et les rendez-vous, appelez le (207) 874-8446 ou envoyez un courriel à vaccines@por tlandmaine gov

De nombreux centres de santé communautaires, y compris des centres de santé qualifiés au niveau fédéral dans tout l'État, proposent également des vaccins contre l'hépatite A (mepca org/community-health- centers/locations/)

Vous trouverez de plus amples informations sur l'hépatite A sur le site Web du Maine CDC à l'adresse w w w.maine.gov/dhhs/hepatitis.

Ic yorezo c ya Hepatite A muri Maine

| Ikigo nderabuzima c ya Por tland

Ikigo gishinz we kugenzura no gukumira Ibiza ishami r ya Maine (Maine CDC ) c yatangaje ko hari ic yorezo c ya Hepatite A muri iyi leta Kuva mu 2019, Maine CDC yabonye abantu 297 bafite iyi ndwara, izamuka rinini kuko ugereranyije no mu myak a yabanje, iki c yorezo c yari ku mpuzandengo y ’abantu 7 5 ku mwaka

Abantu bafite ibyago byinshi byo kwibasir wa n’iyi ndwara ya Hepatite A harimo abantu bakunda gutembera amahanga, abakoresha ibiyobyabwenge ndetse n’abantu batuye mu mazu y ’abatagira aho baba haba abantu benshi Iyo umuntu yanduye Hepatite A, iyi ndwara imusohok amo inyuze mu byo yituma mu mwanda ukomeye Ibiganza bitakarabye bishobora gukwirakwiza iyi virusi ku kintu ic yo ari c yo c yose uyu muntu yakoraho, harimo ibyo kur ya, amazi, ahantu ndetse n’abandi bantu

Ijambo hepar ni ijambo r y ’Ikiratini rivuga “umwijima” naho -itis bikavuga “kubyimbir wa” Hepatite rero ni ukubyimba k ’umwijima Iyo umwijima wabyimbye, uba wangiritse bit yo ntukore ak azi k awo ko kuringaniza intungamubiri ndetse no kuyungurura amaraso Ibimenyetso bya Hepatite A harimo kugira amaso y ’umuhondo n’uruhu r wenda kuba umuhondo c yane ku mpinja, umuriro, umunaniro, kubura ubushake bwo kur ya, isesemi, ink ari zisa n’izijimye, kugira umusarani wenda gutukura ndetse n’impiswi

N’ubwo akenshi ibibazo bya Hepatite A byikiza, umuntu akoresheje kuruhuk a ndetse no kuny wa ibintu byinshi, uwayanduye ishobora kumutera ibibazo bikomeye byamuviramo no gupfa Maine DCD yatangaje ko 43% by ’ababagannye bafite iyi ndwara bashyiz we mu bitaro muri iki gihe c y ’ic yorezo Ubur yo bwiza bwi kwirinda Hepatite A ni ukwikingiza ufata urukingo r wa Hepatite A ubundi ukagirira isuku ibiganza byawe

Inkingo zirabonek a ku bakuze n’abana ku kigo nderabuzima cya Por tland Kugirango umenye niba wemerewe kurufata ndetse uhabwe n’umunsi, wahamagara (207)

874-8446 c yangwa ukohereza imeyili kuri vaccines@por tlandmaine gov

Ibigo nderabuzima byinshi harimo n’ibya leta muri iyi leta nabyo bitanga urukingo r wa Hepatite A (mepca org/community-health- centers/locations/)

Andi makuru kuri Hepatite A wayasanga ku rubuga r wa interineti r wa CDC ya M aine ari r wo w w w maine gov/dhhs/hepatitis

Brote de Hepatitis A

en Maine | Salud pública de Por tland El Centro para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades de Maine (Maine CDC) ha declarado un brote de hepatitis A en el estado Desde 2019, los CDC de Maine han identificado 297 casos de hepatitis A, un aumento significativo con respec to al promedio anual anterior de 7 5 casos Los que corren mayor riesgo de contraer la hepatitis A son los viajeros internacionales, los usuarios de drogas recreativas y las personas que viven en refugios abarrotados Cuando una persona está infec tada con hepatitis A, la infección sale del cuerpo a través de las deposiciones de la persona Las manos sin lavar pueden propagar el virus a cualquier cosa que toque la persona infec tada, incluidos alimentos, agua, super ficies y otras personas La palabra hepar en latín significa "hígado" y -itis simplemente significa "hinchazón" Entonces, la hepatitis es “inflamación del hígado” Cuando el hígado se hincha, se daña y no cumple su función de equilibrar los nutrientes y filtrar la sangre Los síntomas de la hepatitis A incluyen ic tericia, fiebre, fatiga, pérdida de apetito, náuseas, orina oscura, heces de color arcilla y diarrea Si bien, la mayoría de los casos de hepatitis A se resuelven solos, con reposo y líquidos, la infección puede provocar complicaciones graves y la muer te Maine CDC había informado una tasa de hospitalización del 43% durante el brote ac tual La mejor prevención para la hepatitis A es la vacunación con la vacuna contra la hepatitis A y practicar una buena higiene de manos

Las vacunas están disponibles para adultos y niños en Por tland Public Health Para obtener información sobre elegibilidad y citas, llame al (207) 874-8446 o envíe un correo elec trónico a vaccines@por tlandmaine gov Muchos centros de salud comunitarios, incluidos los centros de salud calificados a nivel federal en todo el estado, también proporcionan vac unas contra la hepatitis A (mepca org/community-health- centers/locations/) Se puede encontrar más información sobre la hepatitis A en el sitio web de Maine CDC en w w w maine gov/dhhs/hepatitis

Many communit y health centers, including federally qualified health centers across the state, also provide hepatitis A vaccines (mepc a org/communit y-healthcenters/locations/)

More information about hepatitis A c an be found on Maine CDC’s website at w w w maine gov/dhhs/hepatitis

Ne w COVID variant c ausing illnesses

Anew COVID-19 variant is responsible for the majority of cases currently infecting people across the U S and in Maine, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control (Maine CDC) e biggest difference between this variant – known as XBB 1 5 –and earlier variants like delta or omicron is that it spreads more easily from person to person

e bad news is that even if you are fully vaccinated or already had a COVID infection with earlier variants, you can still catch XBB1 5 For those with chronic conditions such as diabetes or obesity, the elderly, or people with compromised immune systems, XBB 1 5 rem dangerous as other variant updated bivalent boosters mended for ever yone older 5 years are not as effect against XBB 1 5 as people ha hoped

Nearly one out of ever y five Americans with COVID has developed long COVID, forcing more than one million Americans out of work since the star t of the pandemic Doctors do not yet have any way to predict wh will develop long COVI However, getting fully vaccin and boosted is one of the m fective ways to protect agai sickness

earlier variants, so hospitalization rates and death rates have only slightly increased f rom lower summer and fall numbers And antivirals such as Paxlovid work against XBB 1 5 and keep fewer people from hospitalization or death

