Issue 2
Refugee Elder Program
Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Retrospective Summer-Winter 2013 A lot has happened since our last issue! Take a look and enjoy!
REFUGEE ELDERS
Our Elders represented at
THE LOUISVILLE
FREE LIBRARY IN
ART SHOW AT
the Annual Refugee Elder Art Show exhibit at the Iroquois Art show… see their fantastic art works!
THE IROQUOIS!
Our Elders visited
Joe Huber’s farm for pumpkin picking.. see their trophies!!!!
Our Elders participated in
KENTUCKY MUSEUM OF ART & CRAFT
an art workshop at the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft… take a look at their creations!!
Our Elders enjoyed
Story teller sessions & Pupeteer presentations and got involved… see how!
Our Elders enjoyed hayrides, picked pumpkins & more at the.. JOE HUBER’S FARM. SqUAlliS PUPEtEERS & StORy telling sessions with Cynthia changaris!
Inside this issue: Refugee Elders Art show at the Iroquois Library
2, 3, 4
Kentucky Arts Museum!
5, 6 , 7
Pumking picking, Hayrides & more at Huber’s farm Storytelling sessions, Exercises & Squallis Pupeteers! New Students, New Volunteers
8, 9 10, 11, 12 13, 14
Birthdays, Citizenship test & Story Commons
15, 16, 17, 18
Hello Neighbor Day, some other things & last but not least
17, 18, 19, 20
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Issue 2 Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Annual Refugee Elder Art at Iroquois Library Below: Nana, Joyce’s art volunteer & niece, discussing with Francisco (Cuba) art-related issues while posing in front of some excellent works!
Refugee Elder Program
The list of our Elders and their art Right: Joyce, our Art therapist, posing happily with Kamalapati (Bhutan) and his great draw-
Left: Jose (Cuba) can’t let go of the painting in which he expressed one of his
Right: Emma, one of our Cuban beauties, with Joyce our art therapist and teacher Michaela in front of some uniquely decorated bags!
Left: Selah (Karen state) standing quietly besides her beautiful painting!
Above Jolyanna (Iraq/Austria) and volunteer Cindy relaxing before wrapping up!
Right: Bhutanese ladies Tika, Bhadri, Bishnu & Indra, with teacher Michaela posing for a photo-op!
Right: Leboi Van (Vietnam) proudly exhibiting his framed works! 2
Issue 2 Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Annual Refugee Elder Art at Iroquois Library… cont. Below David (Karen state) with his unique expression!
Refugee Elder Program
Below: Pah Noe (Karen State) with this incredibly detailed composition exhibited impressive creativity!
Left: Hong’s (Vietnam) expressive decorative bag!
Below: Juan (Cuba) musing besides his expression of a way towards a still bright future!!
Below left: Tara’s (Bhutan) bag was quite lovely decorated!
Right: Kiummars & Baharieh from Iran with teacher Michaela in front of one of their exquisite expressions!
Below right: Hari (Bhutan) made sure his impressive Citizenship bag will be taken notice of! Great job, Hari!
Right: Ler Hit (Karen State) with his beautifully colored drawing! Wonderful work, Ler Hit! 3
Issue 2 Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Annual Refugee Elder Art at Iroquois Library..cont.
Refugee Elder Program
Below: Musa (Sudan) glad to be able to stroll
Right: Relaxing harmoniously and with joy after the exhibition! From left to right: Leboi Van (Vietnam), Omran (Iraq), Francisco (Cuba) & Tara (Bhutan) Left: Indra (Bhutan) strolling around for books while Bhadri (Bhutan) is relaxing at the table and Tara (Bhutan) engages with Joyce after their beautiful exhibition!
Below left: Ler Htooni & Pae Dah (Karen State) having a conversation before leaving the exhibition!
Below right: Delia (Cuba) & Baharieh (Iran) taking a short break!
Above: Cuban League?? Francisco, Delia & Juan before starting back
Below left: Our students take advantage of exploring different reading & teaching material in the library after the exposition! Baharieh (Iran), Adel & Omran (Iraq) & Emma (Cuba)
Below middle: Abdel & our late Adel Bibi from Iraq! We remember with great affection especially Adel Bibi’s enjoyment and feel fortunate having gotten to know him & his never-ending positive attitude!
Above: Nzanzibandi (DRCongo) with Jack & David, two of our invaluable volunteers! 4
Issue 2
Refugee Elder Program
Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Unique creations at the Kentucky Museum for Crafts Baharieh & Kiummars (Iran) show off the beautiful baskets they created! They enjoyed themselves very much!
Left: Bhutanese Sekhar & Gobinda with interpreter Prem working hard on their creations Below right: Bhutanese ladies Indra, Tika, Bishnu & Hari Maya chatting & rejoicing while creating their unique pieces!
