Things look a little different this year (mostly virtual!) but please join Soft Landing Missoula and partners for Missoula’s fourth annual Welcoming Week. In tandem with thousands of other organizations and communities nationwide, Soft Landing hopes to inspire and celebrate welcoming all people to the Missoula community. Together with Imagine Nation Brewing Co, the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center, the International Rescue Committee in Missoula and more, we invite you to this weeklong cultural celebration!
Friday, Sept. 11, 2pm and through the week until sold out @ Imagine Nation Brewing Co
As is now tradition for Welcoming Week, we kick things off with a custom beer from the country’s first combo microbrewery + transformation center—Imagine Nation Brewing Company. A crowd favorite each year, pick some up for home to enjoy during our virtual events this year, or enjoy at INBC with limited patio seating. While you pick up your brew, remember that Kamoon Arabian Cuisine food truck in the INBC lot is serving the best Middle Eastern food around! Cheers to Welcoming!
VIRTUAL WELCOMING WEEK KICK-OFF PARTY HOSTED BY WELCOMING AMERICA
Saturday, Sept. 12, 1pm ONLINE @ Welcoming America
This free live stream event hosted by the creators of Welcoming Week—Welcoming America-—will feature music, dance, inspiring personal stories and more to kick off this national week of celebration. You can find out more info about this event and register for free online here.
This year, we are celebrating with our international soccer community by hosting an outside, socially-distanced, tournament-style shootout event. Open to registrants and their families only—but look for some great photos on FB and IG following the event!
Wednesday, Sept. 16, 7am-11pm from the comfort of your own home
Currently, refugee arrivals in the U.S. are at their lowest levels in the history of the U.S. resettlement program. Our country’s retreat from refugee resettlement leaves families and children in harm’s way. Join the International Rescue Committee and Missoula Rises in solidarity as we meet virtually via Facebook to write and call our legislators asking for their support on this day!
Thursday, Sept. 17, 6:30pm (82-min movie with discussion to follow) from the comfort of your own home
Join the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center and Imagine Nation Brewing Co for an online screening of the incredible movie “Day One” that follows a group of refugee teenagers through a brand new but unique American transitional high school experience in a rust-belt city intentionally welcoming immigrants in challenging times. The film will be followed by a virtual panel discussion. More information and a link to view the film is located here (Facebook event).
Saturday, Sept. 19, 1:30-3pm from the comfort of your own kitchen
Did you love the meals cooked by the awesome United We Eat refugee and immigrant chefs last summer? Did you wonder what their secret is to making the food taste SO GOOD? Well, here’s your chance to find out! Our very own Chef Farida, who is from Afghanistan, has agreed to teach you some of her cooking secrets, passed on to her from her grandmother. This $10 class (select the $15 option and leave a nice tip for the chef!) will take place live on Zoom and participants will be able to interact and ask cooking questions as we go along. Check out the United We Eat website for more information and to sign up and consider sharing our Facebook Event far and wide!
Huge thanks to this years Welcoming Week Partners and Sponsors! You guys are SHOWING UP big time to celebrate welcoming – even in such a challenging year. We thank you!
We are so excited to welcome Beth and Katie to the Soft Landing Missoula team! They will be leading our very popular food based programming- United We Eat– allowing us to not only offer you delicious food, but also the opportunity to help support refugee and immigrant chefs in our community by creating essential supplemental income. Adding Beth and Katie to our team means that there is so much delicious stuff coming your way! While United We Eat is a program of Soft Landing Missoula, it does have it’s own website and email list. We highly encourage anyone interested in great food from around the world to visit unitedweeatmt.org and sign up for the email list so you don’t miss out! There you can also find more information about our amazing chefs and our upcoming cookie sales, United We Eat @home, and more!
Beth Baker joins us as the United We Eat Program Manager:
Beth grew up in Germany and Syria, and moved every few years as a child. She studied English as an undergraduate at North Park University in Chicago, and then got a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies at the University of Montana. In between, she learned Arabic, lived in a small Palestinian village for two and a half years, and spent years migrating between Alaska in the summer and Missoula in the winter. All of the moving she’s done has given Beth a lot of empathy for people moving to new places, especially for people fleeing violence and persecution.