With a new variant dominating the countr y and more variants to follow, the U S Food and Drug Administration has begun studying a proposal to make COVID-19 booster shots annual, just like flu shots e hope is to increase the number of people staying protected against the latest COVID-19 variants and to reduce the numbers of cases of long COVID

DIVOC N EWS ê COVID N E SW

e good news is that XBB 1 5 does not appear to make people any sicker than

Updates frဩ Africa

By Olive Mukahir wa

Fig hters in DR C ongo not he e ding calls for peace

Two weeks aer Pope Francis concluded his peace visit in Africa, the heads of governments on the African continent held a twoday meeting in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, the headquarters of the African Union (AU) e leaders demanded that those fighting in E astern C ongo lay down their arms – but the conflict seems far from ending

Angolan President João Lourenço, and former president of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta – both mediators in the talks between M23 rebel groups and the Congolese government – were tasked with following up on the demand for peace that was made in Addis Ababa e spokesperson of the M23 group, Major Willy Ngoma, told the BBC that M23 has never refused to implement a peace agreement He accused the Congolese government of being unwilling

to end the war Some Congolese politicians have financial interests in the war, he claimed

On Februar y 17, Amnesty International published a report accusing M23 of killing at least 20 men and raping an unspecified number of women and girls e M23 fighters categorically denied the allegations

Fighting continued throughout the pope ’ s four-day visit to DR C ongo and S outh Sudan On Februar y 5, Pope Francis concluded his Africa trip and called on the world to respect the c o n t i n e n t and on religious leaders in African countries to put effort into reconciling people e pontiff said he was deeply moved by the testimony of those affected by the yearslong war in eastern DR Congo He said that their tears are his and their sorrow is his, too

From DR Congo, Pope Francis continued on to South Sudan is was the first time he had ever visited S outh Sudan, the youngest countr y in the world South Sudan gained independence in 2011, but aer independence a war erupted between President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar, who was his vice president between 2012 and 2018 During the war 380,000 people were

According to President Kaguta Museveni of Uganda, government institutions have been restructured, and Uganda does not need the United Nations to maintain a Human Rights Office in Uganda anymore Uganda can protect the human rights of its own people, Museveni said e United Nations Human Rights

Office in Uganda is pushing back on Museveni’s decision

Museveni is 78 years old and has been in office since 1986 His government has been widely accused of abusing, imprisoning, humiliating, and killing political dissidents over a period of many years Ugandan authorities deny these allegations and say that any security forces who violate human rights are severely punished

e Office of the United Nations High C ommissioner for

Marburg virus raises fears of multi-countr y outbreak

e World Health Organ

(WHO) convened a confere began on Februar y 14 at which it announced stepped up efforts to control an outbreak of the Marburg virus disease, which had already killed nine people in Equatorial Guinea e meeting was aimed at coordinating international efforts to accelerate the development of vaccines against the Marburg virus Among the experts at the meeting were chemists and researchers

Guinean authorities have confirmed that the Marburg virus outbreak has arrived through the western province of Kie Ntem and is spreading ver y quickly, just like Ebola e disease evokes symptoms similar to those of Ebola, but differences include fever, weakness, nosebleeds, joint pain, and numbness

George Ameh, WHO's countr y representative in Equatorial Guinea, said authorities have increased efforts to control the epidemic, and contact tracing is a top strateg y Teams that formed for the COVID-19 pandemic to help with contact tracing were quickly retrofitted

e Marburg virus fatality rate is 88%, WHO announced, and there is no preventative vaccine

Like Ebola, avoiding saliva, blood, vomit, urine, and other bodily fluids of an Marburg-infected patient is key to remaining healthy In Equatorial Guinea, people are advised to avoid contact with wild animals, not to eat their meat – especially bat meat – and to seek medical attention immediately in the event of symptoms

Virus experts say Marburg virus is transmitted to humans from mosquitos Among the tips given

Human Rights in Uganda, which tablished in 2006, was responsibl monitoring the obser vance human rights, especially in the northern and northeastern parts of Uganda – the area which suffered from the conflict between the Ugandan army and the fighters of the Lord’s Resistance Army

ough the Ugandan government shows no will to renew th UN Human Rights Office, it c firmed it will continue to work w UN at its permanent office i Switzerland

e decision has been strongly criticized by Muwada Nku-

killed, and 2 2 million people fled their own homes, according to the United Nations Many le the countr y and have not returned While a peace accord was signed in 2018, violent clashes continue Between August and December 2022, more than 20,000 people had been displaced from their homes and 166 people had been killed as a result of violence

e 85-year-old pontiff was welcomed at the airport in Juba by the president, Salva Kiir Pope Francis asked the leaders of the Catholic Church to raise their voices for peace and reconciliation

“No more bloodshed, no more conflicts, no more violence and mutual recriminations about who is responsible for it, no more leaving your people a thirst for peace No more destruction: it is time to build! Leave the time of war behind and let a time of peace dawn!” the pope said, addressing the leaders of South Sudan

one of the members of the opposition party led obert Kyagulanyi, known as B obi Wine Nkungi said the Ugandan government made the deision because it wants to continue to violate human rights without any accountability

In November 2022, a high-level official of the UN Human Rights Office said that the abuse and killing of women continues to escalate in Uganda In their 2022 annual report, Uganda was ranked 132 out of 180 countries in freedom of the press Uganda plans presidential elections in 2026, but ady there are reports that Museveni is demolishorganizations he thinks will oppose his desire to power Museveni himself has not yet said if he plans to run again

to those infected with the Marburg virus is to drink plenty of water

Mitoha Ondo'o Ayekaba, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare in Equatorial Guinea, reported the sudden deaths of people who had attended a Februar y 7 burial and then died with the same symptoms of those they had buried Ayekaba said the government sent blood tests to the neighboring countries of Gabon and S enegal to confirm whether the cause was Marburg virus

Since Equatorial Guinea announced the discover y of the Marburg virus, the neighboring countr y of Cameroon has stopped the movement of people across the border between the two countries

Voice of America reported that Marburg virus was identified for the first time in 1967 in Marburg, Germany, as well as in S erbia e outbreaks were linked to lab work using African green monkeys imported from Uganda

In September 2022, Ghana recorded two deaths from Marburg virus; Guinea recorded one death in 2021, the first case in western Africa Previously, the virus had been detected in Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda

Human rig hts office told to leave Uganda, does not want to go

HAITI Temporar y Prote cte d S

The United States government announced in Decem 2022 that it is extending and redesignating Tempora Protec ted Status ( TPS) for Haiti. Here is informatio about that announcement and how to apply for TPS in Maine

What is TPS?

TPS is a temporar y immigration status that gives people protection from deportation for as long as their TPS status remains valid ey are also eligible for a work permit (Employment Authorization Document or EAD), and can apply for permission to travel outside of the U S e new designation of Haiti TPS is for 18 months, from Feb ruar y 4, 2023, to August 3, 2024 Aer that time, the U government may again extend TPS for Haiti, or may ch to end it

Who is Covered by this Haiti TPS Update?

