Winter/ S pring 2018 Newsletter

Maura Nsonwu

ViceAssocia President tion of Immigration and Sandye Mullins Services Professionals President Elect

Inside this issue:

Message from the Message from the president 1 New Board member 2 President Umoja 3-4 5-6 Board of Directors As we entered a New Year and “Human Flow” Documentary 7 began to transition into spring, I Certification 8-9 Board President reflect on the monumental policy Join ARSP 9-11 Connections 11 Maura Nsonwu and practice challenges affecting immigration work and refugee Vice President resettlement. Regardless of whether (see Natacha Nikokeza’s article) can you are a front-line staff member, Sandye Mullins further compound our feelings of guilt, administrator, policy advocate, pain, weariness, and frustration. President Elect intern, or volunteer working with Holly Sienkiewicz refugee and immigrant Although our feelings/reactions can communities, our role as social never compare to our clients’ Secretary change agents demands that we experience of trauma, overwhelming Raleigh Bailey challenge inequity and champion stress and emotional turmoil, we must human rights for all people. The acknowledge that our work as cultural Treasurer work of cultural allies, in an brokers and social justice warriors can Bob Palm oftentimes deeply flawed also negatively affect our wellbeing. bureaucratic system, can be Charles Figley (1995) coined the term Board Members emotionally, spiritually, and “compassion fatigue” while Laurie Ruth Bersin physically exhausting. Recognizing Anne Pearlman and Karen W. the injustice, indifference, and Saakvitne (1995) penned “vicarious Lisa David intolerance that displaced people trauma” to describe a professional’s experience on a global scale (e.g. Caitriona Lyons feelings of angst and emotional drain escalating violence in Syria; resulting from their work with clients Donna Magnuson protests in Rwanda experiencing post-traumatic stress due to food shortage; ethnic Sharon Morrison disorder. cleansing of Rohingyas) can be Pat Priest mindboggling. Oftentimes being The newcomers that we work with privy to stories, of trauma and have often experienced trauma and its Carol Roxburgh suffering as well as witnessing the after-effects. Symptoms of Karin Wachter everyday trials and tribulations that compassion fatigue and vicarious undocumented migrants and trauma in service providers may experience in striving to exhibit as irritability and agitation, a acculturate/integrate, lack of empathy, or manifested as

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Continued from page 1 ARSP Bids Farewell to physical ailments/conditions such Board Members and as headaches, insomnia, or Association for Refugee Welcomes a New Addition Service Professionals changes in weight/eating P.O. Box 80692 behaviors (see readings on Anita Fabos and Dipti Shah have Austin Texas, 78708 Compassion Fatigue, Vicarious stepped down as board members of

Phone (336)209.1551 Trauma, and Secondary Trauma ARSP after many years of service. E-mail [email protected] for expanded symptoms and We thank them for their commitment treatment). To address this to ARSP and look forward to their naturally occurring phenomenon continued involvement as members we must foster self-care and as they serve the immigrant and cultivate professional and personal refugee service community. We Newsletter editor resiliency for ourselves and our welcome a new board member - Dr. Nneze Eluka colleagues. Karin Wachter, Assistant Professor at In adopting this continuous Arizona State University. process, we begin to support and strengthen each other in maintaining our physical, emotional and spiritual equilibrium, grounding us as we move forward to forge justice and healing to those we serve. I know that I am a work in progress as I practice self-care. As I move from winter into spring, observing new Karin worked for ten years as a blooms and the renewal of nature, humanitarian aid worker with the I am inspired to revitalize my own International Rescue Committee emotional, spiritual and physical focused on violence against women self-care. I wish you good health. and girls in war and displacement, Maura Busch Nsonwu primarily in African contexts. PhD, MSW, LCSW Since returning to academia, she has ARSP President worked with U.S.-based refugee resettlement agencies as an evaluator and researcher. Her current research focuses on the intersection of forced migration, violence against women, and social support.