Beth is thrilled to be back in Missoula after a seven year sojourn to the Pacific Northwest, where she worked in agriculture and hunger relief, managing programs that increased fresh food available to food bank participants. She is so excited to join the Soft Landing Missoula team, and work with Missoula’s refugee community on the United We Eat program, combining her delight in delicious food with the joys of building community and putting down roots.
Katie Kirwan joins us as the United We Eat Kitchen Manager
A lifer in the restaurant business Katie has always had a passion for creating community through food. Growing up in Boston, moving to Colorado and now living in Missoula she has learned to adapt to new places and make new friendships. She aims to share her experiences with our members and help them create a solid foundation here in Missoula. After graduating from Johnson & Wales culinary program she has worked in all aspects of the restaurant world from cooking to dishwashing and managing the front of the house. She credits the hospitality industry for the ability to move and connect so fluently within the culinary culture. She loves people and sharing her story through food and is excited to get cooking!
UPDATE: Team registration is full. Contact molly@softlandingmissoula.org to register as an individual.
Welcoming Week is a national series of events where communities bring together immigrants, refugees, and long-time residents to build strong connections and affirm the importance of welcoming and inclusive places in achieving collective prosperity.
Welcoming 2020 takes place September 12-20. In order to celebrate Welcoming Week this year, Soft Landing Missoula is hosting a Soccer Shootout Tournament on September 13th at 4pm-8pm at Playfair Park.
Teams of 5 or individuals can register through Soft Landing Missoula here https://forms.gle/SBjXSfQjPeh3b8h9A. Teams are guaranteed at least three shootouts in a tournament-style play leading ultimately to one grand winner. Team t-shirts are included with registration. The cost of registration is $100 per team or $20 per individual and all proceeds directly benefit Soft Landing Missoula’s work to create a welcoming and supportive community where refugees and immigrants can integrate and thrive.
On Monday, I met my dear friend Farida at the Soft Landing office. We awkwardly drank tea, shared sweet treats, and giggled 6 feet apart from behind masks. When she called me the night before, I was hesitant to meet with her, knowing the renewed COVID risks, but she really wanted to come in and see us; she was lonely and Monday was her birthday. COVID isolation has taken a toll on everyone, but for Farida–a social, single woman who lives alone and spends her days working three jobs–it has been excruciating. Seven years ago, Farida was forced to leave her family, her children, and everything she knew behind in Afghanistan as she fled for her life. Once she was in the U.S. she was able to apply for asylum through a credible fear interview (the same interview ALL people seeking asylum and refuge start with) and qualified to be considered for asylum based on the same five categories that any refugee is evaluated on: fear of death or persecution due to Race, Religion, Nationality, Political Opinion, or Participation in a Particular Social Group. Last year, with much rejoicing, over 6 years from when she applied, she was finally granted asylum here in Missoula. That was just the first step towards her dream of reuniting with her children. With her blessing, I am telling you this story today because the process that gave Farida a safe home and another chance at life–Asylum–faces increasing threats on a nearly daily basis. At the bottom of this statement, after an explanation of the whats and whys, we will tell you how you can help by submitting a comment by July 15th at 11am MT. Pressed for time and up to date on the situation? Submit one here now 😉 and every day till the deadline.
Enjoying birthday tea with Farida 😉
Asylum. What is Asylum and why is it important? In the most simple terms, asylum offers a path to safety for individuals and families seeking refuge from fear of persecution or death. There is very little difference, other than the location of claim, that differentiates someone seeking asylum from that of a refugee. In fact, once an asylum claim is approved, that person gains “refugee status”. As an organization with a mission to assist refugees, including asylees, we are horrified that new U.S. policies at the border are denying life-saving assistance to vulnerable men, women, and children–assistance that we as a nation have committed to for generations, time and time again. Additionally, the administration has recently proposed new changes that affect not only those at the border in need, but also the tens of thousands of other people seeking asylum in other locations in the U.S., just as Farida did.