Current Haitian TPS holders:

• Current Haitian TPS holders under the most recent Haiti TPS designation who were approved prior to Januar y 26, 2023, must re-register for TPS between Januar y 26, 2023, and March 27, 2023 B eing under the most recent Haiti TPS designation means you newly applied for TPS between August 3, 2021, and Februar y 3, 2023

• Haitian TPS holders who still have pending TPS applications as of Januar y 26, 2023, do not need to re-register If approved, TPS will be granted through August 3, 2024

• Work permits for current Haitian TPS holders are automatically extended through Februar y 3, 2024 To receive work authorization through August 3, 2024, current TPS holders must apply for a new work permit However, Haitian TPS holders who still have pending work permit applications as of Januar y 26, 2023, do not need to apply again If approved, work authorization will be granted through August 3, 2024

Haitian nationals residing in the United States since November 6, 2022:

• Haitian nationals who have been continuously residing in the United States since November 6, 2022, and meet other criteria can apply for TPS and a work permit

• Eligible Haitian nationals must apply between Januar y 26, 2023, and August 3, 2024

A note for current TPS holders covered by the Ramos litigation:

• TPS holders covered by the R amos litigation are not required to take any action at this time is includes current TPS holders who have had TPS since before August 3, 2021

• However, ILAP recommends that these TPS holders newly register for TPS under this announcement

What Do I Need to Re -register or to Apply for Haiti TPS?

To re-register or to apply for Haiti TPS, you will need cer tain documents, including:

• A Haitian passport, birth certificate, or national ID;

• Proof of entr y into the U S such as a visa, passport stamp, I-94, or NTA;

owing you have been in the U S since November 6, 2022, dical records, benefits notices, leases, pay stubs, or school ords for any arrests, charges, and criminal court cases you y have in the U S or anywhere else in the world; Copies of any previous immigration applications you may have filed; and,

• Any other immigration documents you have received during your time in the U S

How Do I Request Assistance with my TPS from ILAP?

If you live in Maine and want to re-register or apply for Haiti TPS, please collect the documents listed above, then visit www ilapmaine org/get-legal-help for information on how to schedule an intake appointment

What Else Do I Need to Know?

ware of fraud and people who tr y to trick immigrants out of money by pretending they can help with immigration cases more about how to protect yourself here: maine org/protect

TPS AYITI

Gouvènman Etazini an anonse nan mwa Desanm 2022 a l ap pwolonje epi redefini Estati Pwoteksyon Tanporè ( TPS, Temporar y Protec ted Status) pou Ayiti Bwochi sa a genyen enfòmasyon sou anons sa a epi sou fason pou w mande Estati Pwoteksyon Tanporè a nan eta Maine

Kisa ki Estati Pwoteksyon Tanporè a? ( TPS, Temporar y Protected Status)

Estati Pwoteksyon Tanporè a se yon estati imigrasyon tanporè ki pwoteje moun yo kont depòtasyon depi estati tanporè yo an toujou rete valid Yo kapab resevwa yon pèmi travay tou oswa Dokiman Otorizasyon Travay (EAD, Employment Authorization Document) epi mande otorizasyon pou yo vwayaje andeyò Etazini

Nouvo deziyasyon estati pwoteksyon tanporè Ayiti a valab pou 18 mwa, soti 4 fevriye 2023 rive 3 out 2024 Apre per yòd sa a, gouvènman ameriken an kapab pwolonje TPS pou Ayiti a ankò, oswa yo ka chwazi kanpe li

Kiyès ki konsène ak mizajou TPS Ayiti a?

Moun ki genyen TPS Ayisyen nan moman an:

• Moun ki genyen TPS Ayisyen nan moman an epi ki te apwouve avan 26 janvye 2023 selon deziyasyon TPS Ayisyen ki fenk fèt la, dwe enskri ankò pou TPS ant 26 janvye 2023 ak 27 mas 2023 Depi w sou deziyasyon TPS Ayisyen ki fenk fèt la, sa vle di ou te mande TPS nan dat resan ant 3 out 2021 epi 3 fevriye 2023

• Ayisyen ki genyen TPS epi ki genyen aplikasyon TPS ki annatant nan dat 26 janvye 2023 pa

bezwen fè nouvo enskripsyon Si li apwouve, y ap kapab genyen TPS la valid jiska 3 out

2024

• Pèmi travay pou Ayisyen ki gen TPS nan moman an pwolonje otomatikman jiska

3 out 2024 Pou yo kapab resevwa yon otorizasyon travay jiska 3 out 2024, moun ki gen TPS nan moman an dwe mande yon nouvo pèmi travay Sepandan, Ayisyen ki gen TPS epi ki gen demann pèmi travay annatant nan dat 26 janv ye 2023 yo pa bezwen fè nouvo demann Si li apwouve, y ap kapab resevwa otorizasyon pou travay la jiska 3 out 2024

Sitwayen Ayisyen k ap viv Etazini depi 6 novanm 2022:

• Sitwayen Ayisyen k ap viv yon fason ki estab Etazini depi 6 novanm 2022 epi ki reponn ak lòt kritè kapab mande TPS ak yon pèmi travay

• Sitwayen Ayisyen ki kalif ye yo dwe fè demann yo a ant 26 janvye 2023 ak 3 out 2024

Yon nòt pou moun ki genyen TPS pwosè Ramos la kouvri:

• Moun ki gen TPS pwosè Ramos la kouvri yo pako bezwen fè anyen pou kounye a Tankou moun ki gen TPS yo ki te genyen li depi anvan 3 out 2021

• Sepandan, ILAP rekòmande pou moun ki gen TPS sa yo fè nouvo enskripsyon pou

TPS nan kad anons sa a

Kisa mwen bezwen genyen pou mwen enskri ankò oswa pou mwen mande

TPS Ayiti a?

Pou kapab enskri ankò oswa mande TPS Ayisyen an, w ap bez wen founi kèk dokiman, tankou:

• Yon paspò Ayisyen, batistè, oswa yon kat didantite;

• Yon prèv ou te rantre Etazini legal tankou yon viza, yon tenm oswa so sou paspò, I-94 oswa yon NTA;

• Dokiman ki montre ou Etazini depi 6 novanm 2022, tankou dosye medikal, bilten benefis sosyal, kontra, fich pèman oswa dosye lekòl;

• Dosye ki gen rapò ak arestasyon, ak akizasyon epi aksyon penal ou genyen nan Etazini oswa nenpòt lòt kote nan mond lan;

• Kopi tout demann ou te fè deja nan imigrasyon;

• Ak nenpòt lòt dokiman imigrasyon ou te resevwa pandan ou Etazini

Kòman pou mwen mande èd nan ILAP pou TPS pa mwen an?

