Teej Festival

The Global Bhutanese Community of Colorado will commemorate the Hindu Teej Festival honoring Bhutanese and Nepalese women, and you are invited!

This festival takes place worldwide, including here in Colorado. According to Wikipedia,

"Dedicated to the Goddess Parvati, commemorating her union with Lord Shiva, the festival is celebrated for marital bliss, well-being of spouse and children and purification of own body and soul. The festival is a three-day-long celebration that combines sumptuous feasts as well as rigid fasting. 

Falling on the Hindu month of Bhadrapada or Bhado (August/September), it also celebrates the arrival of monsoon after a season of oppressive heat. The festival gets its name from ‘Teej,’ a small red insect that comes out of the soil during rains."

You can join in the celebration this year. Come to celebrate this auspicious occasion with a full day of joy and togetherness. This cultural celebration is open to anyone who wishes to participate and learn more about the Bhutanese members of our community.

Copyright Boston Globe

Teej Festival

Thursday, September 20, 2012

10: a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Lowry Park

11th Ave. and Dayton St., Aurora

Click here for a map.

Namaste!

Be part of the peacemaking community

Community College of Aurora’s Global Initiatives Committee and the ESL Department are pleased to invite you to our upcoming lecture on "Post 9/11 Religion and Community: Interfaith Strategies for Peacemaking," This event is open to the public.

Thursday September 6th

6:15-7:15 p.m. 

Community College of Aurora

CentreTech Campus

 Rotunda, Student Center building

Room 100 

16000 East CentreTech Parkway, Aurora, Colorado

"When the planes flew into the skyscrapers on 9/11, Dan Buttry was the co-pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dearborn, Michigan—home to the largest Arab Muslim population in North America. The next evening, Dan joined a group of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish religious leaders at a Dearborn mosque to ask what they might do together as religious communities. Thus began Dan’s journey as an interfaith peacemaker."

The Rev. Dr. Daniel Buttry is currently the global consultant for peace and justice with International Ministries of the American Baptist Churches, working on short-term peace projects around the world. He is also the author of several books, including Blessed are the Peacemakers and Interfaith Heroes 1 & 2. Learn more about his work at www.danbuttry.com.

Get out of town! Or not.

Are you looking for an interesting day trip to enjoy with your student? For students with very little English, a museum visit or historical site outing may not have much meaning since so much the experience is explained through language (docents, placards, audio guides).

Many of the refugees we work with don't have access to transportation and know very little about the area beyond what they see in their own neighborhoods or on the bus. Colorado is a beautiful state and most newcomers are eager to see it! Consider a day trip that shows off some of what makes this state so special.

Pack a picnic lunch and your camera, and don't forget car seats or boosters if the kids are coming along for the ride. It's always a good idea to bring a jacket when you head into the mountains, no matter what the weather is doing in Denver.

Mount Evans

Matt Inden/Miles via Colorado.com

Located in Clear Creek County, Mount Evans is the closest fourteener to Denver and also boasts the highest paved road in the country. The mountain tops out at 14, 265 feet. Mount Evans is about 50 miles from Denver by way of Idaho Springs.The fee for parking and using the facilities is $10 per car (up to 12 passengers).

Although there are no picnic tables on the Mount Evans road, there are some beautiful places to stop along the way. Click here for a list. While you're on Mount Evans, don't miss the M. Walter Pesman wildflower trail at Mount Goliath. The trail is maintained by Denver Botanic Gardens. Click here for information about guided wildflower hikes through August 4, 2012. If you still have time, visit Echo Lake Park on your way down the mountain. Note: On Saturday, July 21, Mount Evans road will be closed until 2:00 p.m. for a bicycle race.

Rocky Mountain National Park

The road to Rocky can be very crowded on summer weekends, so leave early--or schedule a weekday trip. The park is about a 90-minute drive from Denver. The entry fee to the park is $20 per car and your pass is good for one week.The park is huge and offers many excellent hiking and picnic spots. Stop at one of the ranger stations for advice on where to find the easier trails.

This summer there is major construction on Bear Lake Rd., the main thoroughfare to popular Bear Lake and handicap-accessible Sprague Lake. Shuttle buses are mandatory on part of that route, unless you get through before 9:00 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m. For details on the construction and closures, click here. As an alternative, consider visiting different parts of RMNP that don't require use of Bear Lake Road. Most visitors to the park enter through the Beaver Meadows entrance, but you can also enter the park south of Estes Park at Lily Lake, or on the west side at Grand Lake. There is a lot to do and see at RMNP. Click here and check out the menu on the left side of the page.

Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak/ Sharon McCreary 2010

Located in Colorado Springs in the shadow of Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods is a unique and beautiful sandstone fantasy. Many trails are paved and most are easy to navigate (no hiking skills required). The views are breathtaking.

Start your day at the visitor center, pick up a map, and then head over to the park. Plan to picnic in the park since there is no place to consume your own food at the visitor center (although it does sport a nice cafe, if you're willing to buy lunch). The park is open daily until 8:00 p.m. in summer and admission is free. The visitor center is located at 1805 N. 30th (at Gateway Rd.) in Colorado Springs. Click here for directions. The park is open from 8-8 daily in the summer.

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

A bit closer to home is the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge (RMANWR). The refuge is located just a bit northeast of Denver, yet it provides some of the finest wildlife viewing around. At more than 15,000 acres in size, this national wildlife refuge is one of the largest in the United States. Bring your binoculars and watch for birds, raptors, deer, bison, and any of the more than 300 species of wildlife in the refuge. The refuge is a peaceful place to walk and enjoy nature, but there are educational programs available, as well. Stop by the visitor center for interactive exhibits. Be aware that guided activities within the refuge are free but require a reservation.

The RMANWR is located at 6550 Gateway Rd. in Commerce city. Entrance to the refuge is free. The refuge is open seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except for federal holidays. The visitor center (closed Mondays) is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. For more information and to get a copy of the latest newsletter, click here to visit the RMANWR website.

A Taste of Colorado

For nearly 30 years, the "Festival of Mountain and Plain" has capped off Denver summers. This free, four-day event takes place every year during Labor Day weekend in Civic Center Park at Colfax and Broadway, downtown. The event includes arts and crafts vendors, educational displays, a KidsZone, great people watching, lots of music, free concerts, and a lot of food!

You won't be able to bring in a picnic lunch, so budget for food or eat before you go. Parking can be tricky, but there are many pay lots around the festival, including the Justice Center Garage (where Emily Griffith employees park) on Delaware St., between 13th and 14th Avenues. Plan to spend a fun day! For more information about this year's event and the entertainment schedule, visit the event website.

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head!

The monsoon season has arrived in Denver! It's the time of year when a long stretch of dry, dusty days are suddenly punctuated by daily downpours. This weather pattern lasts for much of the month of July.

Many of our refugee students are familiar with similar seasonal rains, but not how they translate to an urban environment. Each year, a number of Americans are injured or drown in urban flash floods. Now is a good time to explain to your student the basic physics of storm drains and the suction power they can generate.

This morning, an extremely heavy rainstorm poured a deluge of water on downtown Denver. Traffic was snarled and, because the storm drains in the streets were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of water, many streets flooded. The photo taken above was taken this morning during that storm. It's Welton Street just off of Colfax, between the Convention Center and Emily Griffith Technical College. The water was about thigh-high on an average-sized adult (as gauged by watching a woman wade across 12th St.).

The water was gone within 90 minutes. That's millions of gallons of water being sucked into storm drains very quickly. What many of the refugees don't understand is how strong that suction really is. It's important to let your students know how to manage urban flash floods:

• If your student drives, the general rule of thumb is not to drive into water deeper than six inches
• Do not wade into the water to cross the street. If you can't see your feet, go another way. If the water is more than shin-deep, it's dangerous and can easily cause a fall.
• Do not walk near or through the water rushing into storm drains at the curb.
• Keep children close. Do not allow children to play in the water or near storm drains. Some of the larger drains--in culverts, for example--can easily suck in a child (or adult) very quickly. There are many instances of Coloradans who have died this way!
• Tread carefully. The mix of debris, oils, and plastic swept up in the water can make for slippery conditions. If you have to walk through it, rinse off your skin once you're inside.
•  Remove shoes and give them time to dry thoroughly before wearing them again.

Monsoon storms can come up very quickly and it's easy to underestimate how much water is moving off of the streets. Several years ago, I was caught in a downpour while riding my bike home from work. I was on the Cherry Creek bike path downtown. Within a matter of minutes, the creek started rising rapidly. Soon after, I couldn't see if the bike's wheels were on the path or headed into the creek. There was no place for me to exit for several blocks so I just kept riding as fast as I could. I was unexpectedly pounded by a jet of water that nearly knocked me off of my bike. The path is below street level, and serves as a drainage point for the runoff. This water is channeled into large, circular holes in the walls along the path, and the pressure is immense. I was looking down as I was riding, so I never saw the blast of water coming out the wall that was about to hit me (and it's filthy). I was fortunate not to have fallen and been swept into the creek's current.