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Local Initiative: Umoja Shares Support and Hope to Newcomers dates from Rwanda My name is Natacha Nikokeza, my process was not easy; however, we family and I came to the United States had an easier experience than many as refugees from Burundi nine years refugees since we were able to Association for Refugee Service Professionals ago. We left everything behind as we speak some English. P.O. Box 80692 were forced to flee our country; the Austin, Texas 78708 process was long and intense, but we This ability allowed my husband finally resettled in Greensboro NC, our and I to volunteer with resettlement

home ever since. agencies and provide interpretation services for new arrivals. This

Being a refugee means leaving family involvement allowed us to connect and belongings behind to start a new with refugee communities. life in another country. This also often means learning a new language and We began to know when new adopting a new culture. Refugee families would arrive, and we resettlement agencies receive federal would arrange to visit them and buy funding to help refugees for three or share items that they needed. I months as they transition to a new was able to relate to them as my country. After that period, refugees own experience of feeling must work and become self-sufficient. “helplessness” was still fresh in my Many agree that this timeframe is too heart. short to learn a new language and As the refugee community from successfully integrate into a different East Africa began to rapidly grow culture. Others may say this time- we started a women’s prayer group. period is unrealistic and may set The purpose of the group was to refugees up for failure. Successful give to newly arrived refugee resettlement requires support from the women the opportunity to meet whole community - government, with other women who have been in businesses, and established citizens, so the U.S. longer, and to enjoy the that it is everyone’s responsibility to comfort of speaking their native help refugees achieve their goal of language. The participants were self-sufficiency. very excited to know that they were My family and I were helped by a not alone, that others went through local resettlement agency as well as similar difficulties, and that individuals from churches and other together they could support one organizations. The resettlement another and become independent.

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Your business Continued from page 3 The United States has a long tradition of welcoming and giving Later, a group of university women hope to families fleeing war and (North Carolina A&T State persecution. The Umoja group is a University, UNC-Chapel Hill, and www.refugeeprofessionals.org shining example of embracing UNC-Greensboro) and practitioners

from resettlement agencies joined us. newcomers. Together we can keep

the light of hope shining. You can Their inclusion provided another listen to an interview with Natacha level of excitement as it (me), Angelique (Umoja officer) demonstrated that more people cared and Holly (ARSP board member) about us and wanted to help. on NPR’s The State of Things at

We organized monthly meeting to http://wunc.org/post/how-

support one another; our group congolese-refugee-women-teamed- triad#stream/0 celebrated baby showers for expecting mothers as well as Natacha Nikokeza provided educational sessions on a Center for New North Carolinians

variety of topics. We named our Community Centers Coordinator group “Umoja”, which means

“unity” in Swahili to symbolize our collective support of one another. The Umoja group has a large Congolese membership however; it is open to all refugee women as its

mission is to be inclusive. Umoja has entered its fourth year and the refugee women have taken on leadership roles electing officers to

help plan and run the meetings.

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Association for DADAAB, Forgotten City of Refugees Refugee Service Professionals P.O. Box 80692 New refugee crises are emerging The only roads to and around this Austin, Texas 78708 around the world: Syrians, refugee camp city are not paved. Rohingyas. Another crisis is Urban protections are far away. emerging with Palestinians as the US UN and NGO support personnel Phone (336)209.1551 E-mail cuts funding that feeds the Palestinian travel by armed caravans from [email protected] refugees under UN protection in Nairobi and by chartered planes several Middle Eastern countries. to the landing strip at the camp. It Winter 2018 newsletter However, one group has not received is a high security closed camp,

editor much public attention lately. Somali though Somali refugees continue Nneze Eluka refugees in Kenya’s Dadaab refugee to travel on their own across the camp are receiving little public dangerous and isolated desert. attention. In 2014, UNHCR, the

