After entering the non-profit world I knew it was the environment I was destined to work in. There is great satisfaction in being able to assist people and feel good about what you do. Gratification in my experience has been even greater as I get to work with the most vulnerable group, children. Working with unaccompanied minors who arrive in the United States from Central America has provided me a window into the experiences these youth live before, during and after their trip to the U.S. After experiencing an immersion week in Rome learning about Refugees and trafficked humans my perspective is much different. I was always sympathetic to the children’s stories, however now I see them in a whole new light.
My immersion week in Rome taught me that refugees need a much more comprehensive understanding of not just the legal issues they are facing, but also of the traumatic situation they are living. Learning about NGO’s was very interesting to me as they function differently than the organizations I have worked for. One thing that stood out for me was how most were funded by the state and gathered data on outputs instead of outcomes. I think it makes a great difference to be able to provide services to a population who is in dire need of services without having the constant worry about where the funding is going to come from. Receiving information about how other countries financially support local welfare systems really opened my eyes on the global methods available. This doesn’t mean that one method is better than the other, however I could get a sense that staff from organizations such as Jesuit Refugees Services, Centro Astalli and Caritas Rome were able to focus on the needs of their clients knowing there was financial assistance available.
Visiting Centro Astalli in Rome was also a great experience for me. Being able to see firsthand the center that provides refugees with a place to shower eat and receive healthcare made the experience more personable. We were there with the refugees and learning from them. We were lucky enough to hear from Anthony, A Kenyan refugees who had obtained a career and degree in his home country but was persecuted and forced to leave. He left behind his family and a twin brother, traveling with his mother to Italy. Anthony’s story was very touching as he was a very charismatic man who endured kidnapping and torture. Having to leave his family must have been a very difficult decision for him, yet he shared how he was thriving in Rome now and even helped at Centro Astalli. A story of pain and perseverance, Anthony is a great example of Refugees finding a gleam of light in a cave of darkness. When working with unaccompanied youth now, my understanding of their stories and experiences goes beyond being sympathetic, it brings forth a sense of needing to accompany our clients in a variety of areas in order to be supportive in their transition of integration into their new home.
After entering the non-profit world I knew it was the environment I was destined to work in. There is great satisfaction in being able to assist people and feel good about what you do. Gratification in my experience has been even greater as I get to work with the most vulnerable group, children. Working with unaccompanied minors who arrive in the United States from Central America has provided me a window into the experiences these youth live before, during and after their trip to the U.S. After experiencing an immersion week in Rome learning about Refugees and trafficked humans my perspective is much different. I was always sympathetic to the children’s stories, however now I see them in a whole new light.
My immersion week in Rome taught me that refugees need a much more comprehensive understanding of not just the legal issues they are facing, but also of the traumatic situation they are living. Learning about NGO’s was very interesting to me as they function differently than the organizations I have worked for. One thing that stood out for me was how most were funded by the state and gathered data on outputs instead of outcomes. I think it makes a great difference to be able to provide services to a population who is in dire need of services without having the constant worry about where the funding is going to come from. Receiving information about how other countries financially support local welfare systems really opened my eyes on the global methods available. This doesn’t mean that one method is better than the other, however I could get a sense that staff from organizations such as Jesuit Refugees Services, Centro Astalli and Caritas Rome were able to focus on the needs of their clients knowing there was financial assistance available.
Visiting Centro Astalli in Rome was also a great experience for me. Being able to see firsthand the center that provides refugees with a place to shower eat and receive healthcare made the experience more personable. We were there with the refugees and learning from them. We were lucky enough to hear from Anthony, A Kenyan refugees who had obtained a career and degree in his home country but was persecuted and forced to leave. He left behind his family and a twin brother, traveling with his mother to Italy. Anthony’s story was very touching as he was a very charismatic man who endured kidnapping and torture. Having to leave his family must have been a very difficult decision for him, yet he shared how he was thriving in Rome now and even helped at Centro Astalli. A story of pain and perseverance, Anthony is a great example of Refugees finding a gleam of light in a cave of darkness. When working with unaccompanied youth now, my understanding of their stories and experiences goes beyond being sympathetic, it brings forth a sense of needing to accompany our clients in a variety of areas in order to be supportive in their transition of integration into their new home.
During some unsolicited extra time in Rome and the airport in Istanbul, I decide to get caught up on news back home in the United States. I learned the United States Supreme Court would be hearing challenges to President Obama’s Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). I was caught off guard by what a drastic difference in tone towards migration these articles displayed from the themes of accompaniment, welcoming, and reintegration that echoed through the presentations we heard in Rome. The most glaring omission for me was the lack of discussion regarding education as a key factor to reintegration.