When I got home from that ride, I turned on the TV news to see that five people had to be rescued from the path only thirty minutes after I had ridden through. Some of those people were hanging from tree branches and others were clinging to the iron bridge supports that hold up the overpasses. The usually docile Cherry Creek was nearly ten feet deep and the current was raging! The really surprising thing was just how fast that happened.

On a related note, Colorado has the second-highest incidence of lightning in the U.S. (Florida is number one). According to the Colorado Office of Emergency Management (COEM), lightning has killed or injured more people in Colorado than any other thunderstorm hazard. Make sure your students know that when lightning is present, they must seek shelter. Describe what is and is not considered safe shelter. This is particularly important if you know your student has a field trip planned to open space or the mountains, where most lightning-caused deaths occur. For a safety checklist, click here for information. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors! Additional information from NOAA regarding Colorado lightning safety can be found here.


 Stay safe, stay dry, and be smart!

Training dates for second half of 2012

We need Saturday volunteers!

Greetings!

We're recruiting again for volunteers to help with teaching our Saturday morning refugee ESL class at Grace Apartments during June, July, and August! Might you have an interest? It’s such a great way to get involved and to make a difference, to join a vibrant community, and to feel like you’re living internationally even in your own backyard! 

Grace Apartments is located on the corner of 13th Avenue and Yosemite Street, on the east side of Denver, just north of Lowry (8888 E. 13th Ave.). Class is in session on Saturday mornings from 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. 

We have been successfully holding classes for the past seven years, with regular attendance at around 20 women per week.  Some weeks we’ve taught all of the ladies together with one lead teacher.  An ideal week has us working with as many as four volunteers, which gives us the flexibility to separate into four smaller groups:

• Beginning
• Intermediate
• Advanced (small group; will meet in the office area)
• Children (someone mostly to quietly read with the youth)

 If you’d like to volunteer this summer, let us know:

• specific dates you’re free;
• which group(s) you'd be most comfortable with;
• whether you’re comfortable leading a group on your own or if you want to partner with another volunteer who has more experience;
• whether you have experience teaching esl (though it’s not necessary!)
• your primary hopes for your participation;
• whether you’d be interested in receiving training through Emily Griffith Opportunity School’s at home refugee ESL program;
• any other info you think important to share;
• any questions you’ve got; 
• Your cell number and best email contact.

We are still coordinating curriculum for the summer, though are planning to cover these topics:

• Beginning of May: Community, including bank/post
• Mid-May: Transportation (2 weeks), incorporating some actual stuff on RTD/schedules
• June: Describing, with the focus on descriptions of summer, clothes, weather, things to do, etc.
• July: Recreation and Entertainment
• August: Back to School

Please tell us your availability for the summer by next Friday, May 18, if feasible.  Also, if you’re not able to commit at this time but decide later on that you’d like to drop in and help out, we’re happy to work with you and your schedule!

Kindly send all responses to Elena at Maria_Saenz@dpsk12.org

Looking for a change of pace in your volunteering?

Many refugee families in the Denver area live in homes that are part of Mercy Housing's community of empowerment and compassion. Grace Apartments, located at at the corner of 13th Avenue and Yosemite Street, is home to many refugee families, and as summer approaches, they could benefit from your skills.

Volunteers and interns support the mission of Mercy Housing by providing one-on-one attention to residents, offering classes and contributing to activities which enrich the lives of the people who call Mercy Housing their home.  