Left: Bhutanese lady Bhadri chooses to let her works be admired and relaxes a bit before continuing! 5
Issue 2 Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Unique creations at the Kentucky Museum for Crafts
Refugee Elder Program
Left: Musa (Sudan) deeply concentrated on painting his creation!
Right: Bhutanese Rhagu, Tara, Kamalapati & Hari (from left) finding it quite interesting to mold the clay the way they want it!
Left: Our always joyous Russian Interpreter Pail doesn’t mind kneading her way through to create something unique!
Below: Before the craft session, we were guided through the Museum and learned among other about the 7 borders surrounding Kentucky! Isabel (Cuba) makes sure we remember!
Left: Madhavid (Bhutan) with a relieved smile after her finished work!
Above: Omran & our late Adel Bibi (Iraq) molding their way through! Driver Muhammad rested thoughtfully during their work! 6
Issue 2
Refugee Elder Program
Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Unique creations at the Kentucky Museum for Crafts Left: David & Ler Hit (Karen State) brought their lunch to munch on while working, while Pah Lah (right) is representing the Karen state as well and keeps concentrating intensively on her painting!
Left: Ler Htooni & Pah Noe (Karen state) with InterpreterHsar stay in the loop and share some fun! In the back, Abby & the Irani group (Baharieh & Kiummars) with Bro. Ward, one of our faithful volunteers!
Below: Shree & Rhagu (Bhutan) take it slow and easy!
Right: Interpreter Hsar and Karen state elders Ler Htooni & Pah Noe finished sharing and continue moving right along! In the back the Bhutanese group on their tables!
Left: Bhutanese race! Man Karki seems to think… whose creation is going to win—the women or the men? You decide! From left: Hari Maya, Madhavid, Bhadri, Man Karki, Interpreter prem, Sekhar and Gobinda (back)
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Issue 2 Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Pumpkin picking & much more at….
Refugee Elder Program
Right: situated for the hayride: Josef (Iraq), Volunteer/Teacher Annie, Emma (Cuba), Wafiqa (Iraq), Driver Mohammed, Volunteer Carol, Driver Bashar, Omran (Iraq), teacher Michaela, Bishnu & Hari Maya (Bhutan), Teacher Sarah, Jose (Cuba)
Left: It’s starting! Omran & Ahmed (Iraq) & Volunteer Bro. Ward are bracing themselves, and teacher
Below: And off we went to the pumpkin & apple fields!
Below: Hari Maya & Bishnu (Bhutan) with Teacher Michaela & Abby watching the commontion!
Above: Adel & Josef (Iraq) with Abby—Abdel didn’t want to tan & shielded himself with his jacket—but he couldn’t avoid the nice breeze we had!
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Issue 2 Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Pumpkin picking & much more at….
Refugee Elder Program
Right: arriving at the fields, each one could select on their own their two pumpkins—Hari Maya (Bhutan) puts her heavy bag down, Gobinda, Tika, Man Karki (Bhutan) & Jose (Cuba) observe the selections as Abby looks on as Bishnu (Bhutan) pulls her piece out
Left: Everyone liked to stroll around the fields: here Abdel (Iraq) - still shielding himself from the sun—and Volunteers Carol & Annie! Right: we made the acquaintance of some donkeys, lamas, cows, horses & sheep! In the front, Abby, behind, teacher Sarah and further down some of our elders!
Left: Coming slowly back with bags full of pumpkins & apples to go back on the hayride! Bhadri (Bhutan) with the back.
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Issue 2
Refugee Elder Program
Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Story telling sessions... Cynthia Changaris has been a professional storyteller for 30 years, helped launch the Kentucky Storytelling Association, has won several awards & honors, has worked as a trainer and storyteller for the KY Humanities Council Literacy Program for families, called Prime Time, and has been a roster artist for the KY Arts association and an artist with the Kentucky Center Arts and Healing initiative. Cynthia plays guitar, flute, dulcimer and incorporates music and folk songs into her performance along with folk tales, fairy tales and personal stories. She has raised 3 boys and enjoys the connection that stories bring to our lives, connections to the past, present and future. Cynthia says, "Stories provide our roots and our wings.”
Stories like the folktale Lady in Grey, Epamonondis, the burning of the Rice Field, out Woody Guthrie, some Freedom Songs and spiritual songs from the 60's, like Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Whole World in His Hands, "This Land is Your Land," Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” or " "The Eency Weency Spider” were some of her presentations.She elicited stories of the folk tale nature, poetry nature, and children's songs from their culture and encouraged our elders about the strength of their own cultural folk tales being passed down to the children and how telling the children stories about their own life is giving an invaluable gift to come. Cynthia also showed our elders how to sing with the dulcimer, and they had the chance to record their songs, poems and stories. There was great laughter, building of relationships, genuine warmth and fun built during the three weeks of Storytelling. Cynthia came to feel love toward many of the participants and real communication.