I have been blessed with great educational opportunities. My parents worked hard to ensure I received the best education available. My parents wanted to ensure I received a strong educational foundation so I could have doors open up for me, which they couldn’t even dream of. They also wanted my education to be grounded in values. I have attended private, religious schools my entire life that focused on educating me as a person with moral responsibilities to my community. I attended Notre Dame High School in San Jose where emphasis was placed not just on academic excellence, but on building a community among us that strove to give back. The vision of St. Julie Billiart to, “teach them what the need to know for life,” was more than a mission statement, it was a way of life that included having a social conscious and a commitment to being a life-long learner. I did not truly appreciate this message until I moved to Japan after college to be an English language teacher.
Despite the language barrier, I was able to establish a community in Japan. I was a stranger, but I was welcomed. I was greeted by a very welcoming community that was eager to teach me their language and culture as well as to learn about mine. As a result, we established a mutual respect for one another and I found myself wanting to learn everything I could about the way of life in my host country. By learning together and from each other, I formed a bond and a community with my new neighbors. I can still remember vividly how proud I felt the day I was able to navigate to a tiny Japanese restaurant off the beaten path, order off of a Japanese menu, and communicate in Japanese with the wait staff. That simple routine was a turning point for me. It made Japan feel like home.
I was reminded of that moment and my personal sense of pride, belonging, and acceptance when Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) presented their education programs worldwide to service refugees. What greater gift can you provide than to welcome a refugee, provide them with an education, and teach them the language of their new home so they can adapt to their new environment? Watching videos of children receiving an education for the first time(like the one below) was powerful. Having come from a strong, Jesuit educational background I had taken for granted what a gift it is to learn. JRS strives to provide refugees with that gift during their darkest times, when they are struggling to establish a new identity and way of life.
The Rome AGI program through the University of San Francisco challenged me to learn through immersion. Instead of simply reading and studying the issues of refugees and human trafficking, I stepped out of my comfort zone and spoke with people who are working everyday on these issues. Most importantly, I was granted the gift of time to listen and absorb. My perspective is forever altered.
"Education is a key in combating the evil of hatred, violence and war. I'm ever more convinced of that," said JRS International Director Fr Peter Balleis S.J. "Learning is a way to nourish, in a situation of utter despair, the hope in people." I hope that you too will take the time to educate yourself on the issues facing refugees and victims of human trafficking. More importantly, I hope you will join me in supporting the efforts of JRS to provide an education to refugees so that they too can learn, "what they need to know for life." Education can serve as hope to a refugee. It can open up paths to a future refugees never imaged. Education can also aide in eliminated the fear of the unknown. My hope is that once we educate ourselves alongside refugees, we can begin to have conversations about our shared communities as people, not as legals v. illegals, regulars v. irregulars, documented v. undocumented, but as people.
I was interested in taking part of USF’s academic global
immersion program in Rome because of its focus – refugees, forced migration and
human trafficking. In the months before applying for the program, there were
many news reports of the Syrian refugee crisis. And although I had heard of the
crisis over and over again, I still wasn’t too sure what was really going on in
Syria. My hope for the program was to get a better understanding of it all –
which it did, and learned so much more!
One of the news reports I remember seeing early on was about
a Syrian refugee family who
resettled in Oakland. The family of 4 who left everything behind in Syria
was now in fear of backlash from Americans after the Paris attacks in November
2015.And in other reports, it was said
that a Syrian passport was found by one of the attacked area in Paris. There were many similar stories around Syrian
families fearing backlash, and how other countries feared terror attacks if
they accepted them in – this got me thinking, why were Syrian leaving their
country to begin with? I knew there was conflict – but why, what was going on?
Syrian’s Civil War was said to have started in 2011 after a
pro-democracy protest erupted when several teenagers were arrested and some
killed over political graffiti. Protestors wanted to end all severe
authoritative practices that the government was practicing – but protesting
only made the situation worse, and caused more violence. It brought in more
players, and caused terror in people’s lives. Below is Vox’s timeline of the
civil war, Syria’s war: Who is fighting and why.
As you can imagine, because of the civil war in Syria, many
have fled the country. Below are some facts:
4.6
million Syrians are refugees
6.6
million are displaced within Syria
Half
are children.
