Changing Cultural Landscape Alana Schriver MPH OPS Refugee Specialist alanaschriveropsorg 5312999580 Speaking of Children Conference April 4th 2019 Kiswahili H ow are you Habari ID: 814487
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Slide1
Refugee Resettlement: Nebraska's Changing Cultural Landscape
Alana Schriver, MPH OPS Refugee Specialistalana.schriver@ops.org 531-299-9580Speaking of Children Conference April 4th, 2019
Slide2Kiswahili:
How
are
you = Habari gani Thank you = AsanteKaren: Good morning = Gaw luh a’ghay (Good Afternoon = Nee luh a’ghay) Thank you = Taw blu’tNepali: Peace be upon you =Namaste Thank you = Dhanyabhad Arabic: Peace be upon you = Asalamu alaikum Thank you = Shukran
Quid Pro Quo
Slide3Status
With Path to Citizenship
Refugee
AsyleeSpecial Immigrant Visa (SIV)Family-Based VisaDiversity Lottery VisaNo Path to CitizenshipUndocumentedTemporary Protected StatusTemporary Work VisaDACA / DreamersVisitor VisaStudent VisaWho Are Our We Talking About?Immigrant - Person who moves to another country permanentlyMigrant - Person who has moved recently/moves frequently - May or may not have legal status
Slide4Refugee
A person fleeing his or her country because of war, violence, persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group
No one chooses to be a refugee
Slide5Asylum Status
Asylum is a form of protection available to people who:
- Meet the definition of refugee
- Are already in the United States, or - Are seeking admission at a port of entryAsylum Seeker: Protection claim has not yet been determinedAsylee: Protected status has been granted
Slide6Person who worked with the U.S. Armed Forces or under Chief of Mission authority as a translator or interpreter in Iraq or Afghanistan
Arrive through the Refugee Resettlement ProgramSIVs receive their “green card” shortly after arrival, whereas refugees must wait one year to apply
Special Immigrant Visa (SIV)
Slide7Current Trends
68.5 million forcibly displaced people worldwide – highest ever recorded
31
people are newly displaced every minute 25.4 million refugees have refugee status60% of refugees eking out survival in urban areas of initial ‘host’ countrieshttp://www.unhcr.org/globaltrends2017/ Nebraska resettled more refuges per capita than any other state in 2016
Slide8“Forcibly Displaced”
Persecution, ethnic cleansing, human rights violations…
What hard truths are these words attempting to sanitize for the comfort of the American news consumer?
Is it fair not to look?
Slide9Ethnic Cleansing
Rohingya crisis: Tula
Toli
massacre - BBC NewsnightStart at 15:13-End at 17:52https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRp0o0fzB2I
Slide10Not a movie. Not a video Game.
Real lives, real deaths, real horrors.
Slide115 year old boy in Yemen where war has caused extreme famine
12 year old forced into prostitution to support orphaned siblings
No sanitation, electricity, plumbing in camps
Slide12W
hat happens in the mind of a child gathering the pieces of a person they love in a box?
Mogadishu hotel bombing – over 500 lives lost
What kind of adult might they become? What kind of world will their generation shape?
Slide13Refugee Camps
Often fenced and patrolled; refugees may not travel freelyLimited contact with outside world
Limited opportunity for employment and education
Limited healthcareAverage stay in a refugee camp globally is 20 years3 potential options: Repatriation, Integration, Resettlement
Slide14Refugee Resettlement
Less than 1%
of the global refugee population accepted
Trading everything you know for the completely unknown
Slide15Resettlement Application Process
Verify refugee status with UNHCRPaperwork
Interviews
US Security checks FBI, DHS, State Department, National Counterterrorism Center, Intelligence agencies…Biometrics Fingerprints & iris scansMedical clearanceOrientationsTravel arrangements/loanhttps://www.state.gov/j/prm/ra/admissions/
Slide16Refugees in the US
Legal and employment authorized from arrival date in U.S.; refugee status does not expire Have the same rights and are eligible for same assistance programs (including DHHS and FAFSA) as U.S. citizens
Expected to follow the same laws and receive the same punishment as U.S. citizens
Slide17Resettlement Agency’s Core Services
The federal resettlement period is 30-90 days
A
llotted a one time payment of $925 from federal government; Given to the resettlement agency to spend at their discretion.Pre-ArrivalPreparation of housing, utilities, and foodPost-ArrivalAirport pickupCultural OrientationDHHS application3 basic medical appointmentsReferral to ESL & schoolReferral to employment servicesCaseworker teaching about the stove
Slide18Resettlement “R&P”
All resettlement cases are closed at 90 days, period.
