OVER
the past few years, thousands of refugees from Myanmar (formerly Burma) have settled in Buffalo, seeking a better life for themselves and their families. It hasn’t
always been easy. Many of those fleeing the war-torn nation found themselves living in refugee camps, often for years, before being allowed into the United States. Once here, they faced new challenges, such as adjusting to our culture or finding healthcare; challenges made even more difficult due to the language barrier. “Language is always at the top,” says Denise Beehag of the International Institute. “It’s complicated by the fact that a lot of Burmese groups were persecuted and weren’t allowed to have a formal education.” v Evergreen has become an important resource for Buffalo’s Burmese community. We currently serve just
under 30 Burmese clients in our Primary & Specialty Care and Care Coordination programs. Many of these clients depend on Evergreen’s Engagement and Linguistic Specialist, Saw Min, for help in navigating the complicated world of healthcare that speaks a language they don’t understand. v Saw is from Myanmar, where he taught in elementary, middle and high schools for twenty years. He came to Augusta, Georgia in 2007, and moved to Buffalo in 2010. He joined Evergreen in 2011. “I wanted to learn and do something different,” Saw says. He is a member of the Care Coordination team, assisting clients who have language or other cultural barriers. “We, my clients and me, are in a learning process,” says Saw. “They are facing challenges in their lives on a daily basis. Their challenges are my challenges, too.” These challenges come in all shapes and sizes. It can be as simple as helping a client understand how often to take their medication, or it can be bigger. “I’ve helped clients buy their first home in Buffalo,” says Saw. “Three years ago I was able to assist a client with getting a kidney transplant.” v “Saw helps clients with translation, but he also does so much more,” says Senior Director of Care Coordination Bridget McClain. “Saw might be the only person a client knows and trusts. They turn to him for guidance with almost every life decision. Saw is always willing to help anyone in need: clients and co-workers alike. I appreciate him on a daily basis.” v “I like the motto of Evergreen,” says Saw. “‘Help for today, hope for tomorrow.’ I like my coworkers, who have big hearts. Evergreen is a good place for people who have good hearts who want to serve people who need help. I am proud to be a part of Evergreen, and have the opportunity to serve our community.” Connections
June Birthdays Liz Miller.................................... June 1 Marcie Stanley......................... June 2 Sashira Quintana..................... June 5 Ileana Hernandez.................... June 6 Tara Monaco............................ June 6 Sean Tulumello........................ June 7 Louis Hernandez..................... June 10 Deborah Esposito.................... June 17 Adam Eisenhauer.................... June 18 Brianna Cabrera....................... June 19 Ashley Kuss.............................. June 19 Kimberly Herrington................ June 20 Dawn Ganoe............................. June 20 Theodore Mighells................... June 21 Salvatore Sciandra.................. June 23
I was fortunate to be able to attend the 2017 International Harm Reduction Conference
Emily Oaks................................ June 24
(IHRC), held in Montreal. For more than 25 years, the IHRC has provided a forum for
Eliud Kosgei.............................. June 25
those at the heart of the harm reduction response — practitioners, peers, advocates and
Jacob Marsh............................ June 26
researchers — to come together and discuss solutions to the opiate epidemic. The four day
Kyle Switzer.............................. June 26
conference is packed with workshops, panel discussions, films, exhibitions, networking
Brodie Skowronski.................. June 27
events and more. While certain areas are beginning to adopt a more forward-looking
Megan Bhatti............................ June 29
approach to drug use, progress is still painfully slow in most of the world. The IHRC seeks
Quinn Lee.................................. June 29
to build a global harm reduction movement that learns, shares and cooperates to build a
June Anniversaries Luann Bogdan......................1 year Jessie Dorman.....................1 year Kaitlyn Gately........................1 year Robert Smith.........................1 year Leonora Umuhoza...............1 year Joseph Valentini...................1 year Jamie Major..........................1 year Melissa Mayhew..................1 year Mark Mondanaro.................1 year Cristina Salcedo...................1 year Julie Mayer............................2 years Frances Frank.......................2 years Carolee Corbitt......................2 years Liza Pereira............................2 years Jacob Perrello.......................2 years Denise Scull...........................3 years world where people benefit from good drug policies, rooted in dignity, health and human
Kristen Rickey.......................3 years
rights. Photos (left to right): Martin, from a local harm reduction outreach program,
Elise Robinson......................3 years
discusses his day to day activities supporting people who use illicit substances. Directly
Giovanna Gasbarre..............3 years
behind him is a memorial park for those who have passed on from HIV/AIDS. During a
Susan Buck...........................3 years
walking tour of the old red light district in Montreal, a visit to a local community center
Shannon Curry-Izzo............4 years
that works with transient/homeless substance users provided a glimpse into their work.
Kathryn Diebold....................6 years
Another stop on the walking tour was Cactus. This is one of many syringe exchanges in
Ray Ganoe.............................11 years
Connections
Elisa Luciano.........................17 years
Montreal, soon to be home to a supervised injection site.