S2 EP6: How to Help Afghan Refugees
This episode of We Belong Here is guest-hosted by Caitlin Moran, content and communications manager for Civic Commons.
Our topic is the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan, and the community leaders who are stepping up to help welcome refugees and advocate for those who have been left behind.
A very special thank you to our guests:
Aneelah Afzali: Aneelah is an Afghan-American attorney who left her legal career to pursue service. As the Executive Director of the American Muslim Empowerment Network at the Muslim Association of Puget Sound (MAPS-AMEN), she is a well-known community activist, interfaith leader, and justice advocate, who is currently helping coordinate efforts to respond to the incoming Afghan refugees.
Will Berkovitz: Rabbi Will Berkovitz is the CEO of Jewish Family Service, a Seattle-based social services agency founded in 1892 that helps vulnerable individuals and families in the Puget Sound Region achieve well-being, health and stability. JFS has a responsibility to meet the particular needs of our Jewish communities as well as serving people of diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Thanh Tan: Thanh Tan is an independent journalist and filmmaker and a co-founder of Viets 4 Afghans. She created and hosted "Second Wave," a KUOW and PRX-supported podcast that explores Vietnamese American experiences after the Vietnam War.
Our conversation touched on everything from how to be an effective ally to Afghan refugees, to helping new arrivals find belonging and community, to advocating for the people who remain in Afghanistan.
Here are links to some of the organizations and resources mentioned by our guests:
MAPS Muslim Community Resource Center
Joint campaign for Emergency Funds to support Afghan refugees
tinyurl.com/WAHelpAfghans: A central intake form for Washingtonians to sign up for volunteer efforts, housing and donating goods. Organizers follow up every couple weeks via email with ways to help, and also reach out to people directly based on their interests.
tinyurl.com/AfgAdvocacy: A Google doc with petitions to sign, virtual events to attend, and other ways to take action
Gift card donations (Costco, WinCo, Safeway, Fred Meyer, Amazon, Target) may be sent in any denomination to Kits For Peace: 15600 NE 8th Street, Suite B1 PMB 453, Bellevue, WA 98008.
Thank you again to the Big Phony, a Korean-American singer/songwriter living in Seoul, South Korea for allowing us to his music in our intro and outro, all royalty-free!