VOLUNTEER &  INTERN PLACEMENTS
 Grace Apartments is recruiting Summer 2012 (June-August 2012) volunteers and interns to support the following:  

• Adult & Family Services: Classroom Assistant: Assist instructors with adult one-on-one ESL-based learning and/or childcare  
• Newsletter Editor: Manage a multi-lingual newsletter of programming announcements and resident contributions,which promotes sharing and community engagement  
• Computer Room Assistant/Instructor: Hold lab hours and promote technology to adult and youth population  
• Marketplace Manager: Coordinate in-kind on-site thrift store & support Grace Dollars incentive program  
• Gardening Assistant: Accompany DUG volunteer and community gardeners in related initiatives
• Direct Services Assistant: Establish relationships with residents to assist with service referrals/benefits acquisition   

 Youth Services (ages 7-12):  

• Youth Soccer Coordinator/Coach: Lead and/or support summer soccer team, ages 12 and up
• Summer Program Activities Assistant: Assist and/or develop indoor/outdoor youth programming
• Swimming Club Assistant: Lead youth on fieldtrips to local pool for swimming instruction and practice
• Garden Club Assistant: Sponsor youth gardening activities and related training opportunities 

Thank you for your interest in our joining our community! Volunteer and internship placements are developed to meet the schedules and interests of each individual. Please contact Grace Apartments to schedule volunteer groups or special events.  

CONTACT: 
Sierra Hutchinson, Resident Services Coordinator II
Grace Apartments
8888 E 13th Ave #13
Denver, CO 80220
Phone: 303-320-7763
Fax: 303-399-5906 Email: shutchinson@mercyhousing.org

Resources to help you learn

In addition to the bibliography that new volunteers receive at training, a more comprehensive list of resources is maintained to help you learn about refugees and their experiences. Project SOAR, part of the International Rescue Committee, updates the list monthly. This list is a collection of books, articles, and films with links to find out more about each resource.

Click here to access the list.

Learn about human trafficking

HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS WEEK

Please join the Human Trafficking Clinic (HTC) at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, for a week of events dedicated to generating community awareness of forced labor and human trafficking.

Monday, April 2, 12:00-2:00 pm – Panel of local anti-trafficking experts, moderated by Ron Soodalter, co-author ofThe Slave Next Door, in the Cyber Café of Cherrington Hall, 2201 S. Gaylord St.

Tuesday, April 3, 5:30-7:00 pm – “A Blight on the Nation: Human Trafficking in Today’s America,” a talk by Ron Soodalter, co-author of The Slave Next Door, in Room 150 Sié Che´ou-Kang Center, Denver, CO 80205.

Wednesday, April 4, 6:00-8:00 pm – Screening of the film “My Grandma’s Tattoos” in Sturm Hall 251, 2000 E. Asbury Ave., Denver, CO 80205.

Thursday, April 5, 9:00-11:00 pm – Abolition concert with live local bands at Illegal Pete’s, 1744 E. Evans Ave.

Friday, April 6, 6:00-9:00 pm – Silent art auction at CORE New Art Space at 900 Santa Fe Drive in Santa Fe Arts District.

Training opportunity

SAVE THE DATE!!

The Literacy Coalition of Colorado

Volunteer Training

For new and returning volunteers

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Workshops begin at 8:30 am

Focus Point Family Resource Center

2501 East 48^th Avenue

Denver, CO 80216

Schedule and Details To Be Announced Later

Town hall meeting!

Town Hall Meeting
Refugee Resettlement in Colorado

You’re invited to a town hall meeting with Eskinder Negash, Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement; Earl Johnson, Director, Office of Family Assistance: and Thomas F. Sullivan, Regional Administrator, Region VIII (Denver), Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

This is an important forum to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing refugee resettlement in Colorado.

Monday, November 14, 2011
1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Temple Events Center
1595 Pearl Street
Denver, CO 80203-2021
(720) 663-8130

(The Temple Events Center is at the corner of Pearl and 16th street, a block down from Colfax. The only street side parking is limited to two hours. Plenty of parking is available in lots next to the Temple Events Center and down Pearl street between 16th and 17th street. Most are $3 for the day and require cash deposited in the self-serve collection box.)

If you have any questions or need directions, please call the Colorado Refugee Services Program office at 303-863-8211.

Another dispatch from the field

This month, in-home tutor Andy Prinsen reflects on his experience with the Burmese family he helps with English and literacy.

Though she is only 59, she looks much older, and it's as if this is the first time she has held a pen. If I place my own hand over hers and help her make the motions of the letters, she can write in the big block, all-caps print of starting language learners. But if I sit and watch, it takes the old woman several minutes to sit and contemplate a plan for forming the letters. She mumbles to herself and makes motions with her finger in the air - always starting from the bottom and pushing up rather than from the top down like I've tried to show her dozens of times.