Most
Syrian refugees remain in the Middle East, in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan,
Iraq, and Egypt
I decided to stay in Italy a week after the trip to explore Italy a bit more and visit some family along the way. I decided to travel to Milan and then to Venice before heading back to Rome. Along the way I was able to learn a little more about the opinions everyone has formulated about refugees. It was interesting to see that many we're welcoming towards the idea of helping those fleeing from other countries and especially in the cases of unaccompanied minors. However, many often stated that the EU as a whole was not doing enough to relieve Italy and Greece from their new found burdens. Moreover, I found that many were afraid to be the next Greece. They said that conditions in Greece from what they have seen and heard are much worse. There isn't resentment towards the refugees in particular but towards what is being done about the services. I believe that if they knew what we knew about the renovation projects and how much work is being done to implement those things they would not be so quick to state those things. However, it is honestly hard to make each and everyone, that formulates that quick opinion, to understand how hard many agencies are working to do the amount they have done.
Moreover, it was rewarding to visit my family members and explain to them the individuals and the agencies we were able to meet with. It was interesting to see us all sit down and discuss a topic that would not generally be up for grabs. It was rewarding to see my uncles talk about their experiences and how they immigrated to this country along with my aunt. They were extremely proud of the work we had put in and the amount I had learned in the week that I was in Rome. I likewise, was just as proud. I am happy to have taken this trip and stepped out of my comfort zone. Italy was rewarding to say the least! Ciao!
Wednesday, January 13, 2016 is a day forever etched in my heart and mind. This was the day I attended a general audience with Pope Francis and my fellow classmates from the University of San Francisco. I had seen the excitement and borderline mania the Pope’s visit to America had inspired in September 2015, yet this did not prepare me for the scene at the Vatican on that morning. My classmates and I arose early and began our pilgrimage not knowing what to expect. After long lines and security checks, we entered the hall hours early. Even at this hour the energy in the room was akin to a soccer match or rock concert with people cheering, waving flags, and lining up with their selfie sticks to meet the Holy Father. When the address began, there were nine different languages being spoken. I could not keep track of the number of countries represented, but the anticipation was palatable and the excitement universal. When Pope Francis did enter the room- early, and slowly- he took the time to hold babies, kiss grandmas, embrace children and there were few dry eyes in the room. I myself was overwhelmed at the scene. Strangers embraced and cried together.
The Pope’s address was short, poignant, and translated into nine languages so the audience could understand in their native tongue. Despite the language barrier, the message of mercy and application of the Prodigal Son parable was clearly communicated. The Pope’s jovial reference that, “It is not soap opera love.... It is love which takes the first step, which does not depend on human merit but on immense gratuitousness,” even drew chuckles and understanding from the crowd. Yet, what struck me was, “Then it is written that the Lord is “gracious”, in the sense of having grace, he has compassion and, in his greatness, he bends down to those who are weak and poor, ever ready to welcome, to understand, to forgive.” This echoed the sentiment of accompaniment we had heard in the previous days from Jesuit Refugee Services and other nongovernmental agencies working with refugees in Rome. The Pope concluded his remarks with prayers for the victims of attacks the previous day in Istanbul. He then invited the audience to walk through the Holy Doors that were open for the Jubilee year- the Jubilee of Mercy. Not only was his message clear, he then embodied that sentiment by not just rushing out of the hall, but taking the time to greet the audience members and speak with them. My classmates and I remained behind in hopes of a blessing. Our patience was rewarded when the Holy Father walked up to us, looked us in the eye, and blessed us. The impact was profound as he embodies change, progress and renewal for me personally. His efforts to move the Church forward bridges generations. Most importantly for me, he has the ability to inspire other to act and to begin talking about the future of our shared humanity as members of one Church.
