Recently, I have collaborated with Miss Utah, Sasha Sloan, to work on school assemblies that could raise awareness and education on refugees and mental health among young minds. Some of the topics that we will be talking about are Mental Health, Refugees, Cultural capital, Social capital, and asking the right questions. Sasha is an amazing advocate for those that have been displaced and has become a wonderful friend. Click the link to learn more about Sasha's "Refugees Welcome" message and keep watching for more information about our soon-to-come School Assemblies.
My team and I have also been volunteering for Women of the World. We have been helping Afghan families here in Utah with filling petition applications to US senators to initiate the process of bringing their family members to a safe place.
In October, the TSOS BYU chapter was involved in the Displacement Today: TSOS Lecture Series. If you are a BYU or UVU student and would like to get involved in our campus outreach, please contact our campus chair, Jarom Hickenlooper, at [email protected].
Lastly, Tyler Rich started a TSOS chapter at Utah State University. To get involved with that group, contact him at [email protected]
Voice Your Support for Afghan Adjustment
The Afghan Adjustment (AA) has been reintroduced in both the House (H.R.4627) and the Senate (S.2327) of the United States by a bipartisan group of legislators. We invite you to join us in honoring our promise to our Afghan allies by urging your representatives to pass the Afghan Adjustment!
Slam the Islamophobia
The Emerald Project is a Utah-based organization that carefully designs dialogues to engage with non-Muslims to make Salt Lake Valley a more welcoming home to Muslims. As many of our refugee friends belong to the Muslim faith, we applaud opportunities that foster understanding and were pleased to support The Emerald Project’s 3rd annual “Slam the Islamophobia” event on February 15th.
Invisible Barriers and Battles: The Mental Health Impact on Refugees
Refugees often risk their lives crossing deserts, jungles, and oceans all in the search for shelter, freedom, or happiness. Yet, even once they’ve reached physical safety, mental mountains emerge that make daily life an uphill climb. At the November 2022 conference for the Utah Chapter of the Society for Public Health Education (USOPHE), presenters Shurooq Al Jewari and Sasha Sloan discussed mental health and inclusion, focusing on immigrants and refugees.