But when she finishes, when she gets through scratching out all five letters of her first and last name combined, something magical happens. I give her a thumbs up and say "Good job!" words she doesn't actually understand the meaning of, and there is a sparkle in her eye - a sense of academic accomplishment that I have to remind myself every week she never got as a little girl. For her, these are the same steps I took as a kindergartner. But she doesn't seem upset that it took her much longer. Like her fellow countrywomen, she is steadfast - even stoic.

The woman's name is Ma Naw* and I get to meet with her and her husband every week to learn English. They are refugees from Burma that have been living here in Denver since February. When I show up at their door, a less than ideal apartment complex in one of Denver's less desirable neighborhoods, the old man is always wearing a sweatshirt and a jacket, with both hoods on. Even at 65°, Denver feels much colder than the jungle where he and his wife were rice farmers for decades. When I look at this man and realize he has been alive since 1932, there are so many things I want to ask him. He has seen Burma go from a British colony to an independent nation. He has then seen that nation overthrown and ripped apart by a violent military junta who then made it their policy to target people from his and other ethnic groups.

But we can't talk about any of this yet because we're still working on "money" ("pay-jong" in Karen), "spoon" ("nu-tow"), and "head" ("ko-quee"). And I know that neither his English nor my Karen will probably ever be good enough for us to have those conversations that I would love to have. But for now, that's ok. For now I can settle for sharing laughs over their inability to produce an "f" sound without any top front teeth, and my inability to pronounce most any of the sounds in their language. For now, I will do my part how I can and hope that one day they will be able to return to the land they love.

If you live in the Denver area and are interested in becoming an English tutor for a refugee family, visit the program's website or Emily Griffith Technical College's website to learn how.

Andy Prinsen is a staff member with Global Refuge, a nonprofit organization that provides relief in conflict, human persecution, and natural and man-made disasters, with an emphasis on a lasting and hopeful recovery. They work inside Burma, where his English students are from. http://www.globalrefuge.org/

*Name changed for privacy

Celebrate Bada Dashain 2011

Volunteers: Is your student from Bhutan? If so, Denver's Bhutanese community would like to help you learn a bit about Hindu culture by sharing some core cultural values and traditions.

On the auspicious occasion of biggest Hindu festival, “Bada Dashain,” the Bhutanese Community organization of Colorado, in coordination with the Special Durga Puja Committee, is organizing a day long Durga Puja celebration to commemorate the divine victory of Goddess Durga over the devil king Maishasur.

Therefore we cordially invite you to grace the grand celebration. The celebration begins with a recitation of the holy book by religious leaders followed by singing of religious songs in praise of Goddess Durga and finally ends with a blessing. A variety of traditional food (Prasad) will be served throughout the program.

Lowry Park
1000 Dayton Street
Shelter-2

Wednesday, October 5
Time: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Also, don’t worry about this being an all day event. You can drop by at any time to learn and celebrate. You can also target the noon hour as the best time to share in the celebration.

Tina Griego, Denver Post

Griego: A refugee in Colorado finally reunited with his family after years of waiting
By Tina Griego
Denver Post Columnist
Posted: 09/25/2011 01:00:00 AM MDT
Updated: 09/25/2011 10:42:41 AM MDT


On Thursday at midnight, the main terminal at Denver International Airport is nearly empty. The ticket counters have long closed. A worker polishes the floors. A chipper Burger King employee makes coffee and takes orders and jokes with two TSA agents. "Just another night in paradise."

Degnath Adhikari waits for his family to arrive. It is not a stretch to say he's been waiting for two years. He left the refugee camp in Nepal and arrived in Denver on Sept. 17, 2009. He left behind his parents, two sisters and two brothers. He believed they would join him within six months. Six months came and went.

Read more: Griego: A refugee in Colorado finally reunited with his family after years of waiting - The Denver Post

Eat well so others can simply eat

Unless you never tune into news via any media, you are certainly aware of the famine and human tragedy unfolding in the Horn of Africa. Starving and displaced Somalis have been pouring into Kenya at over a thousand per day looking for some relief.

Because of the magnitude of the number of people trying to get help, international aid agencies are strapped for resources. There are many ways to donate to the cause, including a local fundraiser here in Denver.

Please join ACC for a dinner benefiting the famine relief efforts of Save the Children.