As the week continued, this message of common humanity was repeated by advocates and refugees. One refugee we met with shared his experience and reminded us that, “this could happen to your brother or your sister. No one chooses this. It happens to them. I don’t believe we should turn away women and children because of our own fear of the unknown.” He said the first step on his journey to reintegration was establishing a community at Centro Astalli in Rome. He recounted how they had welcomed him and fed him. He also quoted the Pope, who had addressed refugees at Centro Astalli in September 2013- only months after becoming Pope,
“Each one of you, dear friends, has a life story that speaks to us of the tragedies of war, of conflicts that are all too often linked to international politics. Yet, above all, every one of you bears a wealth of humanity and a religious sense, treasures to welcome rather than to fear. Many of you are Muslim or members of another religion. You come from various countries, from different situations. We mustn’t be afraid of differences! Brotherhood enables us to discover that they are riches, gifts for everyone! Let us live in brotherhood! Rome! For many people our City is the second stage on the journey, after Lampedusa and the other places where they arrive. Often, as we have heard, the journey they make is hard, it is gruelling and even violent — I am thinking especially of the women, of the mothers who bear all of this to assure their children of a future and the hope of a different life for themselves and their family. Rome should be the city that makes it possible for them to rediscover a human dimension and to begin to smile again. How often, however, as in other parts, many people here who have “international protection” stamped on their stay permit are forced to live in distressing situations — at times degrading — and in no way are they able to start living a dignified life or to think of a new future!” (https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2013/september/documents/papa-francesco_20130910_centro-astalli.html)
Hearing the Pope’s words and message repeated by a refugee who benefited from the services was a living, breathing example of how we can embody mercy. Jesuit Refugee Services has done this through their mission to, “accompany, serve, and advocate.” We learned about the Welcome Project in France where refugees are placed in homes with host families. The possibility of greeting refugees with understanding and acceptance is powerful. We heard testimony how this can make reintegration successful for those seeking asylum who have lost not only their material belongings, but their identity and their history. Please watch the video below to see how this program is succeeding in France.
As I return to the United States and work, I hope to remain ready to welcome and understand. I will carry the questions the Holy Father addressed to the crowd at Central Astalli with me and I hope that you too will ask yourself, “do I bend down over someone in difficulty or am I afraid of getting my hands dirty? Am I closed in on myself, on my possessions, or am I aware of those in need of help? Do I only serve myself or am I able to serve others, like Christ who came to serve even to the point of giving up his life? Do I look in the eye those who are asking for justice, or do I turn my gaze aside to avoid looking them in the eye?”
As I prepared for my trip to Rome to study the refugee crisis and international anti-human trafficking efforts, I was surprised by some individual’s reaction. Some people I spoke with felt this was an issue that did not affect them and was not relevant to our community. As the Super Bowl approaches, local elected officials and organizations have been increasing their efforts to raise awareness that human trafficking is an issue that has an impact on our neighborhoods. US House Representative Mike Honda wrote a special article to the San Jose Mercury News on December 28, 2015 that, “with increased tourism, we predict a spike in human trafficking. With this concern, and with an eye to hosting a celebratory event, federal, state, and local officials are partnering with law enforcement and community leaders to raise awareness and prevent the tragedy of human trafficking.” (San Jose Mercury News) Airport staffs at the San Jose and San Francisco international airports have received training on how to identify potential human trafficking victims and respond quickly to save the victim.
Local efforts predate the Super Bowl with Santa Clara County establishing the Santa Clara County Human Trafficking Commission (Commission) in August of 2014. Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez worked to establish the Commission because, ““Human trafficking denies many County residents basic human dignities and strains the County's safety net by increasing the need for law enforcement to combat the issue.” (https://www.sccgov.org/sites/d2/working-for-you/ht/Pages/Combating-Human-Trafficking.aspx) The Commission meets regularly to ensure a collaborative, targeted approach is in place for how to respond to human trafficking incidents and provide support and services to victims. The Commission also works on increasing awareness that trafficking is a problem that exists in Santa Clara County that requires constant vigilance. This awareness campaign included a poster contest for high school students to design posters for Valley Transport Agency buses and bus stops. The posters were coupled with human trafficking training for bus drivers in Santa Clara County to learn the signs of trafficking and how to address issues and submit tips to law enforcement.
In November 2015, three human trafficking suspects were arrested in Santa Clara County by the Office of the Sheriff and six victims from Spain were rescued. The problem of trafficking precedes the Super Bowl and will continue to plague our community. According to Not for Sale, “Slavery isn’t dead. Human Trafficking enslaves more than 30 million women, children, and men every year… [And] 43% of California’s trafficking occurs in the San Francisco Bay Area.” Not for Sale is a 501-c-3 that was created after its co-founder, David Batstone realized in 2001 that, “his favorite Bay Area restaurant had been the center of a local human trafficking ring that forcefully brought hundreds of teenagers from India into the United States.” (video below) I urge you to visit their website, learn more about the projects they have in place around the world to combat human trafficking. Please also visit the sites of local agencies and resources below to learn how you can get involved here in our own community. Human trafficking affects the safety and quality of life for our entire community. I hope we can all use the notoriety of the Super Bowl as a call to action to get engaged and to eliminate modern day slavery in our own backyard.