Today, as refugee resettlement is threatened by the declining arrival ceiling, asylum is also under attack. The slow erosion of these programs has been underway for a long time, as we have seen amendments and regulations rolled out by this administration gutting our ability both as individuals and as a nation to help people in need. In dire need. The most visible place we see this occurring for asylees is at our southern border with the new MPP (Migrant Protection Protocols) or “Remain in Mexico” policies that are putting tens of thousands of people and families at further risk of kidnapping, sexual assault, horrific conditions, and yes, COVID. If you can read more at this time, this article is a good place to start, these short stories will drive home the life-threatening situation, and this piece will help you understand the further threat of COVID at the border due to MPP. If you have reached your capacity with print journalism, I would highly suggest this Pulitzer-winning episode by the podcast This American Life. On top of MPP at the US-Mexico border, we have also seen refugee resettlement close to halted, citing COVID risk expressed through open-ended and vague language that sets a dangerous precedent for an undefined amount of time.
But it goes on. Even with the MPP in place and asylum at the border essentially halted, the attack has not ended. Today we enter the last 7 days of a 30 day comment period related to the new proposed rules to further gut asylum in the U.S. These new rules will eliminate not only protection for women like Farida who have fled due to severe domestic violence that goes unchecked by the law in her home country, but for hundreds of thousands of people currently seeking asylum whose claims would be impossible to approve under the new regulations–both at the U.S.-Mexico border and elsewhere in the U.S. The Boston Globe Editorial Board writes, “These proposed regulations, detailed in a 161-page document and subject to a 30-day public comment period, amount to a clear abdication of America’s humanitarian tradition of welcoming the most vulnerable populations, like women and children fleeing severe domestic violence and LGBTQ asylum-seekers facing deadly persecution. The rules dramatically aim to redefine the meaning of asylum, creating new standards that amount to insurmountable barriers.”
The new rules would amount to us never having been given the chance to meet Farida. I can’t imagine our community without her, just as I can’t imagine a world in which we, in good conscience, could have turned her away.
As Natalie Nanasi, immigration attorney and Professor of Law, says in this op-ed, “ From the outset, U.S. asylum law was intended to be an expansive and rights-protective doctrine. But the Trump administration has used every tool at its disposal (including some that have proven to be beyond its lawful reach) to curtail access and restrict those rights.” I LOVE that we live in a country that would create an “expansive and rights-protective document” aimed toward a simple truth that all humans are deserving of a safe existence (with painful acknowledgement of the complexities and downfalls of our nation to do this for our own BIPOC citizens). I do think that however flawed a nation we live in, providing refuge and asylum for the world’s most vulnerable has for a long time been a cornerstone of our global and humanitarian leadership. It is what defines the United States in many ways. The proposed changes layer destruction on top of insult on top of eradication of this identity, put hundreds of thousands of lives at risk, and erode the core values and founding principles of this country (Again, however flawed the realization of these goals and values- let’s keep working on that!).
There are vast amounts of information and resources out there regarding these proposed rule changes (I have included many links here!), yet there are so many very important things going on in the current news cycle (BLM, COVID resurgence) that this has been all but drowned out. We at Soft Landing didn’t even truly realize the extent of this until just a few days ago. To reiterate, this will decimate our asylum system. It will be the nail in the coffin. Please take 5 minutes every day until July 15th to do one of the only things we can do right now- use our voices to speak out in support of the basic human right to a safe life without fear of persecution. At the very least, we can flood the system with comments that would delay the decision to put into action these unconscionable new restrictions forcing people into further danger.
HOW TO ACT–
*Some of the action items below come from Hearts and Homes for refugees, CWS, and HIAS. Thank you to these great organizations for providing this guidance.*
Between now and 1 p.m. on July 15 the public can comment on these proposed changes, which include:
Completely barring granting of asylum on the basis of gender
Changing the very definition of “persecution”
Redefining some of the core grounds for asylum claims, including membership in a “particular social group,” which could have a dire impact on women and LGBTQ individuals fleeing violence and persecution.
Denying asylum to people who transited through other countries on their way to the United States
Denying asylum seekers basic due process and their day in court by allowing immigration judges to decide cases based solely on written applications
Instead of the typical 60-day comment period, the administration is only allowing 30 days, seeking to execute this inhumane plan as quickly as possible.
THREE ACTIONS TO TAKE TODAY AND EVERY DAY UNTIL JULY 15
1. Submit a public comment:
Learn more here: Click to comment and submit your comment to the administration today! The click-to-comment campaign will close at 11 a.m MT (1 p.m. ET) Wednesday, July 15. It is ESSENTIAL to use your own language. “Copy-paste” comments are identified by software and deleted from consideration. If you want to use some of the above language to make your point- that is fine, but just remember to add your own opinions about why you support a strong U.S. asylum system and why you oppose the proposed changes. For example, why does abolishing the U.S. asylum system violate your Faith values? Does your family have a refugee story? Are you friends with someone who is an asylum seeker or was granted asylum? Do you work/volunteer with refugees? Have you seen firsthand how refugees contribute to your community?)
