encompass:
an event about refugee life in our community
Refugees are an important part of the Syracuse, NY community. However, there is a slight disconnect between the Syracuse University community and the constantly growing refugee community of Syracuse, NY. For this reason, I along with the four other members of Encompass Journey of Understanding at Syracuse University decided to highlight the refugees' experiences and bring their stories to light to the rest of the Syracuse University community. "ENCOMPASS: An Event About Refugee Life in Our Community” consisted of a movie screening of God Grew Tired of Us followed by a panel discussion. The two guest speakers for the event were John Bul Dau from the film God Grew Tired of Us and John Dau Foundation and Nicole Watts from Hopeprint, an organization focused on resettled refugees.
The goal of this event was to engage the people of Syracuse, NY and begin a conversation between the different parties in our community, in order to break down societal preconceptions surrounding refugees and pave a journey of understanding.
Team: Shanice Bland, Cristina Fawaz, Leah Garlock, Sean McGovern, and Sarah Russo
Time Frame: Preparation 3 months, Event 1 day
Date: March 26th, 2016
Location: HBC Gifford Auditorium, Syracuse University
Guest Speakers: John Bul Dau and Nicole Watts
Budget: $250.00​
Throughout the development and duration of the event, I sought for and reached out to potential guest speakers, coordinated with guest speakers, established the event details and agenda, media outreach, and advertising of the event. The graphic work for the event was completed between myself and Leah Garlock. I was also responsible for budgeting alongside Sarah Russo.
Event
Graphics
video coming soon
From the left: Shanice Bland, Nicole Watts, and John Bul Dau
This event was the result of my participation in the Encompass Journey of Understanding, in the Spring of 2015, while studying abroad in London. This is a program that brings together young adults from five different countries to discuss the topics of conflict, identity, and community. During this program, one of our team’s main insights was that although we all come from different places and cultures, we are all equal regardless of societal preconceptions.
