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THE REFUGEES EDITION
ISSUE 13
H E L LO H E L LO!
3
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Welcome to the Goodnewspaper. It’s when times are hardest that it’s most important that we shine a light on good news. Not ”feel-good” news. Hope — real hope — no matter how messy it may be. There’s a lot of good in the world that needs to be celebrated. And we need to become a part of it.
Guest Editor Ahmed M. Badr - @mesopotami Managing Editor & Writer Kailey Thompson - @kaileythompson Art Director Carra Sykes - @carrasykes Editor-in-Chief Branden Harvey - @brandenharvey Director of Community & Communication Megan Burns - @meganburnsyou
Creativity In Displacement: The Power of Storytelling In The Global Refugee Crisis
Director of Partnerships Steve Wallace - @stevenbwallace
When I came to the U.S. as a refugee in 2008, I didn’t know
jewelry, a virtual reality project that puts you in the shoes
I had a story to tell, much less how to tell it. Since then, with
of someone living in a refugee camp, and artists who trans-
Creative Strategist
the help of so many incredible friends and mentors, I’ve
formed a prison into a colorful place to live. I even got to
Sammi Harvey - @sammiharveyco
learned to use storytelling as a means of self-empowerment,
interview a top UN official, Kelly T. Clements, who offers
as a way of learning about and situating myself within the
valuable insight into the organizational perspective of the
world around me.
global refugee crisis.
Event Producer Michelle Ellamae - @ellamaeproductions Centerfold Poster Featured Artist
Serving as guest editor on this issue has been an absolute
Above all, I hope you see that there is no one image, one
honor. We talked with refugees across multiple countries
story, or one representation that can fully capture the word
and contexts to learn about the challenges they’ve overcome,
“refugee.” We are students, leaders, and friends, who — just
Contributing Writer
the projects they’re working on, and the ways they are taking
like you — dream of a world that can be safe, secure, and full
Sheryl Winarick - @swinarick
ownership of their stories. We also chose to highlight those
of joy and meaning.
Special Thanks
who may have never experienced displacement but are none-
Hussein Al-Baiaty - @refutees
My hope isn't just to leave you feeling inspired but that
To the 300+ Instagram followers who helped translate
you'll also feel compelled to roll up your sleeves and join us
the word "welcome" into their languages. The languag-
One thing I wish people knew about refugees is that their
in doing the work. You will encounter several calls to action
es on the front cover represent the 10 countries who
experiences are three-dimensional, complex, and not lim-
in the pages that follow, but please remember that this issue
ited to tragedy and pain. I think you’ll see in this issue that
is itself a call to action, a call toward solidarity, collaboration,
this is true. This issue is so important because it recognizes
and empathy.
theless on the frontlines in refugee advocacy.
the need for refugees to tell their stories on their own terms and then fulfills that acknowledgement by amplifying their stories through its pages. You’ll read stories about repurposing life jackets into
-AHMED M. BADR, @MESOPOTAMI
Author, "While the Earth Sleeps We Travel" & Guest Editor
host the most refugees per 1,000 inhabitants: Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Chad, Uganda, Sudan, Sweden, South Sudan, Malta, and Djibouti.
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This issue of the Goodnewspaper was printed in June 2020 and released in July 2020.
W E H AV E G O O D N E W S
4
Sesame Street Opens Its Doors to Syrian Refugees For more than 50 years, Sesame Street has been a source of entertainment and education for children, providing lessons
Life Jackets Create Jewelry — And Opportunities — For Refugees
on challenges affecting childhood such as racism, divorce, autism, grieving, and more. Now the show is introducing new characters: refugees displaced by the war in Syria.
Afghan Refugee Gives Out Food Vouchers to People Affected By COVID-19
You can see piles of bright orange life jackets discarded
“At this point, there are lots of 7-year-olds who were born
An act of kindness is going a long way to help people hit by the
across the rocky beaches in Lesbos, Greece, signifying
as refugees from Syria” and remain far from permanent
coronavirus pandemic. Nemat Azizi, an Afghan refugee and
the perilous journey that refugees are willing to take to
resettlement, a Sesame Street staff member told the New
insurance office owner, helped those struggling financially
create a better life. Now a startup in Minnesota is using
York Times. “That’s not changing soon.”
by giving out hundreds of grocery vouchers worth $150 each.