government of Kenya, and the Dadaab is a refugee camp in Northern official government of Somalia Kenya, near the Somalia border, signed an agreement authorizing alongside a small town that has a voluntary repatriation initiative grown up around its perimeter. Camp to facilitate Somali refugee history goes back to the early returns to Somalia. However, the nineties, populated mostly by Somalis government of Somalia does not fleeing drought and endless wars. control territory except for a (The few South Sudan refugees there modest and insecure presence in are being moved to Kakuma Refugee Website Mogadishu, the capital. There Camp elsewhere in Kenya.) At its continue to be military strikes in http://www.refugeeprofessi peak early in this decade, there were onals.org/ Mogadishu by Al Shabaab, over 400,000 UN registered Dadaab resulting in loss of civilian lives Facebook refugees. In a 2014 census, a couple (over 500 killed by a truck bomb of hundred thousand additional Association for Refugee in October of 2017). The Services Professionals refugees were identified in this surrounding territories are isolated desert area, without lawless, with Al Shabaab loosely documentation or food ration cards. controlling some areas and other Dadaab grew as a city built of plastic areas controlled by some larger sheets supported by branches cut clans or tribes in the region. from thorn trees in the surrounding

desert. The surrounding area continues to be controlled by the revolutionary Al Shabaab fighting forces.

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Continued from page 5 Some flee to Nairobi and try to live as Association for undocumented migrants in a hostile Refugee Service The United States has stopped resettling Professionals Somali refugees though the US environment. Others attempt to make P.O. Box 80692 continues to be militarily active in the Mediterranean crossing to find Austin, Texas 78708 Somalia. reported a US military safety in Europe. A few still wait air strike killing 100 militants on futilely, hoping that the US will November 12, 2017, in an area outside resettle them with US relatives. of Mogadishu. UNHCR currently seeks to process The government of Kenya regularly and about 5000 people, from minority consistently blames Somali refugees in tribes, to be resettled in Europe, Dadaab for unrest and violence across knowing that they would have no Kenya, claiming that Dadaab is an Al tribal security networks in Somalia. Shabaab training ground. International By late 2017 the official registered observers do not support this position. In camp population has reduced to a little reality, most of the hundreds of over 200,000, the size of a medium thousands of refugees who fled to city. Food portions and ration cards Dadaab, were seeking refuge from the continue to be reduced, as the world violent Al Shabaab. In fact, the outside has turned its attention to new primarily Muslim population in the refugee crises elsewhere. camp and in Somalia is from the Sufi strain of Islam, an Islamic movement (Note: Kristie Bailey, daughter of that pursues peace and mutual Raleigh Bailey, is currently on cooperation amongst peoples regardless temporary assignment with UNHCR of religious or political affiliation. in Dadaab refugee camp) However, Kenyan government pressure Raleigh Bailey, Ph. D. and dwindling UN resources continue to Secretary, ARSP put pressure on the residents of the camp Director Emeritus, UNCG Center for to repatriate, some who have lived there New North Carolinians for as long as 25 years.

Those who do return to Somalia often find that their ancestral lands have been taken over by others, including other tribes with whom they have no ties. There are no governmental or civic support systems to sustain them.

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Website “Human Flow” Documentary http://www.refugeeprofessi Human Flow” is a sprawling and heartbreaking exploration of the onals.org/ global . Captured over the course of a year in 23 Facebook countries, the film follows a chain of urgent stories that stretches through Afghanistan, Greece, Iraq, Kenya, Mexico, Turkey Association for Refugee and beyond. There are some visceral works of cinema that must be Services Professionals seen on a big screen. "Human Flow" is one of them. Join hundreds of institutions across the country on April 29th for an end-of-year screening of Human Flow, immediately followed by a livestream Q&A with renowned artist, activist and Director . He will be answering audience questions live on air). View trailer here. Please Contact Meredith Liguori with questions [email protected]

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What will Certification Look Like?