Si w abite nan eta Maine epi ou ta renmen enskri ankò oswa mande TPS Ayisyen an, tanpri sanble dokiman ki mansyone anwo yo, epi ale sou www ilapmaine org/getlegal-help pou ka konnen kòman pou pran yon randevou admisyon Ki lòt bagay m bezwen konnen?

Fè atansyon ak fwod epi ak moun k ap eseye pran lajan nan men imigran yo pandan y ap pretann yo kapab ede yo nan demach imigrasyon yo Jwenn plis enfòmasyon sou kijan pou w pwoteje tèt ou la a: https://ilapmaine org/protect

Best of all, they re affordable!

GLENRIDGE ENRIDGE GARDE GE GARDENS

82 Glenridge Drive Augusta, ME 04330

Two- and three-bedroom townhouse apartments located on fourteen-and-a-half landscaped acres.

BAY LANDING

6-8 Bay Landing Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538

Resort-style apartments for seniors. Spacious studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom floor plans MIDLAND

What is asylum?

Asylum is a form of protect i o n w h i c h a l l ows a n i n d ividual to remain in the U.S. i n s te a d o f b e i n g re m ove d to a co u nt r y w h e re h e o r s h e fe a r s p e r s e c u t i o n o r harm. Under U.S. law, people who flee their countries because they fear persecution c an apply for asylum. If they are granted asylum, this gives them protec tion and the right to stay in the U. S . Th o s e w h o a re g ra nte d a s y l u m a re c a l l e d a s y l e e s. Acco rd i n g to U. S . immigration law, a refugee i s s o m e o n e w h o h a s b e e n re s e t t l e d to t h e U. S . t h ro u g h t h e U. S . re s e t t l ement program. This is a separate process than asylum.

Stay connec ted to what ’s really going on in Maine with podcast host Jean Hakuzimana.

New episodes in Kinyar wanda/Kirundi and English ever y other week.

French coming soon!

Tune in to WMPG 90.9 ever y Wednesday at 7 p.m. or visit amjamboafrica.com

COFFEE B Y DESIGN

MAKING WOMEN’S COFFEE WORK COUNT

Urugori (Women’s Crown) Gasharu Co ee, a co ee lot that is solely produced and processed by women, was inspired by the women in co ee. Most of the work in co ee farming and processing is done by women, but only a small percentage of the pro t goes to them. ese beans are a nod to the Rwandan culture and highlight the vital role women play in sustaining their farms, households, and communities.

Urugori “Women’s Crown”

Gasharu Coffee

Urugori “women’s crown” is a crown that women in Rwanda are given a er giving their rst birth as symbol for motherhood. It is a symbol of respect and recognition of their contribution to the society. is co ee features notes of sour cherry, berries, yogurt, sweet apple, green tea, and orange. High sweetness, multilayered acidity and elegant body make for a memorable nish.

UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency USA

Dual crises ne e d attention

By Tobin Williamson

It is late Februar y, and some of the immigrant communities ser ved by MIRC are dealing with two simultaneous emergency crises

First is the ongoing str uggle to find housing is is an issue that impacts people throughout Maine, including communities of asylum seekers concentrated in the Portland area e scope of need is vast compared to the available resources For example, a new apartment building opening in South Portland received over 1,000 applicants for just 52 apartments

At the same time, many people have been struggling with the recent layoff of hundreds (possibly up to 1,000) temporar y workers at Abbott

L aboratories Abbott has used temporar y work agencies and contracted employees, and hundreds of them have been abruptly let go Many of these workers are immigrants with limited English skills As a result, families of workers who had steady jobs now face an uncertain future

We encourage you to reach out to your elected officials Whether it’s supporting more protections for workers, or building more affordable housing – or other issues you care about – let the people who represent you in your local town or city hall, and Augusta, and Washington, D C , know what is on your mind

MIRC and its advocacy partners will have an active presence testif ying before polic ymakers in the Maine State Legislature this year, and we invite you to join us e legislature is extremely accessible! In-person sessions have resumed at the State House, but providing testimony or making comments live via Zoom is also possible e legislature’s website (legislature maine gov/) has an updated daily legislative calendar, contains contact information for individual legislators, and has a search feature for looking up the current status of proposed legislation

Maine Immigration: A Histor y | By Andy O’ Brien

L eonard Black and his Underground Railroad escape

In 1837, a young African American man named Leonard Black made up his mind to emancipate himself

Aer several years of brutal treatment at the hands of his enslavers, the 17-year old set out on foot from Mar yland with nothing but 75 cents in his pocket and the clothes on his back

Born in 1820, Leonard Black suffered severe trauma throughout his childhood e youngest of six children, he was sold to a carpenter and separated from his parents and siblings at the age of 6 While he was away from his family, his mother and sister were sold to enslavers in New Orleans and his four brothers were forced to work for other white people Over the next several years, Black was transferred to several different masters, each more cruel than the last He was whipped, branded with searing hot iron, beaten with a shovel, and had his front teeth knocked out by an iron-toothed rake

As Black later recalled in his 1842 memoir, e Life and Sufferings of Leonard Black: A Fugitive from Slaver y, he felt “owned like a cow or horse ” He was forced to wear rags, without even a pair of trousers He suffered constant hunger due to his meager provisions One day, he and an enslaved teenage girl named Eliza were so hungr y that they snuck into their master’s garden to eat a watermelon

her if she knew anything about my brothers She said a George Black had passed through Boston, and lived in Portland (Maine) She said, ‘Come home with me, for I perceive you have been a slave,’ I went and boarded with her for $3 a week I got a gentleman to write to Portland to Mr George Black, the man I thought was my brother He supposed I was one of his brothers, he having three brothers in the West Indies He invited me to come to Portland, and offered to pay my fare I was ver y ragged and dirty Mrs Taylor wrapped me up in Mr Taylor’s cloak, and sent me to Portland Mr Black sent down his man to the steamboat to get my trunk; but instead of having a trunk, I had scarcely any clothes to my back ”

Unfortunately, when he arrived at George H Black’s home at the corner of Milk and Exchange streets in Portland, he learned that George was not his brother Originally from the West Indies, George H Black (1800-1842) was a Baptist minister and abolitionist activist who owned a clothes cleaning business While he didn’t know anything about Leonard’s brothers, he was ver y kind to the young refugee Mrs Black made him new clothes to replace his rags so he could wear something presentable to church e Blacks gave Leonard free room and board for the year while he attended school

“Mrs Black, his wife, was more than a mother to me, and the whole family were ver y kind to me, ” Leonard Black wrote

Abbott Laboratories began mass layoffs of temporar y workers in ea rl y Februa r y. Ma ny of the workers were immigra nts who speak limited English Some arrived at Abbott only to be told to return home. Others receive d a message through tex t. There was widespread confusion and distress. Between 700-1,000 former Abbott temporar y workers are now looking for jobs. Ma ny p e ople have no idea how to do this. Communit y groups a nd the D epa r tment of Lab or a re tr ying to help. A mong these is Ma rdo ché e Mb ongi, president of the Congolese Asso c ia tion of Ma ine (COCOMaine).

