THE POWER OF WORDS

OUR LANGUAGE THE POWER OF WORDS

Spend time selecting words with intention and kindness. Be an advocate in the world for accurate and appropriate use of words. Here are ways we have developed our lexicon to communicate in a way that is authentic and uplifting.

People-first:

When you refer to someone, define them as a person first and add words to describe them next. Instead of referring to someone in our program as a “refugee,” refer to them as a “person experiencing migration” or “family experiencing resettlement as refugees”. With people-first language we communicate that the individual and family are not defined by their migration experience.

Refugee vs. New Arrival:

The term “refugee” is used commonly as an umbrella term for anyone who has ever experienced migration. Miry’s List families are not refugees. Once a family arrives here, they are new arrivals, new neighbors. From the moment they step off the plane, they go from being “refugees seeking refuge” to newcomers in our communities. We embrace them as completely and unconditionally as we would any struggling family in our community. This approach frees our families from the label “refugee,” empowering them to see themselves as we see them: capable, strong, welcome, and important.

Story vs. Experience:

With the best intentions, we can use words that undermine or misdefine another, directly or subtly. When meeting a new arrival family, they might share their experiences with you. Remember that these accounts are not their experience. story, but their experience.