2. Take the #Comments4Asylum pledge:
After submitting your comment, take the #Comments4Asylum pledge and get three other people to join you. You can reach out one-on-one or tag people on social media! We will also be posting this information on Facebook and Instagram over the coming week for you to share easily with your friends- or share this whole email if you like.
Sample social media post: I have submitted a comment against the administration’s plan to end asylum. I am pledging to get three others to speak out for those seeking safety too! Click to comment [Insert handle][Insert handle][Insert handle] Join me: #Comments4Asylum
3. Write a personalized letter:
Send a handwritten letter to the administration about why the U.S. must protect asylum seekers. Use your own experiences, stories, perspectives, values and research. Handwritten letters and other unique comments are key to helping slow down this cruel plan. Note: you can comment online AND send a letter, there is no limit.
Instructions:
To count, the letter must reference: “DHS/EOIR; RIN 1125-AA94; EOIR Docket No. 18-0002.” For example, a good start would be: “I am writing to share my strong opposition to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) Joint Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Procedures for Asylum and Withholding of Removal; Credible Fear and Reasonable Fear Review; RIN 1615-AC42 / 1125-AA94 / EOIR Docket No. 18-0002/ A.G. Order No. 4714-2020.”
The letter must be postmarked by July 15, 2020.
Address:
Lauren Alder Reid, Assistant Director
Office of Policy
Executive Office for Immigration Review
5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 1800,
Falls Church, VA 22041
*Additional action! Take a picture of your letter and share it on social media using the #Comments4Asylum hashtag!
So, thank you so much for bearing with us on this incredibly long but important statement and call to action. We are always so grateful, not just for your support, but for your ACTION. You guys know how to get stuff done, so please join us in getting as many comments submitted as possible to delay and STOP these horrific changes to asylum rules.
World Refugee Day is celebrated each year on June 20th to honor the strength, determination, and contributions that refugees bring to our communities. Hundreds of Missoulians (and beyond) have celebrated this day with us in past years, and we hope you can join us again this year. Although COVID concerns have shifted our plans and we have postponed our Annual World Refugee Day Cup soccer tournament, we’re thrilled to partner with Big Sky Documentary Film Festival and Run Wild Missoula to celebrate with a virtual screening of “RUNNER”, the breathtaking closing film of the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival this past February. This is a nationwide virtual screening event that we are so excited to take part in. You can learn more about the film and watch the trailer here, and when you do, we know you won’t want to miss this incredible film.
This award winning documentary is about Guor Maker’s journey from Sudanese refugee to Olympian, chronicling Maker’s difficult and triumphant journey from refugee to world-renowned athlete, told in intimate interviews with gorgeously animated flashbacks of Guor’s upbringing, and culminating in a heart-wrenching reunion with his parents after a 20-year separation. His story is a distinctly inspirational one in which the indomitable human spirit emerges against all odds.
The film will be available to screen online for one week starting on Friday, June 19th by purchasing tickets through the BSDFF website. You can also follow the event on Facebook.
20% of all ticket sales will be donated to Soft Landing, and your purchase of a $12 ticket provides:
• A one-time link to watch the film at home with your family or “QuarenTEAM”, starting on June 19th
• A link to join the live virtual Q&A June 20th at 7pmMT with Guor Maker and director Bill Gallagher
• A donation to Big Sky benefitting Soft Landing Missoula.
• A link to join a panel discussion with Soft Landing Missoula & Run Wild Missoula on Friday, June 26th at 7:30
We are really excited about the June 26th panel that includes conversation with and perspective from Missoula resident and prior refugee Nolasque Balitebya. This is going to be an engaging and insightful followup to an incredible film and we so hope you will join us.