“ The major requirement [in getting a job in the U.S.] is you need to speak English… and that is a constraint that we are experiencing while helping people to apply for a new job following the sudden layoffs from Abbott. “

“When people land here [in Maine], they ’ve been told that you cannot get a license [to work in your sk ill area] b ec ause you don’t sp eak English I k now a gentleman who couldn’t speak English, but he star ted work ing as a plumb er in a company that agreed to hire him based on his experience. So he star ted working there and going to school and training, training, training until they help ed him get his license. Now he is saving money to launch his own plumbing business. “

Mardochée Mbongi

For that offense,” Black later wrote, our cruel master stripped us and tied us both together and whipped us till the blood ran down on the ground in a puddle ” Black was briefly reunited with his four brothers when he was returned to his old master, but shortly three of his brothers ran away He made up his mind to follow them north He took the chance to escape one Sunday when his master thought he was in church Black soon found himself fleeing on foot from slave catchers and their bloodhounds, through forests and swamps At times, he had to physically fight off men who sought to turn him in to his enslaver for a reward Finally, aer arriving on a steamship from New York to Providence, Rhode Island, Black walked the final 40 miles, all night, to Boston and immediately began looking for his brothers

Aer asking around, Black met an African American woman named Sarah Taylor, whose husband John R Taylor ran a boarding house that ser ved as a station on the Underground Railroad As Black recalled, “I asked

Mov ing sustainably in Maine

By Cashel Stewart and Steve Genovese

e following year George Black helped him get a job as a farmhand in Bridgeton, where he worked for a season Aer that, he moved back in with the Blacks to work for abolitionist businessman George Ropes at his manufacturing company in Portland When George H Black moved the family to Boston to take a position as pastor at the historic African Meeting House in East Cambridge in 1838, Leonard followed them – he had fallen in love with the Blacks’ daughter Mar y Months later, they married and eventually had four children

Aer the Civil War, Leonard Black moved down to Petersburg, Virginia, where he became a ver y popular pastor of the First Baptist Church there On the day of his funeral in 1883, ever y store that employed a Black person in Petersburg closed, and more than 5,000 people attended his memorial ser vices

Next month this column will cover other Underground Railroad stations around Maine

Andy O’Brien is a writer, historian, labor activist, and lifelong Mainer He lives in Rockland

Transportation is integral to our livelihoods in Maine

As sustainability professionals, our goal is to help create a transportation system that is reliable, safe, and sustainable, enabling all users to travel safely, cleanly, and affordably

Across the nation as well as here, communities are actively working to develop safe, sustainable transportation systems

State focus

In 2020, Gov Janet Mills released “Maine Won’t Wait,” the state’s four-year climate action plan and followed this action with a statewide Active Transportation Plan and executive order to advance clean transportation solutions Each of these initiatives helps make a shi away from gas-powered vehicles and toward cleaner, safer roadways for all For more information about the “Maine Won’t Wait” climate action plan, the Statewide Active Transportation Plan, and this Executive Order, visit: www maine gov/climateplan

Greater Por tland focus

Cities in the greater Portland area, including Portland and South Portland, have passed “Complete Streets” policies – an initiative that ensures roadway designs consider and incorporate infrastructure for all road users Complete Streets designs emphasize walking, biking, transit, stormwater runoff, and street beautification – all of which historically have been neglected in favor of a focus solely on vehicular traffic Incorporating Complete Streets elements into street design is the first step in creating safe roadways for all

Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG), a regional planning organization, has led a collaboration regarding sustainable transportation C onnect 2045, the region’s long-range transportation plan, sets far-reaching goals for transportation over the next 20 years In the near term, GPCOG has initiated a Vision Zero action plan Vision Zero aims to put in place local strategies to eliminate all traffic fa-

talities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all Visit www connect2045 org/pages/get-involved for updates and opportunity for engagement For more information about the Vision Z ero Network and to engage in GPCOG planning, visit:

visionzeronetwork org/about/what-is-vision-zero/

What moving sustainably means

According to U S News & World Report, three-quarters of trips in the U S are made in vehicles transporting just one person – and many of these trips are less than two miles Having fewer vehicles on the road is the goal, but moving sustainably doesn’t mean not using your car at all Moving sustainability simply means completing as many trips as we can with “active transportation,” which is a catch-all term for modes like walking, rollerblading, skateboarding, and biking ese offer numerous health benefits, help save money on car ownership, and can represent a significant reduction in carbon emissions Advancements in e-mobility technolog y such as electric bikes and scooters help make these trips easier Additionally, electric cargo bikes have features that allow for carr ying groceries and other people Some cities such as South Portland are currently offering rebates to eligible residents on the purchase of electric bikes and cargo bikes For more information about South Portland’s Electrify Ever ything! rebate program see w w w southportland org/departments/sustainability-office/buildings-energ y/electrify/

Visit bikemaine org, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s website, for more information on trails, routes, shops, and ways to get involved

e opinions expressed in these columns are those of the w riters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or v iews of Ladder to the Moon Network or Amjambo Africa

Ne w star t brings pain, hope | By Walongo

I am a political refugee from Congo Brazzaville, and a single mother with an adorable little girl I have lived through some enormous experiences in my life journey – both good and bad – including making a new start in a new world

A new start is like being born again Ever ything is shapeless and empty You have to climb a ladder (go from point A to point B) and build a world according to the vision you have chosen – which is not easy, and requires a lot of courage, sacrifice, determination, and patience

Being a refugee is a difficult, painful, and traumatic experience

Un nouveau dépar t, la douleur et l'espoir

By Walongo

Venant du C ongo Brazzaville, je suis une réfugiée politique Mère seule avec un enfant (une adorable petite fille) qui dans son parcours a vécu d'énormes expériences ( negatives tout comme positives) parmis lesquels un nouveau départ dans un monde nouveau fait partie Vivre un nouveau départ c ’est comme naître de nouveau Tout est informe et vide, tu te dois de monter des échelons (aller d’un point A à un point B) et bâtir un monde selon ta visio , chose qui n ’ a jamais été facile car cela nécessite beaucoup de courage, sacrifice, de volonté et de patience

C’est une expérience assez difficile, douleureuse, et traumatisante en tant qu’immigrants

Douleureuse parce que tu dois tout laisser derrière toi (ta famille, tes amis, tes projets Tout ce que tu avais bâti) C ela nous plonge parfois dans un sentiment de regret et d’amer tume Traumatisante parce que tu es obligé d’affronter une réalité qui n ’est forcément pas en ta faveur

Le risque est majeur, tu vis tout le temps dans la crainte de non seulement échouer mais aussi de tout perdre en un clin d’œil Cette peur te ronge de l’intérieur et te mets dans un stress permanent -- chose qui te rend d’ailleurs malade, tu deviens fragile

Mais le bon côté des choses c ’est que tout ces aléa ne tue pas et tant qu ’ on vie il y a de l’espoir!

