One important moment from that conference: I was in a breakout session led by a Somali-American woman and former refugee, I wish I remember her name, who was doing human rights and advocacy work. The time slot must have been up against some big name because only a couple of us were there. I probably asked for teaching advice. We were specifically talking about older refugee women who spoke no English. She gave me a directive: "Your job is to listen."
I’m writing this in the third week after so many things began to shift under our feet. A number of you have been reaching out, concerned and wondering how we’re doing. And along with that, what are we doing? And is there anything you can do for us? So here’s a quick update:
You probably remember that last year, Beautiful Day created a special new program for Afghan women, most of whom had arrived in RI after the 2021 US military withdrawal from Afghanistan. We wanted to provide a space where women with more complex resettlement needs could develop the social connections, job skills, and community support that would help them thrive here. Last November, we began hosting 15 Afghan women weekly at our Providence headquarters. The goal was to learn the fundamentals of working in a commercial kitchen and explore food-based business ideas through the process of cooking together. We soon discovered...
By Carol Landau & Rebecca Garland You might be surprised to learn that one of the largest groups of refugees we serve at Beautiful Day comes originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRCongo). Unlike other countries such as Afghanistan, Ukraine and Haiti, the instability there does not attract many headlines. The country’s history is so complex that most news outlets find it easier to focus on other international crises that are more clearly defined. But while the underlying causes are not well-publicized, the mass exodus of millions of Congolese over the last 20 years makes it obvious that...
by Carol Landau & Rebecca Garland Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, 2022, over 8 million people, or 18% of the population, have fled the country. Approximately 282,000 have ended up in the US. As Beautiful Day welcomes Ukrainians into our adult and youth programs, it's important for all of us to stay informed about what's happening in their home country. This article lays out some of the stark facts. We all need to understand as much as we can in order to best support our new Ukrainian neighbors. According to interviews conducted by NPR, CBS News and the Washington...