Above & right: Dharmananda , Bhutan, sings about a beautiful story in his native Nepali language and Story teller Cynthia and fellow students listen intensively as he explains afterward additional meaning to his songs! Way to go, Elders! 10
Issue 2
Refugee Elder Program
Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Exercises don’t stop….rain or shine! Left & right: Running a couple of rounds around the table to mobilize the muscles do wonder—as you see, Man Karki, Bhutan, never leaves his blue scarf, and neither does Ler Hit, Karen state, with his hat!
From left to right: Teacher Michaela, Nzanzibandi, Congo, Man Karki, Bhutan (blue scarf), Ler Hit, Karen state, Gobinda, Bhutan and Adel, Iraq!
Challenges are being met head on - there are always those who don’t shun bowing and stretching muscles and joints!
Below: With Adel, Iraq, leading the way, Teacher Michaela, Delia, Cuba, Nzanzibandi, DRCongo and Sekhar and Rhaghu from Bhutan make their way to get some warm-up running rounds. Gobinda, Bhutan, still thinks about it, and Man Karki, Bhuthan, comes down the steps & can’t wait to participate!
Left: Nzanzibandi, DRCongo, Tika, Bhuthan and Delia, Cuba starting to get in line and get warmed up!
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Issue 2
Refugee Elder Program
Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Squallis Pupeteers… creative ways of expression Squallis Puppeteers is a collective of local artists and performers helping people to imagine what is possible, create new worlds, and uncover the stories everyone has to tell. Recognized as a positive part of the Louisville community telling stories, they challenge us to think while reflecting values of citizenship, empathy and collaboration. Below left, artist …. Prepares different everyday materials used to make the handmade Puppets while Joseph (Iraq) and some Bhutanese are watching intently what’s being displayed. Elmira (Azerbaijan) & Pail, our Russian interpreter, chat happily while Delia & Mirelia are watching what’s unfolding!
Below right, President Lincoln was presented in a quite unique way, allowing our students to relate vividly to their classroom material and citizenship questions!
Left: Of course, fun has no limits! Miralia (Cuba) couldn’t stand watching any longer and tried some plastic eyes on —you like it? Her joy was so contagious, even our Leboi Van (Vietnam) watch curiously what’s going on!
Right: Intern Brian assists our Elders to choose from the variety of items for making puppets—Ah Pay (Karen State) & our Spanish Interpreter Maria select what they need. 12
Issue 2 Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
NEW STUDENTS !! We had also several new students in the past months, and some moving up from their classes! Ahmed (Iraq) joined Michaela’s class!
Refugee Elder Program
Welcome, Ahmed!
Wafiqa (Iraq) joined Sarah’s class! Welcome, Wafiqa!
Right: Elmira (Azerbaijan) joined us after Summer and participates in Michaela’s class! Welcome, Elmira!
Left: Datta, Nara & Hari (Bhutan) joined Sarah’s class! Welcome, Datta, Hari & Nara! Salma (Iraq) joined Michaela’s class and likes coming as much as she can! Welcome, Salma Estelvina (Cuba) came recently to us and joined Sarah’s class. Welcome, Jose!
Jose R. (Cuba) came at the end of 2013 and joined Sarah’s class! Welcome, Jose!
Delia (Cuba) joined Sarah’s class and moved quickly up to Aimee’s class! Welcome, Delia! 13
Issue 2
NEW VOLUNTEERS!
Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Refugee Elder Program
In the last months, precious volunteers joined our happy bunch and enriched greatly our classes!
Cindy is engaged in the Peace Corps and volunteered with us during 2013, assisted in Michaela’s class with group work, conversation practice, grammar support and citizenship preparation, among others!
Below: Jack has been coming regularly since Summer 2013 and assists students in Michaela’s class with conversation practice & citizenship preparation and has many times interesting input for our Elders! Thank you, Jack!
Left: Roger has been volunteering with our Elders since September 2013 (at KRM for over 2 years though) and enjoys particularly in the morning conversations with our early birds, explaining vocabulary or simply motivate our Elder students to exercise their learned language skills! He assists also students in Sarah’s class and gives always a hand (and feet) whenever help is needed! Thank you, Roger!
Thank you, Cindy!
Below: MSW-intern Brian has been volunteering with us since Summer 2014, is assisting several teachers, mentors our Sudanese elder after class and helps out in many other areas where need is!
Below: Steve assists students in Michaela’s class with citizenship group work, conducting conversation exercises and attending to their ESL needs with valuable input—he is always so helpful with set-ups or any activity we need help with!
