Idaho has a heritage of refugee resettlement that’s enriched our culture, economy, and communities. On the Mosaics podcast, we’ll hear from Idahoans with lived ...
Razma and Hasina are sisters who resettled in Idaho with their family in 2022. Razma is continuing her education at Boise State, where she is majoring in computer science, and Hasina is a senior in high school. They are pursuing dreams of education and future careers that would not be possible for them under new rules in Afghanistan banning girls and women from school and work opportunities and even leaving the house without a male escort.
The sisters are sharing their stories because they care deeply about advocating for Afghan women and girls. Their voices offer hope and encouragement to others facing hardships. Their journey hasn’t been easy, but they have learned to stay determined and work toward making a difference for themselves and for others.
National Update: Also in this episode is an update on the recent changes to refugee admissions to the United States. A presidential executive order issued on Jan. 20 suspends the arrival of refugees into the U.S. for at least 90 days, at which point it will again be under review by the president. The pause creates painful delays for refugees who have been approved for resettlement or who were about to reunite with their families after years of separation. The order does not impact the status of those who have already arrived, and the Idaho Office for Refugees and local resettlement agencies in Idaho are continuing our work to support them. Please share Mosaics and your support for resettlement with your networks to show that Americans care about our heritage of being a nation of hope, welcome, and freedom.
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44:25
Understanding Immigration With Attorney Chris Christensen
Immigration attorney Chris Christensen provides insight into where we’ve been and what we might expect in the U.S. immigration system in the year ahead.
“I think it’s important for immigrants to understand that regardless of their legal status, that they have rights in this great country,” he said.
In this episode, Chris shares valuable Know Your Rights information and practical steps people can take to reduce their risk if they are undocumented or have temporary immigration status.
“The government doesn’t have the funds, the resources, to remove (every undocumented resident),” Chris said, “and I think most of society would agree that it doesn’t make sense to deport the hardworking farmworker who has no criminal record and who has a family full of U.S. citizen children, who pays taxes and contributes, who goes to the local church every Sunday.”
Chris founded Christensen Legal PLLC in December 2017 so that he could continue serving the immigrant community in Idaho and beyond. A Caldwell native and graduate of Caldwell High School, Chris always had a passion for Spanish and started learning early. From 2013-2015 he directed the Migrant Farmworker Law Center at Indiana Legal Services, visiting labor camps in Indiana and talking to migrant field workers about their rights, housing, pay, taxes, immigration options, and more.
Chris said, “It is that human connection, the life-altering impact that I can have to better somebody’s life, that keeps me doing this.”
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30:32
Raquel Reyes of PODER: Where We Are, and What’s Next
Join us to hear from Raquel Reyes, director of programs & operations at PODER of Idaho. We talk about the daily anxieties experienced by families of mixed immigration status, reflections on the recent election, and the many ways immigrant communities contribute to a vibrant economy and culture.
You can connect with PODER on
Instagram (poder_idaho)
and find Platicas con Poder, hosted by Raquel, on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@PlaticasConPoder.
Raquel, born in Los Angeles, has lived in Idaho since she was 2 years old. She attended elementary and high school in Wilder, a small agricultural town about 40 miles from Boise. Her life’s work has been in social justice, and she has been a vocal advocate about the injustices she has seen in the workplace. Her background is immigration, and she helped found an immigration program at the Community Council of Idaho known as Familias Unidas, Immigration Legal Services. Raquel has been married to her husband for 19 years. She has 3 adult children, 6 grandchildren, 3 dogs, 3 cats, 2 goats and lots of poultry.
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43:27
Ukrainian Welcome Center: Building Trust & Connection
The Ukrainian Welcome Center in Nampa has served more than 700 people displaced by the war in Ukraine. The center's Executive Director Tina Polishchuk and recent School Impact Coordinator Joni Leipf share how their summer program brought a sense of normalcy and an opportunity for healing for students who haven't had a normal school year since before Covid.
Learn more about the center's Adopt-a-Family Christmas campaign at www.ukrainianwelcomecenter.org.
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28:56
Global Gardens Research: A Connection to the Land
A research team from Boise State University is studying the ecological knowledge of Boise farmers from refugee backgrounds and learning how they adapted to farming in a new location. The project will bring more understanding of how Global Gardens farmers are using knowledge from their home countries here in Boise and contributing to the local food scene and farming techniques.
Hear from two of the student researchers on the project: Alice Mwamba – a nursing major and former refugee from the DRC – and Maci Mattravers, an ethnic studies major from Boise. Both are sophomores with minors in refugee studies.
Also joining the conversation is professor and researcher Lisa Meierotto, Boise State Global Studies Program Lead. Hear more from Lisa on global trends and perspectives on episode 39.
Join the research team in February at Boise State for a community event to share in the results of the project. And check out Global Gardens for seasonal produce!
The title of the research project is: Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Communities: A Study of the Social, Ecological, and Economic Factors Shaping Experiences of Global Gardens Farmers
It is funded by Boise State Resource Nexus for Sustainability Grand Challenges
Participants:
Dr. Rebecca Som Castellano is the principal investigator.
Ben Brock, Program Manager, Global Gardens
Deanna Dupuy, City Design Manager, Planning and Development Services, City of Boise
Dr. Kelly Hopping, Assistant Professor, Human-Environment Systems, Boise State University
Dr. Lisa Meierotto, Associate Professor, School of Public Service, Boise State University
Oliver Nsabimana, Farm Manager, Global Gardens
Dr. Rebecca L. Som Castellano, Professor, Sociology, Boise State University
Dr. Laura Villegas-Ortiz, Economist, Boise State University Affiliate
A public event featuring the research will be held at Boise State during the Spring 2025 semester. Stay tuned!
Idaho has a heritage of refugee resettlement that’s enriched our culture, economy, and communities. On the Mosaics podcast, we’ll hear from Idahoans with lived refugee experience and from community members who are building a culture of belonging. We all have a role to play in creating the bigger picture of a vibrant and connected society.
Presented by the Idaho Office for Refugees with grant funding from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust.
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