the jackets to create jewelry and draw attention to the
According to the Times, nearly seven out of 10 Syrian
It started when Azizi donated $500 of his own money. He
residents have been forced to leave their homes since the
soon realized just how many people were affected in his town
The company, Epimonia, transforms the life jackets into
start of the conflict in 2011. More than 11 million people
of Bellevue, Nebraska, and he called on business owners and
jewelry, and half the profits go to organizations that help ref-
have been displaced, with only 150,000 of those people
members of the community to chip in. Soon he had raised
ugees adapt to resettlement. The startup’s founder, Moham-
permanently resettled.
hundreds of dollars through his Facebook fundraising page.
global refugee crisis.
ad Maalim, is a Somali-American refugee who was born in
Sesame Street’s model for early childhood education
The donations benefit restaurant and salon workers who lost
Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya and one of the largest refu-
includes lessons on the alphabet, counting, and colors,
their jobs because of the pandemic so they can get daily es-
gee camps in the world. His family moved to Minnesota with
of course, but also historically tackles more complicated
sentials and take care of their loved ones.
the help of a UN resettlement program. Now he’s the first in
topics, so in many ways this pivot into including refugees
his family to finish school and attend college.
is unsurprising.
Azizi told Newsweek that reflecting on his hardships as a refugee — fleeing Afghanistan, going to India, and then mov-
"With the current political climate that was going on in our
Less than 2 percent of humanitarian aid worldwide is
country, I wanted to shed a positive light on refugees," Maal-
targeted at education, according to the Times. The series,
"Getting the opportunity to come to the United States
im told the media organization Freethink.
called Ahlan Simsim ("Welcome Sesame" in Arabic),
as a refugee has always motivated me to give back," he told
Maalim first proposed the Epimonia idea during a college
will address challenges such as housing insecurity, social
Newsweek. "I believe in communities sticking together,
social business competition. His first product was a wrist-
isolation, and safety because these challenges affect
especially during tough times like these. There have been
band that's made out of lifejackets, called the “Embracelet.”
children’s development in a significant way, including issues
multiple times in my life that I have received help and now
A partner organization collects life jackets from the Greek
with brain development, gene expression, and the ability
that I am able to give forward, I am and will continue doing so
beaches and sends them to the company’s factory in Minne-
to build the fundamental tools of resiliency, the Times
for as long as I can."
sota, where former refugees work to create the jewelry.
said. The show will focus on identifying and managing
"When you wear this bracelet, you basically symbolize that
difficult emotions.
you stand for refugees. Refugees are human beings, just like
Sesame Street estimates that their series will reach as
all of us. They all want opportunities to provide for their fam-
many as nine million children — what they expect to be
ilies, and that's what the bracelets stand for," he said.
the largest early-childhood intervention in the history of
He hopes to expand to a full clothing line soon.
humanitarian response.
ing to the U.S. — motivated him to help others.
WHAT'S THIS? THIS IS THE GOOD BAR. We believe in celebrating good and then joining in and making a difference ourselves. The Good Bar is full of recommendations from the Good Good Good community on how to take action in meaningful ways. Start small and work your way up.
HOW TO SUPPORT REFUGEES DURING THE PANDEMIC GO OD
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UNHCR has been doing important work for refugees in the midst of the threat of COVID-19. You can learn more about their responses and the experiences of refugees during this time at medium.com/@UNHCR.
Donate to Preemptive Love. They're on the frontlines rushing food to thousands of refugees locked down with no other way to eat, providing medical care, creating digital jobs, and more. preemptivelove.org/covid19
Look up your community's local resettlement agency. You can call them or email them and ask how you can help your neighbors during this uniquely challenging time. They'll be able to direct you to meaningful action.
How to Restore Faith In Humanity and Hope For Our Future
W E LCO M I N G N E WCO M ERS
5
values, beliefs, and customs. Emotions overtake the numbers
example, I love the Multicultural Refugee Coalition in Austin,
and facts, and you can’t reason with emotions. Essentially,
Texas, Eat Offbeat in New York City, Justice For Our Neigh-
the migration issue cuts directly to the core of who we are.