We did it! Our first Impact Report (read: Annual Report) EVER! What a landmark for our little organization and we are so excited to share it with you! There is a sneak peak at a few pages in this email, but check out the whole thing in the link below 😉
I hope you know that my mantra before each newsletter I send out is “Keep it short Mary, keep it short”, and you certainly know that I do not follow this advice at all…. That said, this time I AM going to keep it short because I want you to have time to check out this beautiful report of the incredible work we were able to do in the last year because of YOU and this WONDERFUL COMMUNITY we live in. Please check it out by clicking here:
If you would like a hard copy (we don’t blame you, we like to look at all of the beautiful photos over and over again), feel free to swing by the office to grab one, or we would be happy to mail one to you- just email me at mary@softlandingmissoula.org.
We want to send out huge love and thanks to Jenn Prinzing with Social Club for her 4th year volunteering with us to make so many of out things look pretty, including this Impact Report. We love you Jenn!
Lastly, I just wanted to say how proud I am of my team- Molly, Greta, and Maria. Ladies! Look at all the great stuff we were able to do in 2019! These women are amazing and certainly the force that makes all of this happen! I love you guys.
OK! That’s it from me 😉
In love and gratitude,
Mary Poole ED Soft Landing Missoula
Celebrating Graduates!
Many of you are also following us on social media and have seen our celebration of these 3 amazing young adults as they achieve the milestone of high school graduation in the midst of a global pandemic. We have put together some of the beautiful photos with mini-interviews in order to record the thoughts of the moment and share refugee youth voices. Check it out! If you missed it, also check out this great article in the Missoulian about these students. We are so honored to know these students and just want to shout it to the mountain tops how wonderful they are!
Partner Spotlight
We wanted to give a quick boost to our great friends and fellow Hello Neighbor Network partners- Refugee Assistance Alliance. Kristen and the amazing folks with this organization work in Florida to make sure refugees there get access to English Language learning and so much more! Currently, they are finalists in a contest to win a full re-branding package valued at $50,000 and guess what- WE CAN HELP! It is so easy! Just click here to vote- it takes less than a minute! June 11th is the very last day of this contest, so please vote ASAP! Thank you!
These kids are incredible. They are the future and because of that, we couldn’t be more excited for our world.
Here is a little sneak peak at the wonderful portrait sessions donated by Tiffany Photography and David Clumpner Photography ( and a couple from the wonderful Helen Rolston-Clemmer!) to commemorate this occasion. The captions below are part of a mini-interview we had with each student to record the thoughts of the moment and share the voices of refugee youth in our community.
Rachelle Bushiri
Photo by David Clumpner Photography
Rachelle enjoyed her senior year of high school in the US. She felt so supported by her teachers- especially Aria Peters and Ms. Little. While she thought that navigating the English language was challenging at times, she loved that she could study and excel during French class. She enjoyed meeting new people and friends, especially her friend Malia who has been kind and helpful as she learned the ropes in her new school.
Photo by David Clumpner Photography
The youngest of her 4 other siblings who are all high school graduates, she has found motivation in looking at her family and all they have accomplished. Her mom is her hero and she admires her strength and love for her family. Immediately following graduation, she would like to work to save money, but dreams of going to college to become a nurse.
Photo by David Clumpner Photograpy
“Keep up with your home work. Work hard. High school is fun, but it is not easy. Don’t sleep too late!” All good advice 😉
Hagos Gebremedhin
Photo by Tiffany Photography
Hagos is a quiet, thoughtful, and kind young man. When asked about his favorite memories, he talks about the guidance of his gym teacher, Mr. Slemberger, the kindness of the woman serving him lunch that said hello to him by name every day, studying with volunteers at Soft Landing, and, of course, his friendship with the boisterous and fun loving fellow graduate, Janvier.
Photo by Tiffany Photography
From a big family, Hagos is always looking out for others. He experienced many differences between school in his native country of Eritrea and the US. The language was the obvious one, and he found this the hardest part. But he also saw stark differences in the severity of treatment of students in Eritrea and the freedoms that are enjoyed in America. With a love of music, religion, and family, he has dreams of one day returning to Ethiopia to help his fellow Eritreans.
Photo by Tiffany Photography
“He is like my brother.” From the moment that Janvier and Hagos met, they have been the best of buds. Quiet curiosity meets outgoing and playful. Finding camaraderie not only in shared struggles with language and navigating a new town, new school, and new culture, these two also share a love of music and soccer. Their’s will be a friendship to last a lifetime.
