World Refugee Day opens eyes to refugee stories

Meeting neighbors, finding shared values, and learning about the richness of the combined cultures of all of the people who are proud to call Nebraska home is exciting and can help us to overcome what often divides us.

Here, Olivia Rask, an Appleseed intern, shares her experience at the recent World Refugee Day Celebration in Omaha. There are many opportunities across the state this summer to meet neighbors, learn new stories and experience the richness of our combined cultures. We’ve provided a list of some activities for you to check out.

320-WRDThere is something incredibly daunting about the term “refugee.” Before attending World Refugee Day, I had had the basic definition down: someone fleeing their country because of danger to their life. For me, and many others I would suppose, the word simply reared images of death and destruction, burning buildings, and disease. However, everything else about refugees, where in specific they are from, where they are placed, and their lifestyles remained something I had no idea that I didn’t know.

I had no awareness at all of the refugees being placed into my very own community. So in many ways, World Refugee Day was a wake-up call. Although hopefully the event was just the start of more experiences with the refugee population of Nebraska.

I learned a remarkable amount of things during the day but what had taken me most by surprise was that less than one percent of the entire refugee population of the world is resettled into another country, meaning the vast majority of individuals live out long years in refugee camps. This statistic definitely shook my previous conceptualization of the lives of refugees in the world.

Though perhaps marginal in their situation, the resettlement of refugees who have been accepted to live in the U.S. and in cities like Lincoln and Omaha is a vital task. And again, something that I had not known was going on around me. After visiting the booths of Catholic Social Services and Lutheran Family Services (two of the local organizations offering resettlement services) at World Refugee Day, I started researching more into their initiatives in assisting both immigrants and refugees on a more personal, community scale. And I am now very interested in volunteering with their programs.

Another exceptionally valuable thing that I had observed from World Refugee Day was that although refugees have gone through devastating circumstances, the people themselves seemed optimistic. They were filled with hopes and prospects for the future. Which I believe shows a lot about the vitality of our state.

Here’s a list of some opportunities across the state this summer to meet neighbors, learn new stories and experience the richness of our combined cultures.

  • Heritage Campfire Program- Homestead National Monument of America – July 25 – Details
  • Wilber Czech Festival- Wilber- July 31-August 2 – Details
  • Heritage Campfire Program- Homestead National Monument of America – August 1 – Details
  • New Americans Arts Festival – Omaha- August 7 – Details
  • 2015 Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Annual Pow Wow- Niobrara – August 7-9 – Details
  • Festival Latino- Columbus, Ohio- August 8 & 9 – Details
  • Heritage Campfire Program- Homestead National Monument of America- August 15 – Details
  • John Beheler- Second Saturday Speaker Series- Omaha- August 15 – Details
  • Genoa U.S. Indian School Celebration- Genoa- August 15 – Details
  • Native American Presence on the Missouri- Kearney- August 18- November 1 – Details
  • Omaha Greek Festival- Omaha- August 21-23 – Details
  • Lincoln Greek Festival- Lincoln- August 28 & 29 – Details
  • Family Fiesta!- Omaha- September 20 – Details
  • 45th Annual McCook Heritage Days!- McCook- September 26-27 – Details
  • Music and Dance Festival-Schuyler- September 27 – Details
  • Japanese Ambience Festival- Omaha- October 3-4 – Details
  • Illuminating Lincoln: Lighthouse Community Event- Lincoln Haymarket- October 8 – Details
  • 9th Annual Hispanic Heritage Month State Commemoration – Nebraska State Capitol- October 9 – Details

New Americans share their stories at World Refugee Day 2015

I could list many things that I love about Nebraska. The beautiful countryside, the bike paths, and the friendly neighbors are just a few. After attending Omaha Benson High School’s World Refugee Day Celebration last week, it reaffirmed another thing that I love about my state: diversity.

New to Omaha
Appleseed Intern Olivia Rask (left) speaks with two recent refugees to Omaha at World Refugee Day.

Many may not be aware of the diverse refugee population that has been settled in Nebraska since the middle of the 20th century and long before. For decades, refugees have transitioned from their war-torn, conflicted, or otherwise dangerous homes to a life in Lincoln, Omaha, and the tri-cities area of central Nebraska. As a native Nebraskan, I love the opportunity to eat food from countries around the world, meet friendly people who have started a new life here, and learn about life from the perspectives of these new Nebraskans. At the celebration for International Refugee Day, I was able to witness a handful of the wonderful contributions that these people make to our state.

One of my favorite parts of the event was the welcome and naturalization ceremony. Groups of young people from Burma and different countries in Africa presented traditional dances from their countries. Audience members were also instructed on the basic ways in which refugee resettlement works in Nebraska. Of course, the naturalization ceremony of 30 new American citizens from all over the world was also a very powerful experience to share.

Throughout the day, a number of organizations in the Omaha area presented information to passersby in Benson High’s hallways. A group of Sudanese women had handicrafts for sale as a fundraiser for their organization. Various non-profits provided information for refugees regarding health care, housing, and other important services available to them in the community. Nebraska Appleseed’s table had a tree on which patrons would write something that is welcoming to new residents in Omaha. As an intern with Appleseed, I enjoyed meeting native Nebraskans and new Nebraskans alike as they shared their favorite things about Omaha.

I’m so glad I was able to attend this event. In addition to meeting new people who are interested in similar work within the community, I met friendly people who love their new country. It was such a pleasure spending the Saturday at International Refugee Day.