Who We Are
More than a refugee
An information series highlighting the experiences of refugees and immigrants
Welcome to the U.S.: Check a Box!
Impacts of Racism on Refugee and Immigrant Communities
September 9, 2019
3:00pm - 5:30pm
Please join us for a frank, candid, and personal workshop and discussion about race, racism, and their impact on refugee and immigrant communities.
Race and racism in the United States are definitely not new topics. However, in the current political climate there has been renewed focus on institutional and systemic racism in the U.S. and the historical roots of privilege and oppression. During this workshop we aim to explore definitions, assumptions, race, and racism through personal stories from three unique individuals. This workshop will center around the intersectionality of culture, race, and privilege in mainstream white America and refugee and immigrant communities.
Panelists:
Abdul Fofanah
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Abdul is a community organizer and social change agent. He is passionate about uplifting human capacity across socioeconomic and cultural divides. He has worked in various non-profits and governmental agencies providing culturally responsive supports so underserved communities can build agency to thrive. Abdul currently works as a mental health clinician.
Israa Hasani
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Israa immigrated to the U.S. from the middle east and has been living in Portland for 23 years. She has worked with refugees and immigrants for over 15 years, 10 of them professionally. Israa currently works as a mental health provider at a Cascadia residential site.
Toc Soneoulay-Gillespie
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Toc has over 20 years of experience working with and advocating for refugees and immigrants. She currently serves as the Social Services Manager in Population Health at CareOregon and was recently appointed by Governor Brown to serve as commissioner on the Oregon Commission on Asian Pacific Islander Affairs. She is deeply committed to raising awareness about meaningful language access through a workshop that is offered in a multitude of settings. Her hope is that when it's introduced with humility, it can reshape the narratives of historically underserved communities who speak a language other than English, and ultimately transform systems.
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