Friends of Refugees is an independent, nonpartisan citizens group monitoring the U.S. refugee resettlement program.
Posted by Christopher Coen on April 10, 2012
Nickel City Smiler Movie – Karen People of Burma Refugee Documentary Film
Nickel City Smiler will be screening at San Francisco State University on Thursday April 19th at 4:30pm in Burk Hall, room 408. For those of you in the area, come out and support Prof. Lee, the Burmese Youth Association, and the Burma Family Network.
Posted in Buffalo, Karen, San Francisco | Tagged: Buffalo, Burma, Burma Family Network, Burmese Youth Association, CEP Films, Myanmar, Nickel City Smiler, refugees, resettlement | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Christopher Coen on March 12, 2012
It’s still not clear to me that the refugee resettlement agencies, as the private sector partners in the US refugee resettlement program, are actually acting as a source of significant private funding for the program., as they so often tout. When I’ve tried to look at the figures I’ve found little information available, and what is available does not show significant private funds. An article in the Utica Observer-Dispatch discusses the changing economic needs of the local refugee resettlement agency — the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees:
UTICA — During the past 30 years, the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees has resettled people from 31 countries.
At its height in 1997, the center welcomed more than 1,000 Bosnians. During the past five years, the center has resettled an average of 500 refugees per year, most of whom have been Karen/Burmese refugees.
As the center continues to welcome new refugees who often become citizens and grow their families here, the Utica area – known as the city that loves refugees – must look at this group and its impact in a new way while it morphs into one culture.
Here’s a look at how the center is contributing to that process:…
…The refugee center devised a plan that would keep it relevant as not only a resource for new arriving refugees but for a community that reflects a change in its cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity.
Foreseeing that need, the board created objectives three years ago focusing on services that would promote cultural identity, increase access to interpreting and cultural awareness training, and provide opportunities for the community to become unified. That led to the creation of Compass Cultural Institute, an interpreting service program and cultural competence training service that’s been active in local hospitals, schools and workplaces.
“If we just depended on financial income coming only from resettling refugees [emphasis added] and continued to do that five or 10 years ago and not try to move in a different direction and provide other services to them, we would be in a different position,” refugee center board President Robert Dicks said… Read more here
Should they “depend” on refugee resettlement for the organization’s financial income or should they be bringing significant private funding to the program? There should be enough transparency in the resettlement program so that we can look at these private funding figures. Secondly, refugees have always needed other services and support beyond the initial resettlement period, so shouldn’t these services have been built into every resettlement agency a long time ago? I know that organizations have to make sure the numbers work but the emphasis should always have been on refugees’ needs.
Posted in former Yugoslav republics, funding, Karen, Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees, Utica | Tagged: funding, Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees, refugees, resettlement, Utica | 2 Comments »
Posted by Christopher Coen on March 8, 2012
CEP Films, the small film group from Buffalo that made the Nickel City Smiler documentary film about refugee resettlement in that city just put out a press release. The group is trying to raise $100,000 in 60 days to fund a project to screen the film in places around the world where refugees are being resettled and in the refugee camps. The details are found at Kickstarter.com:
About this project
What is our Kickstarter campaign?
We are trying to give refugees a voice. Nickel City Smiler tells the story of refugees determined to make a better life for themselves and their children. Our goal is to screen the film in places around the world where refugees are being resettled and in the camps where refugees wait for the chance to start over in a new country. We hope that individuals throughout the world will gain a new understanding of the challenges refugees face everyday and help aid in their determination for a better life. Nickel City Smiler can also educate refugees on what to expect once they arrive in America from the perspective of refugees currently living here… Read more here
Posted in Buffalo, Burma/Myanmar, Karen | Tagged: Buffalo, Burma, documentary, Karen, Kickstarter, Myanmar, Nickel City Smiler, refugees, resettlement, Smiler Greely | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Christopher Coen on February 29, 2012
This is an extra scene from Nickel City Smiler, a documentary film about Karen refugees in Buffalo. Donna Pepero, head of the Refugee School Impact Program in the Buffalo Public Schools, talks about a resettlement agency in Buffalo that dropped off a refugee family to an apartment furnished with just part of a sectional sofa – not even any beds:
Posted in Buffalo, Burma/Myanmar, Catholic Charities of Buffalo, furnishings, lack of, International Institute of Buffalo, Jewish Family Service of Buffalo & Erie County, Journey's End Refugee Services, Journey's End Refugee Services, Karen | Tagged: Buffalo, documentary, Donna Pepero, Nickel City Smiler, Refugee School Impact Program, refugees, resettlement | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Christopher Coen on February 11, 2012
A volunteer helping Karen refugees in Kansas City added a comment to a December post about Jewish Vocational Service of Kansas City (JVS).