Thursday, September 22, 6-10pm

Le Central, 112 E 8th Ave

Paella Buffet and Sangria

Tickets: $50 couple/$35 individual

Available for purchase at ACC, Safari Thrift and at the door.

http://acc-den.org/platesforhope.html

Coffee with a purpose

Something new and quite exciting is coming to Emily Griffith Technical College this fall: Emily's Coffee. This full-featured coffee shop will be a real-life learning lab for refugee students. The shop will offer a full selection of coffee drinks, including espresso, latte, and cappuccino.

The coffee shop will provide refugee students the opportunity to learn the realities of fast-paced customer service and workplace expectations, as well as the day-to-day processes that make a small business run.

Now hiring
The shop is slated to open later in the fall, but hiring for paid staff has started. There is currently an opening for a barista/coffee shop manager. In addition to having exceptional barista skills and the ability to pull an excellent espresso, candidates should have some understanding of refugee populations, a willingness to work in a multicultural environment, patience, and a talent for training. Click here to see the complete job description and candidate qualifications.

We'll keep you posted on the grand opening details of Emily's Coffee as the date approaches.

Age is just a number

Refugees come in all shapes and sizes--and many ages. The CRESL program serves adults both at Emily Griffith Technical College (EGTC) and through the in-home tutoring program.

While most of the adults who attend classes at EGTC are of working age, many retired seniors aren't up for the rigors of daily classes and the commute to and from downtown. This doesn't mean our older refugee clients don't have a desire to learn English or to adapt to American culture. In fact, they're some of the most eager students we have in the program.

If you have taken a break from tutoring or you would like to start, please consider working with one of the many seniors waiting for an in-home tutor. The experience is often even more rewarding than working with a younger person.

This month, UNHCR published two stories about elderly refugees. Both are inspiring!

At 99, grandma from Bhutan chooses new life over old

DAMAK, Nepal, August 22 (UNHCR) – Unlike many elderly refugees in eastern Nepal's camps who pass their time reading scriptures and chatting with each other, 99-year-old Bishnu Maya Bharati grabs her refugee identity card and visits the UN refugee agency's office every now and then, asking about her resettlement case.

The old woman, along with eight family members, has been waiting to get resettled in the United States, the largest destination of refugees from Bhutan opting for third country resettlement. Five members of her elder son's family have already started new lives in the United States.

"I want to go for resettlement rather than go back to Bhutan as the future of my children and grandchildren will be better in the US," said Bharati. Click here to read the full article.

Zambia's oldest refugee celebrates 100th birthday
MAYUKWAYUKWA, Zambia, Aug 2 (UNHCR) – As fellow Angolan refugees sang, danced and ululated, Erculano Salugardo celebrated his 100th birthday with gifts, toasts and goodwill messages in one of Africa's oldest refugee settlements.

The centenarian, believed to be the oldest refugee in Zambia, was in an exuberant mood during his landmark birthday party last Friday in the Mayukwayukwa refugee settlement. He even joined in the singing after advising well wishers that the best way to reach old age was to take care of your health.

The celebration was organized by UNHCR, Zambian government officials and other refugees in the settlement. A beaming Salugardo was presented with a cake and several gifts, including a new hut, mattress, blankets, food and clothing.

The only thing missing was his family. Click here to read the full article.

Job openings here and there

Mercy Housing’s Resident Services Team is looking for an After School and Summer Program Manager at Grace Apartments (in Denver). Experience with Refugee Youth highly desired. Full time, benefited position.

Must be dependable, community minded and a self starter. Interest in soccer and other outdoor physical activities a plus.

Please send resume directly to kbonamasso@mercyhousing.org or apply online at http://www.mercyhousing.org/ by Friday July 1st.

To find job openings at Emily Griffith, simply go to http://www.egos-school.com/ and click on “About Us” near the top of the page. On the right hand side, click on “Job Opportunities.”

A link to each specific job opening will appear. Currently, there four open positions.

Currently on YouTube

The UNHCR channel on YouTube is currently featuring first-person accounts of refugees' experiences. Refugees share their compelling stories and talk about what it's like to start life over.



The introduction video is shown here. For the first-person stories, visit the channel by clicking here.

Refugees in Focus: A Film Festival

Please join us on June 14, 15, and 16 for

Refugees in Focus
A film festival commemorating World Refugee Day

Three days, seven films, ten million stories

All films will be shown at Emily Griffith Technical College in downtown Denver. The roster includes the new documentary, Welcome to Shelbyville, as well as six other films that explore refugee issues both in the U.S. and abroad.

Watch. Think. Discuss.
For event details and full listing of the films scheduled, please click here to visit our website.