Introducing… The Refugee Issue
Like much of the world, we at The Development Set have been watching in horror as the number of refugees and displaced people crept past 60 million for the first time in the history of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. That means that one in 113 people are being forced from their home — whether due to persecution, violence, human rights violations, or increasingly, climate change.
Our small contribution to this international crisis is this month’s Refugee Issue. Over the next three weeks, we will learn about highly diverse refugee experiences around the world, the emotional toll of working with refugees, the ways Americans are responding to the refugee crisis, and much more.
While crafting the series, we constantly asked ourselves, “Will this story encourage people unfamiliar with refugee struggles feel compassion towards them? At the least, does this breathe new life into refugee narratives?”
We’d love for you to let us know how successful we are in reaching our admittedly lofty goal. To that end: if you have an unexpected story about refugees you’d like to contribute to our series, email sarika@honeyguidemedia.org with the subject line, “Refugee pitch.” We’ll also be sharing next week a few refugee-run businesses and refugee services, and if you have any suggestions of organizations to include in that list, please share. I won’t be able to write back to everything, but will do my best!
(We’re also beginning to collect pitches for our next series: humor. Why does storytelling about social impact and health always feel so self-righteous and overly serious? We’d like to spotlight the lighter side of development, and make our readers laugh for once. Email me with the subject line “Humor pitch.” Any pitches with the British spelling of “humour” will go straight into the trash.)
Here are the first few stories from our series, and a few others worth checking out this weekend.
Could Brazil Be a Lifeline for Syrian Refugees?
By Danielle Renwick for The Development Set
The largest country in Latin America has been pretty quiet on the international stage regarding refugees. As this feature story teaches us, Brazil can offer safety to those fleeing conflict — but may have trouble delivering on the economic opportunities that convince people to stay.
We Entered the U.S. As Jewish Refugees. Now My Parents Support the Muslim Ban
By Anonymous for The Development Set
Such a complicated, seemingly contradictory perspective that — based on the responses the piece has garnered thus far — seems to be shared by many families:
“When my parents look at Syrian refugees, they see an “other.” When some people warn that the Holocaust is happening all over again, my parents roll their eyes. To them, the circumstances are completely different. How easy it is to forget the lessons of history when the people involved don’t look or act like us.”
Not Everyone Is #Blessed to Travel Abroad
By Kim Truong for The Development Set
A fantastic reflection from a young writer of her refugee roots (her father escaped Vietnam in a small boat) of her current-day privilege. Every reader should heed her core message: Don’t take your freedom of mobility for granted.
‘Casablanca’s’ Refugee Tale Is Shockingly Relevant For 2017
By Noah Isenberg for The Daily Beast
A lovely reminder of the historic role refugees have played in popular narratives — in this case, both behind and in front of the camera.
What the numbers say about refugees
By Declan Butler for Nature
Calling all fellow number nerds! These graphics beautifully visualize how movement looks in today’s world. A nugget to bust out at your next family dinner: “Most of the 21.3 million people who were refugees at the end of 2015 had fled conflicts in Africa and Asia. The vast majority sought refuge in neighboring countries; only a small proportion headed to Europe or the United States.”
4 Reasons Why Foreign Aid Is As American As Apple Pie
By Tom Murphy for The Development Set
For those of you following American political news, you may have heard that Trump’s administration is considering cutting the State Department budget by over a third. Tom Murphy gives four reasons why it’s in American self-interest to keep the budget firmly in place.
