MO-ORA Updates: October 2022
By Marisa Tesoro
How we’re supporting refugees and fostering more inclusive communities across Missouri
As the state-level organization administering the refugee program for Missouri, our work can seem a bit nebulous. So we’re going to try to be more transparent about some of the actual, physical things we do to help bring about our vision of a Missouri that values and champions refugees.
Below you’ll find more information about some upcoming efforts.
Refugee School Programs
Shawn Cockrum, our Refugee School Programs Manager, is busy educating educators. He’ll be presenting at a webinar for the Missouri State Teachers Association on October 25 at 4 p.m. He plans to briefly discuss the journey of refugees and announce the opportunity for more in-depth training at their schools.
Shawn will also be presenting at the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Federal Programs Conference on November 14-15. If you’re planning to attend this conference, tune in to session 7C, Meeting the Needs of Afghan and Ukrainian Refugees. In this session, Shawn will address the unique issues affecting these refugee students, help attendees understand their academic needs, share how culture impacts learning, and dive into the journey of a refugee child.
Also coming up, the Powerful Learning Conference January 30-31, 2023. Shawn will be among 50+ presenters, and he’ll get to share about the refugee student experience to some of the 1,200+ conference attendees.
LGBT Initiative
Misha Smith, our Resettlement Activities Coordinator, is working on an LGBTQI+ initiative for MO-ORA.
To launch the initiative, they are first presenting at the upcoming Equity Summit with the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development on October 25-26. The theme this year is “Reframing the Narrative,” and Misha will specifically be presenting on creating safety and inclusion for LGBTQI+ refugees on October 25 at 10:45 a.m. The event is online and free to attend. Registration will be available here soon.
During their presentation, Misha will announce our plan to host a Lunch and Lunch meeting at the start of 2023 where we will discuss the LGBTQI+ refugee experience. Through this presentation and Lunch and Learn event, we will begin to build a network of community partners and peer support resources so new refugee arrivals will know where they can go to feel safe. This will also allow services providers and resettlement agencies to feel prepared to best support LGBTQI+ refugees in Missouri.
Training on Proselytizing
In light of record numbers of Afghan refugee arrivals at the end of 2021 and into 2022, resettlement agencies across the state relied on coalitions of partners to meet the needs of refugee newcomers. Some of these partners included religious organizations and congregations who have been invaluable forming community sponsorship groups, providing cultural orientation, and introducing clients to neighbors and opportunities in their new communities.
However, while some religious groups are eager to offer their time and resources to support refugees, it’s important that they’re not also proselytizing in the process. Similar to preaching or evangelizing, proselytizing is attempting to convert someone from one religion to another.
To make sure clients are being best supported and welcomed as they are, we’re working with Switchboard to develop training on proselytizing, how to recognize it, and how to prevent it among volunteers and staff.