The purpose of developing a certification process is to 1. Ethical Standards a. It is important that all work is done promote Professional to guide clients toward independence. Development among the ARSP b. It is important that confidentiality be Members and to acknowledge protected, not only for a client but for the skill and expertise which his or her family back in the home many of the staff of our agencies country. already have achieved. This c. It is important to avoid a conflict of program will establish “best interest. practices,” and stand in 2. A Case Management Service Plan compliance with ORR and national Voluntary Agencies. a. How is client-centered case management done while the agency The populations served by plans and programs activities? ARSP members are among the b. How is budgeting done so it leads to most vulnerable people in the independence? world and the care offered them must be of the highest standards. c. How is fund raising done without breeching client confidentiality? ARSP seeks to establish a 3. What are the most important unified, national, non-partisan monitoring and evaluation steps for our framework, comprising programs that will ensure “best academic, vocational and ethical practices”? standards based on principles of 4. What are important skills? (Please restoring humanity and client- rank 1-5) centered care that takes into a. Travel to a refugee camp____ account the unique b. Experience with or as a characteristics of refugees and other displaced people. refugee_____ c. Course Work_____ As the standards are set up there d. Language Skills_____ are two program elements which e. Experience living in another are crucial: country_____ f. Training by the national agency_____ g. Training in trauma response _____ h. Understanding spiritual bases of clients____ i. Cross Cultural training_____ j. Volunteer management skills_____ Page 9 Association Newsletter

Continued from page 8 Are You A Member of Association for Refugee Service ARSP? Professionals Many of the things which are

P.O. Box 80692 needed for one to become Many immigration and refugee Austin, Texas certified are already in place. service professionals (researchers and 78708 Course work at universities, advocates too!) joined ARSP due to

field trips overseas, internships their attendance in one of the in agencies. There are also numerous conferences that we have standards required of ORR and organized and/or participation in the national agencies. The standards and practices will be in line with many trips abroad that we have these standards that are already sponsored. We need your support to operative. Please feel free to continue these opportunities. If you send feedback and suggestions have not renewed your membership, for things that you feel with then we encourage you to do so. We make this program valuable. also hope that you will consider inviting your fellow colleagues,

Please send feedback to: students and friends to become Ruth Bersin members. RIM: 6 Pleasant St., Suite 612, Malden, MA 02148 or Reasons for Joining: [email protected]

1. Express your professionalism.

Add your name to the ranks of other members who express the pride in the profession you have chosen.

2. Underscore your integrity.

ARSP has a reputation for upholding

high standards. Its members follow Code of Ethical Principles and Standards of Professional Practice.

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Website Continued from page 9 7. Use available resources and http://www.refugeeprofe share best practices. ssionals.org/ 3. Advance your career. ARSP is developing an online ARSP members have educational Facebook resource center that will provide its opportunities designed to members with the resources needed Association for Refugee increase knowledge and keep up to do their job well. Services Professionals with the newest information,

both on the international and 8. Travel Opportunities. local levels. ARSP will organize trips to "hot

spots" of the world where members 4. Network with others who do will have an opportunity to learn what you do. about different stages of a refugee's Making connections is an journey important part of advocating for the cause you represent. Meet Membership Dues: Professional $40; others who can help you make Student $15; Supporting Member those connections. $100 suggested amount New Members should complete an 5. Advocate for your application at: profession. ARSP has a developing program http://www.refugeeprofessionals.org/ that monitors trends in membership.html education, regulation, and Mail in Dues to: standard practices, and periodically advises members on ARSP required action. P.O. Box 80692 Austin, Texas 78708 6. Serve your profession. Opportunities are available for individuals to serve on international and local committees that work on a variety of issues related to uprooted and displaced people and their plight.

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Continued from page 10 Website Connections

Continuing members can fill out the Center for New North Carolinians form below and send payment to: https://cnnc.uncg.edu/

UNHCR Syrian Refugee Crisis https://www.searchingforsyria.org

Faith Action ID Cards http://faithaction.org/services/id_initiative/