HomeTown

Safeguarding Refugee Resettlement: Navigating Policy Shifts in a Changing Political Landscape

Today’s bonus episode features a recording from the October 25th webinar – Safeguarding Refugee Resettlement: Navigating Policy Shifts in a Changing Political Landscape - co-hosted by The Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations and Episcopal Migration Ministries.  The panel discussion explores the impact policy changes and financial constraints have on the ability of agencies to support and integrate refugees into their local communities. The panelists discuss the crucial role that faith-based organizations play in resettling refugees, welcoming them into our communities, and advocating for the continuation of this vital program.   Panelists include:   * Asad Bigzad, Program Officer for Post-Arrival Quality Assurance, Episcopal Migration Ministries, and former refugee from Afghanistan   * Sarah Shipman, Director, Episcopal Migration Ministries   * Troy Collazo, Policy Advisor, The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations   * Troy Elder, Executive Director, Interfaith Refugee & Immigrant Service (IRIS), Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles   Follow us on FB, LinkedIn, and Instagram, where we are @emmrefugees.         Join in the ministry of welcome by making a gift to Episcopal Migration Ministries. No gift is too small, and all gifts are used to support and grow our work resettling refugees, supporting asylum seekers, and creating welcoming communities for all our immigrant siblings. Visit episcopalmigrationministries.org/give [https://gate.sc/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fepiscopalmigrationministries.org%2Fgive&token=baacbb-1-1643735420120] or text HOMETOWN to 91999.        Our theme song composer is Abraham Mwinda Ikando. Find his music at abrahammwinda.bandcamp.com.

An Interview with Salemu Alimasi

Today’s episode of Hometown features an interview with Salemu Alimasi. Salemu and his family, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, came to the U.S. as refugees in 2011 and settled in Houston. A passionate advocate for years, Salemu has worked as a grassroots community organizer with Church World Service since 2023.  We invite you to join us for a lively conversation where we learn about Salemu’s early years, his family’s experiences living in refugee camps, and the transition and adjustment to living in the U.S. Prepare to be inspired by Salemu’s passion and commitment to advocating for the rights and protections of all forced migrants.  For even more background on Salemu, we encourage you to visit the EMM blog on our website for a three-part series on Salemu’s journey - Salemu’s story, Part 1: Child of Lake Tanganyika - Episcopal Migration Ministries [https://episcopalmigrationministries.org/salemus-story-part-1/]. Thank you for listening.  Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram where we are emmrefugees.     Join in the ministry of welcome by making a gift to Episcopal Migration Ministries. No gift is too small, and all gifts are used to sustain and expand our work resettling refugees, supporting asylum seekers, and creating welcoming communities for all of our immigrant siblings. Visit episcopalmigrationministries.org/give [https://gate.sc/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fepiscopalmigrationministries.org%2Fgive&token=baacbb-1-1643735420120] or text HOMETOWN to 91999.    Our theme song composer is Abraham Mwinda Ikando. Find his music at abrahammwinda.bandcamp.com.

An Interview with Robert Vivar

In this episode, we speak with Robert Vivar, migration missioner for the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego [https://edsd.org/migration-ministry/] since January 2023. Having lived on both sides of the U.S./Mexico border, Robert understands the factors driving sustained levels of global migration as well as the vulnerabilities of people forced to leave their homes. He also brings to this role a deep faith in God and long-established connections with organizations serving migrants, asylum seekers, deported veterans, and others in need on both sides of the border.     We invite you to tune in to our conversation with Robert Vivar. He offers such a fresh and genuine perspective on questions of enduring importance: Who is our neighbor? How might the notion of "courageous love" help us respond to our neighbors’ deepest needs? Where and how are we called to be the church in today’s world?  Whether borderlands are part of your current landscape or a distant reality, we think you will find this conversation with Robert as invigorating as we did. Join us in embracing "courageous love" as we welcome our newest neighbors.     Follow us on FB, LinkedIn, and Instagram where we are @emmrefugees.         Join in the ministry of welcome by making a gift to Episcopal Migration Ministries. No gift is too small, and all gifts are used to support and grow our work resettling refugees, supporting asylum seekers, and creating welcoming communities for all our immigrant siblings. Visit episcopalmigrationministries.org/give [https://gate.sc/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fepiscopalmigrationministries.org%2Fgive&token=baacbb-1-1643735420120] or text HOMETOWN to 91999.        Our theme song composer is Abraham Mwinda Ikando. Find his music at abrahammwinda.bandcamp.com.

