These days, refugees seem to be everywhere. On the news and social media, their stories unfold daily on our screens and digital devices. Moved by compassion, we long to respond.
Yet while a few of the bolder among us pack up and head to Greece to do what they ecan, most of us can only wonder how to help people in situations that seem hopelessly complex and beyond our influence.
But not all refugees are half a world away. Many are here among us. Since the 1980s, more than 7,000 people have come to live in New Hampshire, from Iraq, Burundi, Somalia, Sudan, DRC, Bhutan, Burma, and several other countries as well. Hundreds more will come this year.
Who are they? What were the processes that led them to New Hampshire? What is their story as they became our new neighbors?
Two events coming up at the Mariposa Museum and World Culture Center during the next week can help bring the refugee issue closer to home.
On Saturday at 3 p.m., a panel of New Hampshire leaders from government, settlement agencies and refugee communities, who probably know the most about refugee resettlement in New Hampshire right now, will lead a discussion at the Mariposa.
Our goal is to explore how it works – how numbers are determined, how decisions are made about who gets to come and from where, how destination communities are chosen and their responsibilities, and what people face in starting a new life in New Hampshire.
The panel will provide facts and answer questions, dispel misconceptions, and we hope also let those with an interest in getting involved know how they can best do that. Admission is free.
Next Tuesday at 7 p.m., Arn Chorn Pond, a human rights activist and musician, will make a rare New Hampshire appearance at the Mariposa. Born in Cambodia, Arn spent his late childhood in New Hampshire after surviving and escaping the genocide and labor camps of the Khmer Rouge in the early 1980s. His harrowing experiences are described in Patricia McCormick’s novel, “Never Fall Down.”
As a musician, Arn has performed at Carnegie Hall, and he will share his music as well as a talk about his experiences and the work he is now doing with the nonprofit organization Cambodia Living Arts to revive music traditions — nearly lost during the genocide — in rural Cambodian villages. Admission is $15, $10 for members.
Knowledge and compassion are important tools to help us transition to new and better ways of living in community. Join us in these opportunities to move forward together as a welcoming community.
All of us have roots as immigrants. It is our turn to help our newest neighbors plant their roots in New Hampshire.
Karla Hostetler is executive director of the Mariposa Museum and World Culture Center in Peterborough.