bors in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Welcoming America
So, who are we? I found myself asking about five years ago,
initiatives all around the United States. When Clarkston,
frustrated with the growing gap not only between rhetoric
Georgia became one of the most multicultural square miles
and reality surrounding migrants and refugees, but also be-
in the U.S. because of refugee resettlement, local residents
tween people living in our society. Feeling so much polariza-
created Refuge Coffee Co. as a meeting place to share coffee
Most people I meet really love their home country, much like
tion and alienation at home caused me to realize this is not
and culture and get to know each other. They bring the com-
the way we love our family. Home is part of who we are, which
only an immigration and refugee issue, but also a question
munity together to celebrate different religious holidays with
might explain why most people in the world (96.5 percent)
about the kind of community where I want to live. How do we
food, dancing, and art. Volunteers use the space to teach Eng-
live in the country where they were born. The number of
bridge the gap? How can we live in harmony with people we
lish and job skills to their new neighbors. When I was there
international migrants is relatively small, around 3.5 per-
perceive as different? How do we cultivate the kind of com-
for the annual Refuge Coffee 5K, I heard a runner exclaim
cent of the world’s population, according to the UN’s World
munity where everyone feels a sense of belonging and value,
with glee, “The world could be like this!” Another Georgia
Migration Report 2020. That’s roughly 272 million people,
no matter where they come from or why?
native said he doesn’t like to travel, so he appreciates getting
By Sheryl Winarick
and the overwhelming majority move for reasons related to
It turns out, people all over the world are working hard to
work, family, and study. But 26 million people are officially
answer these questions, finding creative ways to bring people
At the end of the day, meeting people where they are and
designated as refugees, as UNHCR reported in June 2020,
together to better understand who we are and who we want to
connecting on a heart level feels like the best way to restore
and another 4.2 million are asylum-seekers who must meet
be (individually and collectively), to support each other, and
faith in humanity and hope for our future. Something as sim-
the definition of a refugee in order to gain lawful status in the
to enjoy the spaces where our journeys overlap.
ple as a potluck dinner party provides a fun opportunity to
country where they seek refuge.
to explore the world through his own community.
Sometimes we have to turn our attention away from the
engage more people in conversations that spark trust and
I offer these numbers for context. It’s not easy to leave
headlines to see how much good there really is in the world.
compassion. And it only takes one spark to light the dark-
home, and most people don’t. For those who do, in my expe-
That’s what I’ve discovered over the past five years as I’ve
ness. A collective dedication to this kind of bridge-building is
rience as an immigration attorney, it’s not for lack of love of
traveled around the United States and the world exploring
exactly what will draw us into a brighter and more just world
their home country but rather with an abundance of hope
the ways people experience migration through intentionally
where everyone feels truly seen and welcome.
for creating a better life. Everyone I know shares the same
inclusive community conversations. We talk about culture
desire to live in a free society where we feel safe and have the
and identity, faith and spirituality, food and hospitality, and
Sheryl Winarick is an immigration attorney who
opportunity to thrive. People dream of being allowed to work
anything else that naturally emerges. Each conversation is
helps people navigate complex legal systems to
hard, of being able to contribute, of helping to sustain the kind
unique, but one thing is consistent. Sharing our lived expe-
pursue their dreams and goals in the United States.
of environment where their children can thrive, too.
riences and feelings — hopes and fears — in mixed company
She is equally committed to connecting people with
Unfortunately, host countries are increasingly hostile to
with longtime residents and newcomers, including immi-
diverse life experiences to cultivate deeper awareness
immigrants in general and to refugees and asylum-seekers in
grants and refugees, challenges the narratives people write
and appreciation for our shared humanity. Her home
particular. The most vulnerable people in the world somehow
about us, whoever “us” is.
base is Austin, Texas, where she finds refuge hiking
seem like the most threatening because they come from plac-
Everywhere I go, I meet people who are excited to share
es perceived as significantly different — different cultures,
local initiatives welcoming and supporting newcomers. For
and paddle boarding around the lake.
HOW TO WELCOME REFUGEES IN YOUR COMMUNITY GO OD
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Lessen the assumed differences between you and refugees. A great place to start is Buzzfeed's YouTube video called "Questions You've Always Wanted To Ask A Refugee."
If you're a person of faith, you can encourage your congregation to get involved with the refugee community. Check out these Jewish, Christian, and Islamic nonprofits: HIAS, World Relief, and Islamic Relief USA.
Volunteer with local initiatives that welcome and support refugees. You can visit welcomingamerica.org/ programs/our-network to find organizations in your area. (If there isn't one — you can start one!)
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