An Interview with the Ocean Springs Remote Placement Community Partner Team at St. John's Episcopal Church [Rerelease]

NOTE: This episode has been rereleased to include a missing piece of audio. Today’s episode features a conversation with members of the Ocean Springs Remote Placement Community Partner team out of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Cynthia Ramseur, Lena Melton, and Peggy Butera share their experience of joining together as a community to welcome and support a newly arrived refugee family. Their stories highlight what is possible when we trust that we already have all we need to make someone feel welcome. Listen as they share their “aha” moment, how they invited the gifts and skills of their congregation, and the many lessons learned. Follow us on FB, LinkedIn, and Instagram where we are emmrefugees. Join in the ministry of welcome by making a gift to Episcopal Migration Ministries. No gift is too small, and all gifts are used to support and grow our work resettling refugees, supporting asylum seekers, and creating welcoming communities for all our immigrant siblings. Visit episcopalmigrationministries.org/give [https://gate.sc/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fepiscopalmigrationministries.org%2Fgive&token=baacbb-1-1643735420120] or text HOMETOWN to 91999.  Our theme song composer is Abraham Mwinda Ikando. Find his music at abrahammwinda.bandcamp.com.

An Interview with Karimullah Kamwar

Today’s guest on Hometown is Karimullah Kamwar. Karim is an Afghan national who lives and works in Syracuse, New York. Karim grew up in Mazar-e-Sharif, a city in northern Afghanistan. After college and graduate school, he began working in the nonprofit sector and started a family.  However, in August 2021, when the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan and the Taliban took over, Karim and his family were in danger, due to the work he had done for many years.  Fortunately, they were able to be evacuated, first to Qatar and then to the U.S. Along with many other Afghan evacuees, they were granted humanitarian parole. After spending several weeks on a U.S. military base, Karim and his family were resettled in Syracuse. There, they received support through InterFaith Works of Central New York, which is one of Episcopal Migration Ministries’ affiliate organizations, and also from a legal organization that offers pro bono services to people in need of help applying for asylum and other immigration status changes. Karim and his family saw right away how important it was for newcomers in the U.S. to have digital skills. As soon as he could, Karim began working as the Digital Empowerment Manager with a Syracuse-based community center. For his work, Karim was recognized in 2024 as a Digital Equity Champion and Emerging Leader by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance.  The story of the Kamwar family illustrates the challenges of entering the U.S. with humanitarian parole, which provides temporary permission to live in the U.S., but no guarantee of legal permanent residency. As you listen to our conversation with Karim, we invite you to imagine the hopes and the obstacles that many newcomers face, as under dire circumstances beyond their control, they seek a safe place to call home for themselves and their loved ones. We are grateful to Karim Kamwar for joining us today, and for the impact that he is already having on his new community. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram where we are @emmrefugees.   Join in the ministry of welcome by making a gift to Episcopal Migration Ministries. No gift is too small, and all gifts are used to sustain and expand our work resettling refugees, supporting asylum seekers, and creating welcoming communities for all of our immigrant siblings. Visit episcopalmigrationministries.org/give [https://gate.sc/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fepiscopalmigrationministries.org%2Fgive&token=baacbb-1-1643735420120] or text HOMETOWN to 91999.  Our theme song composer is Abraham Mwinda Ikando. Find his music at abrahammwinda.bandcamp.com .