Janvier Munyazikwiye
Photo by David Clumpner Photography
With his infectious smile and trickster ways, you might not first know that Janvier is one of the most hard working and generous young men out there. Case in point, if you ask him where he will be in 10 years, he replies, “Retired!”, but spend any time around him and you soon find this out- he is a good one. Janvier picked up English quickly but he most enjoyed math in school. He played on the Hellgate soccer team and remembers this as the most fun he had in high school.
Photo by David Clumpner Photography
Not only navigating finishing up school virtually due to COVID-19, he also worked two jobs to help support his mom and sister, and of course, pay for his car which he counts as the biggest difference between student in Africa and students in America. Well, that and the super nice teachers here- especially Aria Peters, his English teacher 😉
Photo by David Clumpner Photography
A little sibling rivalry is never bad when it comes to graduating high school (Sifa, his sister will graduate next year!). Janvier gets serious when asked about his advice for younger students, “Work hard and don’t give up. Save your money and don’t waste it. Be nice.” And even more serious when asked about what adults should do to support students, “ Keep helping others. Keep going.”
Doing this together… a couple more photos of love, family, and friendship.
Photo by David Clumpner Photography
Photo by Tiffany Photography
Photo by Helen Rolston-Clemmer
Photo by Helen Rolston-Clemmer
Congrats to all of the graduates and their families. There was also a wonderful article in the Missoulian highlighting these awesome students!
Yup. This absolutely needs to be said. And said. And said…And said. It needs to be said by all of us, including Soft Landing Missoula. Black Lives Matter. Full Stop.
It also needs to be acted on. We are a white-led organization working primarily with black people and people of color. While it is most certainly always our priority to be client led with open hearts and eyes, we have more work to do in our organization so that we can continue to strive to be a part of the solution to addressing what is wrong in our world. We have more things to learn. We need to listen more. We need to be more intentional, and more thoughtful, and we need to be a part of conversations and actions to dismantle racism in America and work towards being an Anti-racist society, not just “less racist”.
Anti-racism is the active process of identifying and eliminating racism by changing systems, organizational structures, policies, practices, and attitudes, so that power is redistributed and shared equitably. (NAC International Perspectives: Women and Global Solidarity)
I am not saying this to you from a soap box or a place of comfort. I just learned this definition this week. One of the greatest gifts this work with people of color has given me is to lay bare my own learned racism and bring this conversation into my life in a very real way. A way in which I can grow and learn and act toward not only being a better human, but a better participant in the long term work that it will take to dismantle racism in our communities and our country.
I wanted to be able to give you guys commitments from Soft Landing in this statement. These are not perfect or complete. That will take more hard work (remember how I just learned the definition of Anti-racism this week?!?!)- work that we are willing to do. Work that we commit to for the long haul, not just while this is so prevalent on our social media feeds, but during and AFTER that.
Here are the promises we make:
1) We will educate ourselves and inform our programming by listening to and following the lead of refugee, and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People Of Color) voices. We will not let our own ignorance and history paralyze us, but will face the world with curiosity, open eyes, love, and action.
2) We will focus this work in our own community, but not ignore the national issue of institutional racism in America. We will partner with other local organizations that are BIPOC lead, and contribute financially to that partnership, to assist in doing the work of increasing equity in our community.
3) We will intentionally work toward a more representative board and staff. This has always been a “long-term” goal with inherent challenges, but again, just because we can’t do it perfectly right away, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it. We will examine our own internal policies and procedures to make sure we are walking the walk of Anti-racism, not just talking the talk.
4) We will offer space and support for New Americans of color to drive conversations of what it means to be BIPOC in America. This is a big one right now. Refugees have to live with the consequences of being Black and Brown in America without the context of having grown up in this broken system. People are scared and have many questions. Over the last couple of days we have been embarking on starting the conversation with refugees and partners from the BIPOC community on how we can help facilitate this space while still letting our clients lead this conversation where they would like it to go.
5) We will celebrate. We will dance. We will sing. We will play. We will laugh. While we do this, we will make it a priority to lift up the voices of refugees as a part of Missoula’s BIPOC community. We will acknowledge the work to be done, but just as importantly, we will celebrate the joy, resilience, and strength of communities of color.