Thank you, Brian!
Thank you Steve!
Above: MSW-Intern Amanda has been volunteering with us since October 2013, assists students in Michaela’s class with group work and citizenship interview question, mentors several of our Bhutanese elders and helps out in the office! Thank you, Amanda! 14
Issue 2 Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Birthdays—happy days to celebrate! We celebrated of course many more birthdays during the last months:
Refugee Elder Program
July— Dharmananda, Bhutan, Abdel, Joseph &Adel, Iraq, Angel, Juan, Jose & Zoilo, Cuba! August— Madhavid, Bhutan, Hong, Vietnam & Omar, Cuba! September—Baharieh, Iran & Jolyanna, Iraq/Austria! November—Keh Ler & Pae Dah, Karen state! December—Volodymyr, Ukraine and Kamalapati, Bhutan!
Right: Dharmanda, Bhutan, shows some of the birthday cupcakes off!!!
Left: Joseph, Iraq, looks happily on these sweet treats, but he knows he cannot have them all!!!! 15
Issue 2 Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
PASSED! Passing the citizenship test is a great accomplishment!
Refugee Elder Program
Abdel Dayer did so in November and celebrated with all of us! The Naturalization ceremony in January was a joyous event where Abdel finally received his certificate!
Above, Adel & the presiding Judge for a photo op! On the right, Adel rejoices showing off his certificate of citizenship! Way to go, Elders!
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Issue 2
KRM Story
Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
KRM’s Compassion In Action Initiative Global Classroom & Service Learning
Refugee Elder Program
“Keep Louisville Global” Since Roberto (Cuba) has obtained his citizenship, he has moved on and participates in the KRM Story Commons ,where refugees attend diverse meetings and speaking opportunities to share their story and life’s experiences! Other refugee elders have been inspired and will enlarge the story repertoire with exciting details of their journeys!
Jolyanna (Iraq/Austria) participated in January in our Story Commons session, where community members from all backgrounds and interests came together to enjoy getting to know our refugees! Bob, one community member volunteering at the main office, learned that Jolyanna likes to read German books—one day later, a full bag of such surprises where left for her to enjoy! Exciting!!!
At our next Story Commons Lunch on February 11, will be the sharing of stories around the gifts and talents we each bring for the common good of our city. Each of us are given unique abilities and skills which we need to express as part of our humanity and that our community needs in order be healthy and whole. Louisville will be a more global and hospitable city when everyone's gifts and talents are being cultivated and expressed. We need the gifts and talents that each of us brings.
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Issue 2 Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Hello Neighbor—Day of Dignity at the ...
Refugee Elder Program
In November, KRM celebrated with the Muhammad Ali Center and many other supporters the Hello Neighbor—Day of Dignity event, meeting one another in an exciting celebration of culture! This event included delicious international food, family activities health services and community resources, and was visited by various of our Elders, as we can see below! They enjoyed themselves mingling with Louisvillians and other community members and
Right: Wafiqa (Iraq) and Emma (Cuba) enjoying some of the delicious delicacies at the event!
Left: While belly dancers performed in the background, Martin (Cuba) offered his own performance! He surely enjoyed himself!
Right: Abdel (Iraq) and teacher Michaela waiting to watch some of the announced performances!
Left: Emma (Cuba) made sure to bring her son-in-law with her!
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Issue 2 Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Some other things... Driving permit classes!
Refugee Elder Program
Some of our elders have already participated in Driver’s permit classes, and have enjoyed learning about signs, regulations and other details necessary to know for taking the written and practical exam. Since there are interpreters available for every session, each person can follow along. These classes will continue in 2014 and will be announced for those who are interested to participate!
WE REMEMBER!
Adel Bibi, one of our faithful Iraqi Elder and former student in Aimee’s class, died in October. However, he had the joy to be reunited with his wife when she arrived here and they spent some good time together. His funeral was honored by many who knew him and the family was grateful for the display of affection—WE REMEMBER YOUR JOY, BIBI!
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Issue 2
Refugee Elder Program
Retrospective Summer—Winter 2013
Last but not least... If you have the chance to get online (or can visit the library) and want to catch a glimpse of all of our ethnic groups, teachers and volunteers in their class compositions and who else is involved in this great program, visit our website: www.kyrm.org Click on NEWS-EVENTS and then ELDER PROGRAM and you’ll see our Newsletter from June 2013 as well as this issue (Summer-Winter). We’ll be posting also details about upcoming or past activities! You can also click on OUR WORK and then on ELDER PROGRAM and on the left side you’ll see the Louisville Refugee Elder Program blog keeping you updated about what’s been happening! Check us out, you’ll be surprised! 20