An overwhelming, exhausting, confusing period for
refugees Often hard to realize some feelings may be more serious mental health concerns
Slide19The 1%
International Rescue Committee (organization)
https
://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WeKQtuUog8
Slide20What types of trauma might refugees experience, either before or after flight, that native born Americans might not?
Sentence Frames:
I learned that _____________ .
I was surprised that _______________.
Slide21Refugee Encounters With Trauma
Pre-flight: The initial threats to a person’s safety in their home country
Flight:
The dangers and insecurity faced on the journey towards refuge and/or while living in a refugee campPost-flight: Difficult resettlement adjustments
Slide22Financial/Employment Stressors
Must accept first job offerLittle time for English classes or cultural assimilation
Overseas degrees or skillsets may not be recognized in U.S.
Often lower wage, physically strenuous, and repetitive workOften 2nd or 3rd shift Not home or sleeping when children are out of schoolNot accustomed to 40 hour+ work week
Slide23“Bad” Neighborhoods
Limited pool of landlords upon arrival due to:No SSN yetNo current employment
No rental history
“Slumlords” take advantage of refugee tenants due to:Refugees often prioritize proximity to their community over quality of living conditions for both familiarity and survival (car-pooling to work, groceries, laundry, etc.)Often unaware of tenant rights History of oppression; tend to be non-confrontational. Fear backlash/eviction if they “make trouble”Often lack the English and technology skills to advocate for themselves
Slide24Fear of People in Uniform
Persecutors in home countries often wear uniformsUniforms = absolute power; not held accountable for abusesOfficers often expect bribes in home countries
Slide25Health System Differences
Many refugees come from a “one stop shop” clinic background; if health services were available they were
in a centralized location with
little to no costRefugees are often unaware of the extent of healthcare services available in the U.S., let alone how to navigate/access
Slide26Mental Health Complications
Many cultures do not have a formal concept of mental illness (other than “crazy”)Many languages lack complex emotional vocabularyLack of treatment resources back homeSymptoms connected to spirituality or the supernatural
Slide27Family Struggles
3
rd
Culture Kids – Not feeling fully Home Culture or American Pop Culture Confusion – Entertainment versus realityParentization – Role confusion in the homeParents rely on English speaking children who can often driveParents feel responsible for the difficult situation their children are inParents want to give children things they didn’t haveParents unable to give advice/guidance for unfamiliar systemLack of Appropriate Discipline – parents told what
not
to
do by authorities,
but not given useful replacement suggestions
Slide28Refugees are often unaware of what services exist in America.
As such, they typically do not seek out services.
Services need to be introduced and
proactively offered.Make Good Happen
Slide29Coming to America
“Lost Boys” of South Sudan resettled in the U.S.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Giwujxh2No
El Salvador
Syria
Burma (Myanmar)
Camps in Thailand and MalaysiaBhutanCamps in NepalIraqAfghanistanEritreaSudanEthiopiaSomaliaSouth SudanBurundiDemocratic Republic of the CongoAnd from camps hosted in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Egypt…
Resettlement Countries
Slide31Aware of Your Own Cultural Lens
Your own culture is often invisible to you
We tend to think of our own culture as
human natureNo culture is the standard-bearer of the human experienceCulture should not be considered “exotic” or about “others”
Slide32Slide33“Under the Surface” U.S.A. Culture
Clock TimeIndividualisticIdentity chosenControl vs. Fate
Dates of birth/Legal names
Direct eye contactLabels/Feeling wordsTechnology based “Newer is better”
Slide34Cultural Intelligence (CQ)
“The capability to function effectively in a variety of cultural contexts
”
Mental flexibilitySelf educationMeet clients where they are – literally and figuratively Ask how clients would handle the issue “back home”If they say they wouldn’t have the issue back home, and “why not?”Provide culturally and linguistically diverse materials if applicableEnsure mutual understanding before moving onAsk questionshttp://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20171013-the-hidden-talent-that-determines-success
Slide35Step out of your comfort zone!
By placing yourself in situations that cause a sense of cultural disequilibrium, you can better understand how immigrants feel when they
first arrive.
Explore experiences outside of your own culture and take note of how you are feeling.
Slide36Refugees: Redefine By Hope
Resilient and resourceful survivors
Strong
(maybe different) skillsetsDiffering cultures in a community should not be seen as an obstacle to overcome, but rather as inspiration Those who’ve seen real darkness most appreciate the light
Slide37Questions and Thoughts?
www.omaharefugees.com