My wife and I have been working with the Karen refugees in KCMO for two years. Nothing has changed with JVS they still put refugees in terrible housing conditions, they do not explain the lease arrangements with them. We have several families that face legal action now because they did not understand that they could not just break a lease and move. Also they take all Karen refugees to Bank of America to open bank accounts, without explaining anything about checking accounts, balancing a check book, etc. (my wife and I have done this). Most Karen refugees especially adults are left to take care of themselves too soon, very short or no English classes at all. Lack of helping to find jobs, do not explain WIC program with lots of families having months of expired unused WIC coupons due to lack of no knowing what to do or to do it. JVS is a waste of time for the Karen refugees, we have close to 40 families that we work with, taking to medical appointment, helping with WIC, TANF, Food stamps, Medicaid and any other needs to include transportation to appointments, even lighting their furnaces in the winter. We do this for free and do not work for any group…it is out of compassion and love for the Karen refugees…something that should be a requirement for anyone working with refugees no matter where they come from…. See December post
Posted in housing, insufficient assistance with daily tasks, Jewish, Jewish Vocational Services, Kansas City, Karen, language, language interpretation/translation, lack of | Tagged: Jewish Vocational Service of Kansas City, jvs, Karen, refugees, resettlement, U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, USCRI | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Christopher Coen on February 6, 2012
Karen refugees from Myanmar resettled to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro area in North Carolina got a chance at a local community planning meeting to discuss challenges they face in the community. For those who are illiterate in their own language, learning English is a major barrier, which in turn leads to problems with integration. Large families and the Karen refugees’ need for a place to grow food has made finding affordable housing difficult. An article in the Chapel Hill News discusses the Karen refugees’ resettlement challenges:
CARRBORO – The volunteers…have taken the community planning process to…Carrboro to speak with the community’s newest immigrants, refugees from Myanmar, formerly Burma…
…The…volunteers asked the group what they liked about living here and what problems they have…
…the immigrants said some people look down on them because they don’t speak English.
“They integrate to the degree they know English,” [Mayor Mark Chilton] said. “Some do, some don’t. It’s hard. Many of them are illiterate in their own language. To go to school and even hold a pencil is hard for them.”
Several men said it’s hard to get a job if they don’t speak English and, even if they do, it’s hard to get a permanent position or move up…
The buses are not always available when they need them, especially on weekends…
Many said housing was a problem.
“When we apply for a government house they tell us our income is too high,” Lei Say, 25, said through an interpreter. “When we go to rent, they say your income is too low because you have a big family and only one person is working.”
Sometimes rules require more than a family can afford, he continued. “If you have five people, you have to live in a two-bedroom,” he said…
And those who can afford a home sometimes run into cultural differences, she said. Some immigrants can afford a subsidized townhome, for example, but most want a yard because they come from an agricultural tradition and want to grow their own food… Read more here
Posted in Chapel Hill-Carborro, housing, Karen, language | Tagged: Burma, Carborro, Chapel Hill, Karen, Myanmar, refugees, resettlement | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Christopher Coen on January 17, 2012
Police in Rock Island, Illinois reminded refugee parents that they may discipline their children as long as it is reasonable, e.g. a spanking. An article in Quad-City Times covers the topic:
…For immigrants unfamiliar with the laws and customs, and who have a limited ability to speak or read English, adjusting to life in the United States can be challenging.
