The Refugee Working Group mission includes
Education: Providing information to the Indiana County and Indiana University of Pennsylvania communities about refugees coming to the United States and Pittsburgh metro area. Advocating: Promoting protection, rights, and durable solutions for refugees and other populations who are displaced and at risk. Creating Community: Building safe spaces, resettlement opportunities, and welcoming efforts in the Indiana area.
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The Refugee Working Group began in October 2015 with Jack Hanna and Poom Taylor. It has since grown to include nearly 20 IUP and Indiana community members working to do more for refugees and raise awareness of their situation. The other founding members are Faye Bradwick, Don Lancaster, Hilario Molina, Clara Roberts, Susan Dawkins, Amanda Poole, Rachel Sternfeld, Bonnie Adair, Beth Marshall, Barbara Hafer. The RWG's first two projects were a Six O'clock Series educational panel and a fundraiser for the Syrian American Medical Society Foundation, held in collaboration with the Cavalry Presbyterian Church. We are always looking to collaborate and find creative ways to further our mission. Please message the page if you would like to be involved. We are closely linked to the Arab American Institute in DC. We do support many of their policies such as:
Anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bigotry challenges the diversity of American culture and society, proliferates misinformation and stereotypes, fosters hostility- in some cases violence, and stigmatizes an entire community. We understand today’s anti-Muslim bigotry as partly rooted in anti-Arab bigotry, which classifies individuals based on their national origin and political views. What began as xenophobia directed at individuals with origins in the Middle East morphed into anti-Islamic sentiment that targets an entire faith.