DR C ongo: a forgotten genocide

|

By François Mayesi

Pope Francis made a three-day visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) from Januar y 31 to Februar y 3 Upon his arrival, the Supreme Pontiff met with Congolese President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi, as well as other political leaders and members of the diplomatic corps e Holy Father gave a ver y frank speech in which he denounced a “forgotten genocide” in DR Congo

In your countr y, which is like a continent itself within the greater continent of Africa, it seems that the entire earth breathes Torn by war, the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to witness within its confines conflicts and forced migrations, and to suffer from terrible forms of exploitation, unwor thy of humanity and of creation,” Pope Francis said

e “forgotten genocide” from which Congo suffers is a poison of greed – the greed of its leaders, its neighboring

Painful because you have to leave ever ything behind (your family, your friends, your projects ever ything you had built) and this sometimes plunges one into a feeling of regret and bitterness Traumatizing also, because you are forced to face a reality that is not in your favor e risk is enormous – you live all the time in fear of not only failing, but also of losing ever ything in the blink of an eye is fear gnaws at you from the inside and puts you in permanent stress What you have chosen makes you sick; you become fragile But the good side of things is that all these hardships do not kill you, and as long as we live, there is hope! What matters is first of all to believe in yourself, to be surrounded by the right people (people filled with love, who have consideration for you, believe in you, above all guide and encourage you) Secondly, it’s important to consider each failure as an acquired experience, and make it a shield – use it in the face of each difficult situation that presents itself – by repeating that this time, ever ything will be fine And thirdly, it’s important to learn from each new situation I have been in the U S for 18 months now My true wish is that things will improve in the days to come for myself and my daughter

C e qui compte c ’est premièrement de croire en soit, d’être entourer des bonnes personnes (des personnes remplies d’amour, qui vous considère, crois en vous , surtout oriente et encourage) Deuxièmement, considérer chaque échec comme une expérience acquise et en faire un bouclier (s’en ser vir devant chaque situation difficile qui se présente à nous en se disant cette fois-ci ça ira ) Troisièmement, tirer profit de chacune de ces situations

Comme je le disais dès le départ, je viens du Congo Brazzaville précisément de la capitale qui est Brazzaville Présentement je suis aux USA ça fait 18 mois Je suis dans l'espoir de voir les choses s 'améliorer venir pour fille Tel e ment souhait

e power of prayers

By Rupal Ramesh Shah

ese days as I wake up to the winter weather of C olumbus, Ohio, I am reminded of warm mornings in Moshi, Tanzania, when I lived there years ago I par ticularly remember the mornings when I used to wake up to the Islamic call to prayer between 4:30 and 5:00 a m at my uncle and aunt’s house

eir home was away f rom town, so our mornings weren’t filled with the street noise of cars and the hustle and bustle of busy people Instead, their neighborhood was quiet Any sound that was heard was clear and significant!

I enjoyed waking up at their home to the soothing and peaceful Adhan Adhan is an Arabic word, to describe the Islamic call to worship It is called out from the mosque five times a day, traditionally from the minaret, summoning Muslims to worship A second call, known as Iqamah then summons Muslims to line up for the beginning of the prayers e main purpose behind the multiple loud calls is to bring to mind Islam’s spiritual ideolog y In modern times, loudspeakers have been installed on minarets Ever y time I woke up to this call to worship, it brought a certain sense of peace and tranquility I am not a Muslim, yet I can appreciate this quality of Islam in which all believers come together to worship and pay their respect to God Of course, I also pray, and such a call to worship reminds me to continue to lead a prayer-filled life I believe in the power of prayers and ascribe to the ideolog y of taking time out of our busy lives to pray It is important to thank God or any higher spiritual being for giving us the opportunity to wake up each morning to a world full of love, life, and beauty

Another aspect of Islam that I admire is Ramadan Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar Muslims all over the world fast during that month According to the Qu’ran, the Prophet Muhammad first received revelations during the month of R amadan erefore, it is considered to be the most sacred month in Islam Ramadan is supposed to be a time of spiritual reflection, imnd increased devotion All religions encourage bereflect on their spiritual journey – and what a g, to be able to devote one month of each year to reion and critical thinking!

During R amadan, street children used to go from ne home to another, singing and playing simple instruments made of bottle caps, stones, and leover metal scraps ey sang outside homes until the owners came out to give a handful of coins ese children live and spend most of their lives without stable homes, on the streets, and constantly in search of money for food and other necessities For the month of Ramadan, they have the opportunity to go f rom home to home in search of money, but what about the rest of the year? What about the rest of their lives?

I realize that there is a large, growing population of et children, orphaned or abandoned, in Tanzania –sewhere – who need stable environments My prayer for those children I hope that as they continue to k for help, we will reach out to them and provide so love and hope for a better tomorrow!

countries, and unfortunately, even overseas countries that exploit diamonds in total indifference to human suffering

Despite vast reser ves that include minerals, arable land, and the second-largest tropical forest on the planet, DR Congo ranks as the fih poorest countr y in the world Yet DR Congo has the world’s largest reser ve of cobalt and is the top Af rican producer of copper Reser ves of coal, coltan (used to make cell phones), diamonds, gold, lead, phosphorus, uranium, and zinc are abundant

“

is countr y and this continent deser ve to be respected and listened to,” the pope said “ ey deser ve space and attention: take your hands out of the Democratic Republic of C ongo, take your hands out of Af rica! Stop suffocating Africa: it is not a mine to be exploited or a land to be robbed May Africa be the protagonist of its destiny!”

Since 1996, upwards of 6 million people have been killed in DR Congo In the eastern part of the countr y, ongoing violence by local and foreign armed groups, such as the M23, are killing, displacing, and capturing civilians

Addressing more than 100,000 young people at the Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa, the pope invited Congolese young

people to resist the “poisonous temptation” of corruption, regionalism, and tribalism, and work together to build a future of peace and love

“Keep your hands clean,” said the pope “For hands that traffic in easy money get stained with blood Do not ruin your youth by becoming isolated and closed in on yourselves ”

Tshisekedi’s election results have been challenged by the powerful Episcopal Conference of Congo, and the Holy Father shared direct words pleading for fair, transparent, and inclusive elections to be held at the end of 2023 He prayed for forgiveness and reconciliation between the different political parties

Finally, the Holy Father compared the Congolese nation to a “diamond of creation,” from which the development of the region and the entire continent can start Praising the people of DR Congo for their talents and courage, he urged the world to “take its hands out of Africa” and restore to it the respect it deser ves

Refuge e Shabbat

formed in 1902 to help Jews fleeing violence and persecution in Russia and Eastern Europe, created this event five years ago.