There is so so much to say here, and I know our “feeds” are chock full these days of resources, but incase you are struggling to find local ways to support this work in our own community- here are some great Missoula and Montana based organizations lead by the BIPOC community that you can invest (give money!) in to support the long term work of racial equity right here. If you want to really invest, please consider becoming a monthly donor as your monthly reminder that this is still incredibly important when the fervor on social media wanes. I am sure this isn’t an extensive list, but they are the ones I know about and if you know of others, PLEASE share with me and I will re-share.
Additionally, many people from the BIPOC community around the nation have created incredible resources that they have painstakingly developed for the education of white people in this space. To white people like me: use these resources and PAY for them. Even if it is a free podcast or online resource. Figure out how you can financially support and donate to the work that you are finding value in. This is as much a “product” to pay the maker for as you pay the local farmer for providing you with fresh food (Fresh food should also be a right, but unfortunately it is another privilege. This is also part of the “work”).
Resources for white people in this conversation have never been more easy to access. You can start here.
OK! This is a start. A start of a long conversation, progressive action, and a commitment from us to always strive to be better and contribute to a better and more just world.
We miss you. This social distancing thing is hard. We wanted to find a way to say “Hello! We are in this TOGETHER” and support one of Missoula’s refugee-run small businesses at the same time. What better way to do this than with a FLASH baklava sale, complete with doorstep delivery (in Missoula)?!? In honor of bringing us together during this isolating time, we are also offering to throw in Soft Landing Missoula’s own “TOGETHER we are Missoula” yard sign for any additional donation $15 or over (option available at checkout).
You might also notice that this would be the perfect Mother’s Day gift if you are lucky enough to be around your mother, the mother of your children, or any mother at this time of isolation.
Ordering for this quick FLASH sale begins 10 am Monday, May 4th, 2020 and runs through 10 pm Tuesday, May 5th, 2020- or until we hit max capacity! Delivery will take place on Friday, May 8th, 2020. Delivery location must be in Missoula for this sale.
Due to the fact that this sale is a delivery, please don’t forget to include your address and phone number when checking out, as well as any special delivery instructions we would need to know added in the comment box.
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The large majority of profits of this sale go directly to the local refugee family who hand-make these treats and provide critical support for their small business, Babylonian Baklava, during the Covid-19 crisis.
Babylonian Baklava Box Options
(for delivery on May 8th)
There are 2 sizes of boxes available for this sale. Quantities are slightly larger than some of our other sales, because of the effort that goes into the delivery, but this baklava is so fresh it will keep for a week or more right on your counter- if it lasts that long!
10 Piece Box: Great for an individual or a family, but if you are ordering for Mother’s Day, you might want to order 2 because you know momma doesn’t like to share…
25 Piece Box: May we suggest some neighborly social distancing-appropriate sharing?
As reality set in a few weeks ago (yup, feels like it was a few years ago-amirite?) that we were all going to be in this for quite a while, Soft Landing shifted gears to make sure families had everything they needed to survive, and even thrive, through social distancing, employment challenges, changes in childcare, and more. One of the most important things we have been able to do is support refugee students in accessing, engaging in, and sticking with virtual education. This isn’t a huge stretch for us, but it has required a substantial amount of adjustment for all involved. With the twice weekly after school program for middle school and high school refugee students we have been running for the last 2 school years, the incredible Soft Landing volunteer tutors, and the wonderful admin staff, teachers, and tutors with Missoula County Public Schools, the ground work was set to be able to step into this space. It is so important that refugee students continue to get access to the same educational experience that American born, native English speaking kids have access to. In many cases, through no fault of their own, these students end up a little behind, even in the best of circumstances (and parents of school-aged kiddos know, the “best” circumstances are still REALLY HARD right now!).
