I put up a status yesterday about the refugee crisis, and heard from a few people who were genuinely interested in helping, but didn’t know how to do so. I’ve written some thoughts and included some resources below that I hope will be helpful, but please know that i’m not a professional and this is not an extensive list. I’m just a guy that cares. Whatever mistakes are there, let me know so we can fix them and do this thing right.
(Just a little note before we start. Let’s not confuse “refugee” with “immigrant”. A refugee is a person who has been forced to flee their country because of war, persecution, or natural disaster. We aren’t talking about choice here. We are talking about survival)
Okay, here we go:
- Get Informed– Far too many of us, including myself sometimes, hear about a disaster or an executive order or a police shooting or a policy change, and immediately take to social media to post our opinions. Before we know it, the truth is lost somewhere in a tangled web of exaggerations, myths, and sometimes just downright lies, which is helpful to no one. So please, if you are going to fight the fight to help refugees or to be a part of any one of the justice movements currently taking place, get woke before you speak up. Let your spirit fan that flame in your soul, but then let your mind work in a way that’s actually going to do us some good. I’ve learned this the hard way from just sounding off without getting woke. Here are some resources that i’ve found in the past few days:
- https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/27/us/politics/refugee-muslim-executive-order-trump.html – This is the ACTUAL executive order that POTUS issued on Friday, effectively banning refugees from 7 predominantly Muslim countries, and, most notably, halting the admittance of Syrian refugees indefinitely. READ THIS BEFORE YOU READ ANYTHING ELSE. (Disclaimer, I sometimes get lost in the political lingo, so don’t feel bad. Take notes on major points as you go through it).
- https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/29/us/trump-refugee-ban-muslim-executive-order.html?_r=0 – A New York Times article that helps break down what the executive order actually says, what it means, and what has happened so far. Honestly, because of the legal and humanitarian mess this has created, it’s too early to say what the actual implication will be.
- https://www.state.gov/j/prm/releases/factsheets/2017/266447.htm – THIS IS A MUST READ. The state department website details extensively USRAP (the refugee resettlement plan currently in place), including issues such as the following: where refugees are resettled domestically and how, the screening process, the length of the screening process, who is considered a refugee, how the program is funded, etc. THIS IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT, AS WE MUST KNOW HOW THE PROCESS IS CURRENTLY WORKING IF WE ARE GOING TO HELP REFUGEES
- http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/01/27/key-facts-about-refugees-to-the-u-s/ – Just facts from the Pew Research center about the history of refugee work in the US.
- http://www.vox.com/2017/1/27/14370854/trump-refugee-ban-order-muslim – This is an admittedly pro-refugee post, but, in my opinion, they do a great job of representing the actual executive order well without blowing it out of proportion. They also help to understand why this is a big deal, when the language in the executive order might keep us from thinking that. It’s more about the perspective change happening in America than the actual order.
- Get Loud (but be strategic)– Let’s be real: how many hearts and minds have you ever seen changed through a Facebook argument (the answer for me is zero). So we need to get loud about this, but arguing with people who disagree with us on social media is just getting us stuck in the mud. That being said, feel free to put your well-informed opinions on your page to let them be known. I just don’t recommend giving commenters the time of day.
- Tell Stories– Often times, we forget that the decisions we are arguing about are affecting real people. We just see them as numbers or laws. Do you know any refugees or have you had experience working with refugees? If so, tell those stories. We’re here to change hearts and minds to the fact that refugees are human beings who literally NEED OUR HELP. Not terrorists. Tell stories that open people’s eyes to that.
- Call your local officials– People don’t think that this works, but it does. If 100’s and 1000’s of people are flooding the phone lines of the district offices, officials must take note. When speaking with them or their aides, ask them what they are doing to fight for refugee rights and how they are going to stand up and fight in D.C against the executive order. Here’s a website with information on how to reach all of your representatives: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
- Protest– This makes people uncomfortable, because it interrupts the daily flow of life for others. But the Civil Rights Movement showed us that non-violent protests can be extremely effective. Already people are taking to airports and other ports of entry to show their support for refugees, and it’s working. Several justices have already blocked the executive order, buying refugees more time here in the States, hopefully enough time to receive legal help.
- Get Involved– Despite the ban, there are already hundreds of thousands of refugees that have been resettled in the United States, and are working hard to rebuild their new lives here, along with the help of many NGO’s and non-profit organizations.
- Give– Give your money to non-profit organizations and NGO’s that are working to help resettle refugees. Remember, the whole point in them coming to the United States is to escape oppression and find a new life, and they need help. I don’t feel educated enough on organizations to recommend where you give your money, but do the research on your own and you will find them. (hint- organizations like Charity Navigator are great at evaluating the efficiency of charities and how your money will be used).
- Do Business- As I mentioned, refugees are here to start a new life, and are often resourceful. Spend your money at businesses run by refugees or geared towards employing and supporting refugees. You’ll have to find your own in your area, but it isn’t hard. Just get to know people and their stories. My Memphis people- I can personally recommend Be Free Revolutions (formerly Ekata designs) as a great place to do your jewelry shopping. Atlanta- the Clarkston area is one of the most diverse square miles in the country, and is littered with restaurants and businesses supporting or run by refugees.
- Volunteer– In order for refugees to be resettled in the United States, the government enlists the help of non-profits who are willing to take them on. Volunteer your time with one and help refugee families as they adjust to life here. I know the Refugee Empowerment Programin Memphis has hundreds of volunteers help them to resettle in between 200 and 400 families each year. Find out who is doing the same work in your area. Here’s a government sponsored page that will help you find government approved relief agencies to volunteer with in your area: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/state-programs-annual-overview . And here is Choose901’s blog recommending ways to help refugees in the Memphis area: https://choose901.com/get-involved-how-to-volunteer-with-refugees-in-memphis/ . In Atlanta, there are an abundance of agencies and churches doing work with refugees, including: World Relief, International Rescue Committee, Catholic Charities, and Friends Of Refugees.
- Get To Know– The reason that most of us can’t be quiet during this refugee crisis is because we have lived and worked with actual refugees. At the time, I didn’t even know what a refugee was, but my life has been greatly blessed by those friendships. From Ghanese and Sudanese friendships in Memphis to Zimbabwean camaraderie in South Africa, i’ve tasted and seen that these relationships are beautiful and these people are worth fighting for. So I can’t be quiet. The vast majority of the fear and hysteria circulating now are due to perpetuated myths and fear about fellow humans of Muslim descent or people from war-torn nations. The only way to defeat this is by doing life together. So I challenge you, go to the refugee business and hangouts in your area and get to know the people there. I promise your perspective will be changed.
The one piece of politics that i’ll leave you with here is this: part of the executive order states that refugees will have to prove to the United States that they are going to add value to this country once they are here. A reasonable request, until we remember that by definition, refugees are the people that are down and out and have little to no resources available to them, so they need our help. This isn’t about the welfare of the United States. This is about humanity. This is about people. This is about fighting for the marginalized and against oppression, something Americans have always prided themselves in. We’re supposed to be the leader of the free world, it’s time we show it.