L ig hting my road

By Odette Zouri

C onne c tions and refle c tions

By Martha Stein, Executive Director, Hope Acts

When I was asked to participate in a panel discussion for Refugee Shabbat at Temple B eth Israel in Bath, I readily agreed e invitation was made by Joanne Rosenthal, my f riend, neighbor, and one of the founders of the MidC oast New Mainers Group I looked for ward to the conversation with other nonprofit and immigrant community leaders I love talking about our work at Hope Acts and learning from others

An enthusiastic group gathered on Februar y 4 for a potluck meal and short Shabbat ser vice with featured speaker Odette Zouri Odette is a midcoast community leader originally from Burkina Faso She is an ambitious, giving woman Odette will complete her degree in nursing this coming spring She volunteers in the community, is a devoted mother of two school-age children, and works full time as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) Odette’s empathy and ability to find personal connections with anyone and ever yone is a profound example of how our shared humanity can bring people together

e Saturday morning ser vice by Temple B eth Israel’s Rabbi Lisa Vindikoor was conducted in both Hebrew and English As I was listening to familiar prayers and songs that have been chanted for centuries, and thinking about our upcoming panel discussion on immigration, vivid memories of my Russian-Ukrainian grandma rushed into my head She arrived in the U S as a teenager in the early 1900s, fleeing pogroms (organized massacres of Jewish people in Russia and eastern Europe) As a youngster, I could not fathom her immigrant experience or under-

stand her traditions and food choices – like tea drunk from a glass, rather than a cup or mug, her love of borscht (beet soup), the bread she ate with ever y dinner – no matter what else we were eating

Rabbi Vindikoor linked the Jewish experience of fleeing antisemitism to the experiences of today’s immigrants in Maine –many of whom are also fleeing hatred and persecution Another flashback to my grandma is time it is the early 1970s I was about 10 years old My father brought my older sister, my grandmother, and me to the movie “Fiddler on the Roof ” “Fiddler” is about the challenges of a poor Eastern European Jewish family in 1905 e family and their Jewish neighbors are forced to flee at the movie’s end because of ongoing pogroms Sitting in the synagogue in Bath over 40 years later, I remember seeing tears streaming down my grandmother’s face while she quietly sobbed as the movie credits rolled

As I refocused on the ser vice, Rabbi Vindikoor was sharing the stor y of a ship called the St Louis that le Nazi Germany in 1939 Most of the ship’s 937 passengers were Jews fleeing violence and persecution because of their religion e St Louis was blocked by immigration authorities in Cuba, the U S , and Canada, and ultimately returned to Europe, which was a death sentence for hundreds of passengers My brain raced again I had heard this stor y so many times, including ver y recently but when?

Suddenly, I knew the answer – f rom Richard B erman, the man who purchased our organization’s building, Hope House, enabling Hope Acts to house asylum seekers and provide ser vices for the community over the past 10 years Richard has shared the story of his relatives, who were aboard the illfated St Louis and later perished in the death camps of Nazi Germany, a number of times over the years He shared it again with the Hope Acts board of directors on the occasion of his donation of Hope House to our organization, so that asylum seekers will always have a place to call home in Maine

So much in life comes full circle As Mainers, those of us who are not Indigenous have family immigration stories of our own, and quite a few involved severe hardship C er tainly Jewish Mainers and recent asylum seekers have much in common

As I stand in f ront of you today, I would like to pay tribute to my patients, who remind me of what life is about: connecting to each other and sharing the light What keeps me going is the hope that there is a better tomorrow for each one of us, no matter what tomorrow – or the next day aer that – brings

Once I spent an entire night with a man suffering from delirium He couldn’t rest in bed for more than 10 minutes He couldn’t sleep He was ver y confused But at some point we were able to engage in conversation He talked about his wife and children; he talked about his immigrant parents from Sicily, Italy We talked for hours In the morning, he was almost back to his baseline I was back to myself, too At the time, I had been going through one of the hardest times in my own life My patient wished me luck with ever ything, and I thanked him for sharing and giving me a new perspective on my life

People can see par t of their own family histor y through ever y immigrant’s stor y, but if – and only if – they are willing to connect at a personal level

Most of the stories I have heard have similarities: a dream, difficult times, a welcoming place, connections, then finally a new home in America ese stories are brought to me by people who want to pay tribute to their parents and grandparents and their fight for better lives ese people want me to know they honor the legacy and will help out other newcomers in America as a result

To me, that is all it is about: passing the legac y down, keeping the light vivid for those who have le ever ything behind, hoping for the best in America – like so many

from all around the world have been doing for centuries As we gather here today to reflect on the immigrant experience, I would ask each one of us to stand for the American dream and its promise e dream does exist, even though it might not be achievable for all

In Maine, there are people and organizations who work around the clock to make it possible for immigrants to rebuild their lives here – MidCoast New Mainers Group, Hope Acts, and Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, to name a few We can each do something at the individual level, but it is also impor tant to engage with these organizations and help build a strong network that is beneficial for all Mainers f rom all backgrounds In a world where standing up for immigrant rights tends to promote division, instead of inclusion and acceptance, we should value the uniqueness of individuals and come together to build a stronger world

As I always say to my patients when they are getting ready for discharge, “It was nice sharing your journey to healing ” I thank all of you here today for sharing the immigrants’ journey to rebuild their lives

I’ve been tr ying to educate legislators and the public on the disparities within all of [Maine’s] systems, and then work collaboratively to tr y to eradicate those disparities

JH: Can you tell us about some early influences on you as a child g row ing up in Maine?

RTR: I was born and raised here in Portland, and I come from a family that is a multi-generational Black family here in Maine I’m the ninth generation And while I was growing up as a child, I was exposed to a community of women who were fighting each and ever y day they just never gave up And so I know that I can’t give up because we still have so much work to do I’ve had the benefit of my father’s, my mother’s, my sisters’ work an extended family of strong, resilient, committed, compassionate Black leaders

JH: Let’s talk about the housing crisis

RTR: Housing here in the state of Maine has reached the level of a humanitarian crisis We have a record number of people who are out in the cold We do not have enough of an integrated support system to take care of folks I mean, there’s one shelter in all of Aroostook C ounty And people have been living for months in hotels without real privacy, without kitchens and things, without transportation It’s risen to a level of real palpable crisis Senator [Troy] Jackson [DDist 1] – the president of the Senate – and I have established a Joint Select Committee on housing It s not just one population of people is is a crisis that impacts ever y par t of this state It impacts ever y demographic of the state, from our children all the

L e gislative Update

By Rebecca Scarborough

e 131st legislative se well under way in Aug and among many b being considered thi session is LD 199, “An Act to Improve the Health of Maine Residents by Removing Exclusions to the MaineCare Program,” sponsored by Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross and cosponsored by eigh other legislators

Alex Car ter of Ma

way to our elders Ever y population demographic is impacted So we felt the need to focus exclusively on housing and all of the ways that housing then impacts the rest of life If you do not have housing first, then you ’ re not able to connect the other dots in your life ere are probably a record number of bills being introduced to address housing I’m starting my seventh year in the legislature we ’ re [finally] now naming homelessness, and identifying those who are unhoused as a critical voice in thinking about what to do around housing S o, it s ever ything from developing more affordable housing units all the way to homeownership But also it is –how are we taking care of the least among us? How are we taking care of those who have been chronically unhoused?

e good news for the people of Maine is that the attention to housing is being done regardless of political party is is not seen as a partisan issue It’s not Republicans versus Democrats B oth chambers are coming together e S enate chamber e House chamber Republicans Democrats Independents e people of Maine can feel good about the fact that we are tr ying to tackle this crisis together

JH: What work is being done specifically to help immig rants thrive in Maine?