In saying all that, we have now matched 12 students with 12 tutors and have supported everyone as we all learn this new system (see the picture below of Molly’s Zoom meeting checking-in with some of the tutors and Aria Peters of Missoula County Public Schools). I wanted to share with you the story of one of these matches- Patrice, the youngest of five brothers (student) and Alisha (Tutor). Patrice is currently studying for his high school equivalency, HiSET, and dreams of one day becoming an EMT and working for Missoula’s emergency services. When he heard that we were setting up folks with virtual tutors, he was among the first to raise his hand and has been incredibly engaged with his tutor, Alisha, spending hours with her each week studying advanced biology and science. Like many students and tutors, Alisha and Patrice worked through the barrier of home internet access and connected with our partners at Missoula Alliance Church to get him signed up for the free Spectrum internet and then an SLM tech volunteer helped Patrice set up his new modem. This match has been a great fit and we are also excited to share more about it in Alisha’s own words- “I was born and raised in Mumbai, India. In 2000, when I was 16, my family and I had an opportunity to immigrate to the U.S., so we moved to Austin, TX. Now, 20 years on, I am a postdoctoral research scientist (biologist) at UM studying Rocky Mountain stream and terrestrial ecosystems, and how the animals that live in them are coping with a warming climate. I have always been grateful that my family could move to the U.S.; it was a truly life-changing event that allowed me to become independent, study at a university, and pursue a PhD in science. But settling in, becoming assimilated, finding our footing and feeling like we belonged in this new country, were all really, really hard. So, I had always wanted to reach out to other people who might be struggling with the same things, to offer any help, and let them know that it will be ok. SLM was that opportunity for me! Being a tutor not only allows me to work with some incredible kids, but I get to merge my love for science with my wish to reach out to the immigrant and refugee community. I am constantly humbled by the SLM kids I work with. They are thoughtful, kind, patient, understanding, and deeply motivated to do well (I don’t recall being that way as a teen!!). I don’t think I do much or nearly enough, but I am extremely grateful for the chance to make even the smallest difference.” Thank you Alisha! You are amazing!
Patrice and Alisha
Virtual tutor virtual check-in
This experience has not come without challenges and time consuming detours, as access to home computers, internet, and the ability to navigate the virtual world seems always present in one way or another, but it has been an exciting and rewarding way for us to be able to continue with our programming- slightly adjusted- and serve families during COVID.
Now here comes the huge part- we get to do this because of you. You were the ones who donated the computers that are in these families homes. You are the ones who have supported Soft Landing as we have worked hard to build meaningful and impactful programming for refugee families in Missoula. Heck, you may have even been one of the thousand people who marched with us four and a half years ago to make sure the world knew that Missoula would be a welcoming place for refugees to resettle. And you are the ones standing by us as we navigate this new space and the wide range of other services we dove into during this strange time. I say this, not only as an incredibly heart felt THANK YOU, but also as a little nudge ;). Missoula Gives starts on Thursday (although giving IS live early this year- ie: right now!) and we want to first acknowledge that there is huge uncertainty for us all, and there are so many legitimate needs in our community at this time. We hope that Soft Landing will continue to be a part of your giving during Missoula Gives this year. We are doing great things with incredible people and you have brought us this far. If you can give again this year, please do. If you are a new donor, every little bit counts. If you are in the fortunate position of wanting to find something meaningful to do with the COVID stimulus money that landed in your bank account- we can help with that 😉
So here’s to Patrice and Alisha, as well as all of our other students and tutors, and to all of you who continue to make the magic happen.
In love and gratitude,
Mary Poole
ED Soft Landing Missoula
Missoula’s Refugees Give Back
Through an amazing partnership with many local business around town that are providing production space, including our good friends- Imagine Nation Brewing Company, Coaster Cycles is well on it’s way to producing 1,000,000 face shields to be used locally and sent all over the US to COVID hot spots in need of this essential protective equipment. And where there is resourcefulness, creativity, and ingenuity- of course there are REFUGEES! Here are a few more pictures of some amazing people stepping up to help with productions of these shields. Thank you to everyone involved in this incredible project.
Intern Spotlight
Katie VanCleave is a Sociology student at the U of M. Originally from Miles City, Katie has a passion for exploring new cultures. She began her internship with Soft Landing in January, and soon became an indispensable part of our team. Even though her official internship has been cut short by current circumstances, Katie has stayed with us, volunteering remotely to help Soft Landing stay afloat during this challenging time- specifically stepping in to help with Missoula Gives! We are so grateful for students like Katie, who are dedicated to making this community a better place.
Save the (New) Date
We just couldn’t stand to see a year go by without our annual soccer tournament to celebrate all of our wonderful new neighbors in Missoula the best way we know how- with soccer, music and food! Due to concerns with wanting to be sensitive to COVID social distancing for as long as possible, we have moved back the date from World Refugee Day in June to Welcoming Week in September. We will continue to monitor the situation, but for now- please mark your calendars to come celebrate with us on September 12, 2020! More info on the 2020 tournament as well as great photos from past years here!