Refugees from the Asian nations of Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar (formerly Burma) were invited to meet Saturday with representatives of the Rock Island Police Department and the Community Caring Conference as part of a program to help the new residents better understand and adjust to the city.
About three dozen people attended the session, including translators who spoke Nepali and Karen, a Burmese dialect…24-year-old Tika Bista, part of the group of Nepali immigrants, raised a question about acceptable methods for disciplining a child.
“When I was a child, my parents hit me to put me on the right track,” Bista said.
He said many immigrants come from parts of the world where corporal punishment is more accepted than it is in the United States, and because their children go to American schools and know English better than their parents, the adults worry that their attempts to discipline the children could result in the youngsters calling police.
Jeffrey VenHuizen, Rock Island’s deputy chief of police, said officers have to respond and investigate when they receive a call about the possible abuse of a child.
“As a parent, you have a right to discipline your child,” he said. “The discipline has to be reasonable.”
VenHuizen said he considers a “swat on the bottom” reasonable.
“As long as your discipline is reasonable, we’re not going to arrest a parent for disciplining a child,” he said
The issue is an example of the cultural differences that can make immigrant populations reluctant to seek help from the police, he said. VenHuizen said many immigrants come from countries where the police are violent and corrupt, which makes them distrustful of American police as well... Read more here
Posted in children, cultural adjustment, Karen, Nepali Bhutanese, police | Tagged: children, cultural adjustment, Karen, Nepali, police, Quad-Cities, refugees, resettlement, Rock Island | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Christopher Coen on December 7, 2011
It’s hard to imagine what its like for some refugee teenagers after we plop them down into our schools when they have little schooling, no English, and no knowledge of the local culture. Imagine not understanding how to get lunch or open a locker for weeks and no one notices. Or worse, being bullied or ignored by other students when adults make little effort to prevent that, or help students understand refugee teenagers’ plight. An article in The Salt Lake Tribune tells the story on young refugee that the refugee program and a school are trying for a better outcome with:
…For typical American teenagers, high school holds both excitement and liberal doses of adolescent angst. Now imagine being dropped into that social pressure cooker with little schooling, no English, and no knowledge of the local culture…
…Rising problems with drugs and gang violence, particularly among refugees in the 18-21 age group, has prompted the [Utah Refugee Services Office] to redouble its efforts with youth.
[Gerald Brown], the refugee services director, says he has attended four funerals for young refugee men in the past two years due to violence or drugs.
“We’re determined to do something about it,” Brown says. “There’s no single answer, but I think if we can put a lot of different things together, then we do have a real chance.”
Part of it is helping students succeed academically, he says. Too often, youths become frustrated when they cannot compete with their peers in school. They find other ways to stand out… Read more here
Posted in Karen, language, men, Salt Lake City, schools, teenagers, teens, Utah, young adults | Tagged: Burma, drugs, gangs, Karen, Myanmar, refugees, resettlement, teengers, Utah Refugee Services Office | 1 Comment »
Posted by Christopher Coen on December 2, 2011
According to Peter Huston who volunteered at the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) in Albany, NY, the organization is not doing adequate work. This site is a local office of USCRI, and not an affiliate organization. Peter Huston’s blog has the details:
Is USCRI Albany a successful organization?
This is an important question that people should ask. Not only does the organization receive large amounts of government funding, resettle large numbers of people, but it also sends a signal to the outside world that it is THE place to send refugees in need of care.
In other words, more than once when I have taken refugees to places like the New York State One-stop Job Center, the state mandated and tax funded office that is supposed to assist all legal residents of the area with job-hunting, the secretary or someone else has suggested to me that I take the person, the refugee in need of work, down to the refugee center as this is supposed to be THEIR job. However, being familiar with the refugee center (and its very dedicated but completely overwhelmed job placement people)I know darn well that that is not an effective solution. In other words, the existence of the refugee center (USCRI-Albany) gives many people in social services the feeling that things are being taken care of when anyone familiar with the refugee center (USCRI-Albany) knows that they are not being handled properly.
