Little Village Community Council welcomes Venezuelan refugees with open arms, stresses need for mental health services
By Brenda Ordoñez Medill Reports A Chicago organization with strong Mexican roots is proving it doesn’t take a big village to make a difference. TRANSCRIPT: Inside the Little Village Community Council edifice awaits a beige-colored room lined with tables disguised by donations. Standing in the center of the room is the council’s community organizer, Kristian Armendariz. […]
Welcoming the stranger: refugees in America
by Caroline Love Medill Reports There are 26 million refugees in the world today, according to the United Nations, but only a fraction of them will gain a new home. “Less than one percent will ever be resettled into a third country,” said Sue Horgan, the senior director of program operations at Exodus World Service. […]
Chicago ranked most welcoming city to immigrants, despite hurdles
By Seb Peltekian Medill Reports Chicago is the most welcoming city for immigrants in the country, according to the latest Cities Index of the New American Economy, an immigration advocacy and reform organization. “Chicago has a very pro-immigrant posture, which no doubt is to the benefit of the people we serve. Our local and state […]
English is Syrian refugees’ ‘key to survival’
By Maryam Saleh She couldn’t visit a doctor’s office without a translator. Or communicate with her children’s teachers. Or get around a city that felt daunting yet safe. Her Syrian high school education had taught her the very basics. And the two years she spent helping her kids with their homework in Jordan had forced […]
