Oinofyta Today
Much has changed. It is freezing and wet, the heating is broken, the basement is full of sewage, they and a big brawl in the camp last night among the residents. But they have some new rooms inside the warehouse and they just had the ribbon cutting ceremony for single men’s facilities in the top floor of part of the warehouse that can house 70 men (periwinkle blue hallways).
Tomorrow I will meet with Jess, Lisa’s second in command, to get the pictures figured out and find out who is still here in the camp. Then we will do mandalas with them for several hours. I saw several familiar faces. I’m eager to touch base with them.
THE NEXT DAY:
I wish I could have taken a picture of the line of 10-12 people crowded into the small office and huddling in front of Jess’ desk waiting to ask for blankets and sleeping bags, etc. Very colorful, very tense. It is miserable for everyone right now. Jess is handling it well and hopes to survive until Lisa returns. (She only left yesterday).
Voices of Resilience: 3 Afghani Refugees Use Their Professions to Make a Better World
This month marks the three year anniversary of the fall of Kabul. When the city fell, many were forced to flee their homes. Women who had careers, women who dreamed of careers, and women who lifted their voices to fight for equal rights were some of those most at risk. To America’s great benefit, some of these women landed in the US.
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.