Not too long ago a refugee invited me to attend an event where a spokesperson for USCRI-Albany stated that USCRI-Albany is an organization that helps refugees when they come to our area. In fact, USCRI-Albany is an organization that invites refugees to our area, promises the state department they will care for them, receives payment for doing so from the state department, and then, sometimes, only sometimes, actually cares for them in a responsible manner……1 comments:
Anonymous said…
- Peter Limon is Lavinia Limon’s brother. It’s a family operation all right. I’m a former employee. As we used to say, “When life gives you Limones, …keep your head down and don’t ask questions…or else…”
October 15, 2011 4:37 PM …Read more here
Posted in Albany, employment services, Karen, Karenni, State Department, USCRI, USCRI Albany, volunteers | Tagged: Albany, Karen, karenni, lavinia limon, One-stop Job Center, Peter Limon, refugees, resettlement, US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, USCRI | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Christopher Coen on November 28, 2011
Researchers at San Francisco State University and the Burma Refugee Family Network (BRFN) released a report that claims almost 60 percent of Oakland’s refugees from Burma/Myanmar are living in extreme poverty, with 63% being unemployed. Those of Karenni origin from Burma fair even worse: 81 percent are unemployed, and 90 percent are living in extreme poverty. The report concludes that refugees from Burma in Oakland are at risk of becoming a permanent, poverty-stricken underclass, and that the local resettlement program has not been successful. An article at EurekAlert has the story:
Refugees who have fled Burma to live in Oakland, Calif., are at risk of becoming a permanent, poverty-stricken underclass warns a new report released today by researchers at San Francisco State University and the Burma Refugee Family Network (BRFN). The report found that almost 60 percent of Oakland’s refugees from Burma are living in extreme poverty…
…”These recent refugees from Burma are facing dire circumstances,” said Russell Jeung, associate professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University…
…Jeung and his students, together with BRFN and other community-based organizations, surveyed 194 refugees from Burma to assess the community’s needs. The researchers found that in addition to high poverty rates, these refugees face barriers to accessing employment, health care and government benefits caused by their lack of English. These barriers have been exacerbated by recent cuts in the provision of English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and a lack of appropriate interpretation services…
…The report found that among Oakland’s refugee population from Burma:
- 63 percent are unemployed. Those that are employed have sporadic, low-wage jobs.
- 57 percent live below the federal threshold for extreme poverty, earning less than $1,000 per month for an average household size of five. Most of the remainder live below the federal poverty line.
- 38 percent speak no English at all. Another 28 percent speak English poorly.
- 74 percent report that lack of English is their biggest barrier to accessing health care.
- 47 percent report that English classes are the most-needed service in their community…
…Now resettled in Oakland, refugees of Karenni origin are struggling to adapt to life in the United States: 81 percent are unemployed, 90 percent are living in extreme poverty and 90 percent have no high school education…
…”Our findings suggest that resettlement programs in Oakland are not yet successful,” Maung said. “We would like to see federal and local refugee government agencies and nonprofits working together with and supporting grassroots community organizations in order to help members of our community achieve self-sufficiency.”… Read more here
Refugees from Burma/Myanmar have also experienced muggings and robberies in Oakland, as have refugees from Bhutan/Nepal.
Posted in alienation-isolation, Burma/Myanmar, dangerous neighborhoods, economic self-sufficiency, employment/jobs for refugees, ESL & ELL, Karen, Karenni, language, language interpretation/translation, lack of, Oakland | Tagged: Burma, Burma Refugee Family Network, Cesar Chavez Institute, From Crisis to Community Development: Needs Assessments of Refugees from Burma, Myanmar, Oakland, poverty, refugees, resettlement, San Francisco State University | Leave a Comment »
Christopher Coen
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