Social media campaign illustrates refugees’ difficulties

In recognition of World Refugee Day on June 20, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City has launched a social media campaign to present the difficult journey of a refugee in real and detailed ways.

“The Journey of a Refugee” can be accessed on the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City Facebook page through June 20.

Through videos and other media, visitors to the page can learn what challenges refugees face before, during and after leaving their home country and once they arrive in the United States; and how community partners work to educate and acculturate refugees into the community, said Sara Dougherty, community engagement coordinator for Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.

“We are the resettlement agency for central and western Oklahoma — the first point of contact. We work directly with the government to resettle refugees here in Oklahoma,” Dougherty said. “We thought it might be good to do an education piece to get people in the community to understand what a refugee is — to educate the community about everything that it takes to be a refugee and what they go through.”

Dougherty said it takes years for refugees to be admitted to the United States, often while their lives are under constant threat.

“It takes years of interviews and background checks. It’s a process,” she said. “Once they get to America, there’s a language barrier. And there’s education they have to get to be self-sufficient.”

But the organization doesn’t bear the burden of resettlement alone, Dougherty said.

“Maybe we pick them up at the airport and have an apartment where they can lay their head at night,” she said. “But if it weren’t for our community partners, we couldn’t do what we do.”

To access Catholic Charities’ page, visit Facebook @ccokc or #TheJourneyofaRefugee

“We encourage people to share and spread the word about the campaign,” Dougherty said. Sometimes we feel like people don’t understand the challenges and sacrifices that refugees make to come to a new country. We’re hoping people come away with knowledge about who a refugee really is. They are more than just someone from the Middle East who wants to be an American. Refugees flee because of (danger and) persecution.”

[PHOTO PROVIDED] Case managers teach newly arrived refugees the basics of the American culture, the basics of transportation, housing, education and budgeting.

[PHOTO PROVIDED] A job developer teaches newly arrived refugees the basics of working in the United States from learning how to shake hands to job etiquette.