Written by Melissa Dalton-Bradford
Their Story is Our Story information evening served as the grand finale to a densely-packed USA visit. From last weekend spent at my church’s biannual conference, throughout five university lectures I was invited to give, interspersed with time spent with my three university kids Claire, Alessandro and Dalton, it was all a joy. Thank you Jacqueline White for hosting a successful gathering, and Elizabeth Benson, Twila Davis Bird, Garrett Wesley Gibbons, Trisha Bird Leimer, Lindsay Allen Silsby and Morgan Rhys Gibbons, all inspiring co-members of TSOS Refugees, for the artistry, intelligence, and soulfulness which hold this work aloft. And thank you to all of our heroic Syrian, Afghan, Iraqi and Iranian friends. We care deeply about you and your families and want the world to know you as we do.
My First Asylum Case: An Attorney's Perspective on Asylum in the United States
I took my first asylum case in 2016, when our national dialog on immigration took a decidedly negative turn. As a corporate attorney, I had no experience in immigration law, but my license allowed me to represent individuals fleeing severe persecution and I signed with a local non-profit to offer my help. My first asylum client was a young mother and her two small daughters. I could see myself in Saba.
Their Story is Our Story Applauds the Signing of Virginia House Bill 995 and Continues Efforts to Open Doors for Foreign-trained Medical Professionals in Other States
Their Story is Our Story (TSOS), a non-profit organization that collects and shares the experiences of refugees to deepen understanding and influence action, applauds the signing of Virginia House Bill 995 into law by Governor Glenn Youngkin, after its unanimous passage through the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate. It will create a pathway for foreign-trained doctors who have immigrated to the state, including those whose careers were interrupted by forcible displacement, to fill workforce gaps in medically underserved communities.
Idaho One Refugee Conference
Last fall I was able to attend the 1Refugee Conference in Idaho. The event was well organized and everyone who approached our table was interested in what we did and wanted to know how to get involved. There were at least 100 students majoring in a variety of things who attended the event and we had 20 students give us their contact information. Most were interested in our internship programs.