RTR: Well, I think we ’ ve made a whole lot of progress at the state level by having voices that represent the lived experience of our immigrant and refugee populations is year Rep Deqa Dhalac from South Portland was sworn in, and Rep Mana Abdi was sworn in from the City of Lewiston Having the lived experience and the voice of that

LEGISLATIVE ETADPU

VITALSIGEL

Equal Justice noted tha sage of LD 199 would h immigrants access healt currently unable to do so e bill expands eligibility for MaineCare to include “non-citizen residents” of Maine, over the age of 21, whose income meets eligibility criteria for MaineCare is builds on legislation passed in the last session that allowed people under 21, and pregnant people who met criteria for MaineCare, to have access to health insurance regardless of citizenship status

e bill would provide coverage for asylum seekers, people without current documentation, as well as some people with green cards who may have come to Maine through family-based migration Car ter described the current lack of access to healthcare by people in these groups as a “ gap in an essential ser vice” and stated that the “All Means All” campaign highlights not only the moral issue, but also that immigrants are the backbone of Maine’s workforce and economy, yet do not have the access to healthcare that they need

Maine Equal Justice, New Mainers Public Health Initiative, and Presente! Maine are co-chairs of All Means All,” a campaign supporting LD 199 A coalition of par tners suppor ting the bill includes C onsumers for Affordable Health Care, Maine Center for Economic Policy, and the Maine People’s Alliance

LD 199 has been referred to the C ommittee on

lived experience right at the heart of policy development is a huge change I mean, just astronomical it is the progress that we need to see We need to continue to diversify the state legislature [and get] more people elected to office is is actually one of the really critical pieces of work that we need to do One thing several legislators are working on is to tr y to get a state office that would help coordinate – not dictate, but coordinate – the integration process What we [need] is for the state to develop an office in which those who are seeking asylum would be able to access ser vices and navigators and case management, par ticularly around housing

JH: I’d like to talk relations between African Americans and immig rants from Africa I have heard a lot of people say there i s a chasm between the two g roups in the U S Could joining forces benefit both communities?

RTR: Oh, my goodness, yes Not only do we need to come together we need to keep coming together Because the only way for our communities to be successful is for us to work together In this countr y race has been used as the biological marker that [determines which] people are privileged and which are not that privilege and that sense of supremacy has been upheld to ensure that our communities never come together It’s a tactic, it’s a strateg y, and it’s worked for hundreds of years We have an obligation to dismantle that it’s been a painful reality for those of us who trace our lineage to this soil multi-generationally It’s been really painful to see the way in which systemic racism has

Health and Human Ser vices ere is not yet an official date set for a public hearing, but Maine Equal Justice is currently seeking m people denied are because of their gration status or m those in commuities with people who are impacted ese stories will help the campaign explain to lawmakers and the public the need for passage of LD 199 Members of the public can share their stories at maineequaljustice org well as sign up for tes on this and other aine chapter of the ACLU is watching LD 618, “An Act to Eliminate Critical R ace eor y, S ocial and Emotional Learning and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from School Curricula,” sponsored by Rep Jeffer y Adams (R-Dist 144) “Critical race theor y ” is a form of legal analysis taught in law schools, however this bill and a number of other bills incorrectly label all discussions on race and systemic racism in schools and other institutions as an example of “critical race theor y LD 618 specifically bans education suggesting that policies may have been “created by members of a par ticular race to oppress members of another race ” is raises questions on how a public school teacher can teach the histor y of slaver y and segregation – systems that created and maintained by white settlers and legislators e bill has been referred to the C ommittee on Education and Cultural Affairs No public hearing has been scheduled yet

For more information, visit Maine’s legislative website (legislature maine gov), and follow Amjambo on social media for updates throughout the legislative session

worked to keep us apart It has long been a strateg y of white supremac y to make sure that we don’t come together

JH: Do you think it is impor tant for African Americans and African immig rants to get to know each other better?

RTR: It is our responsibility [to get to know each other s histories] If you do not know the histor y of Af rican Americans here in Maine and I don’t know the histor y of the continent of Africa particularly [what led to] leaving the home countr y and relocating to Maine If we don’t understand each other’s stories, then how is the system supposed to respond to that? In many ways, we ’ re doing the work of the system by not having an appreciation for each of those lived experiences and tr ying to figure out what the common ground is – in order to move us both for ward

JH: Let’s return to systemic racism What can be done?

RTR: I believe it’s fear that keeps so much of systemic racism in place It s fear of the other It’s fear that somehow we ’ re giving you something that you don’t deser ve that somehow somebody’s going to lose and somebody’s going to gain and the people who are going to gain do not deser ve to do so And the people who lose now, you know, deser ve to lose It’s this [idea] that says somebody is better than someone else based on false characteristics And that you deser ve the position that you have now and that our systems are built on We need to understand that there are inherent, absolute rights of being a human being

Public hearings

Testifying before a committee:

Anyone wanting to offer testimony to a committee may do so by attending the meeting in person in the committee room or by registering to testify over Zoom using the testimony submission por tal (w w w.mainelegislature.org/testimony/). Generally, registration is required no later than 30 minutes prior to the scheduled star t of that day ’s hearing(s). Once that registration is complete, the person will receive additional information regarding acquiring a Zoom meeting link that can be used to join the meeting remotely during the public hearing Unless otherwise specified by the chairs, such as in the case of large public hearings, no pre -registration is required for in-person hearing testimony.

Written testimony:

Someone testifying over Zoom can submit written testimony by uploading it through the registration portal (www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/). Committee clerks will endeavor to provide legislators with hard copies of elec tronic ally submitted testimony prior to a hearing, however such distribution before or during a public hearing cannot be guaranteed A person who testifies in the committee ro om and has written testimony, should provide 20 hard copies for distribution to the committee. Do not upload testimony through the por tal if planning to testify in the committee room.

Coalition members from Presente! Maine, New Mainers Public Health Initiative, and Maine Equal Justice gathered to plan the “All Means All” campaign

Allagash Brewing Company Supports: We’re lucky to be surrounded by inspiring organizations like In Her Presence. Since 2015, founders Claudette Ndayininahaze and Abusana Micky Bondo, have led their organization in helping immigrant women

For more information, go to inherpresence.org