Refugee Stories: In Their Own Voices Southern Methodist University and Human Rights Media

What does faith demand of us? What can we gain from meeting those demands? What has gone so wrong and how can faith help us find a solution in the conflicting narrative about refugees, Muslims, and immigrants in general? Meet Faith Forward Dallas, an interfaith coalition in Dallas, Texas providing a model to the world of how we can practice our faith and be stronger together.

Guests on this episode:
Rabbi Nancy Kasten, Imam Omar Suleiman, Rev. Michael Waters, Linda Abramson Evans, Rev. Andy Stoker, Sedrick N'twali

EPISODE SOURCE CREDITS:
Special thanks to Julie Silver for use of her song 'Sanctuary'
Short Film 'An Imam, a Pastor, and a Dream' produced by Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research
Partial interview of SMU engineering graduate Osama al Olabi, whose Syrian parents were detained at DFW Airport and sparked demonstrations in January 2017, obtained from NBC DFW Facebook live video post and included under fair use laws.

SPONSORSHIP:

Funding for this podcast is provided by Southern Methodist University's Embrey Human Rights Program via their Community Outreach Fellowship. Their website is: http://smu.edu/humanrights/

MEDIA INQUIRIES:

For media inquiries, please contact tiffany@hrtsmedia.com.

HOST:

This podcast is hosted by Human Rights Media at: www.hrtsmedia.com and can be found on iTunes, Stitcher, and TuneIn as well as on most podcast aggregators.

New episodes are released monthly through May 2018.

Many thanks to the dedicated staff who work tirelessly to help produce this series and make it possible. And for each refugee and expert guest, thank you for your honesty and vulnerability to bring your stories and reliable data to the public.

CREDITS:

Tiffany Jelke, Producer & Host • SMU Community Outreach Fellow •
Michelle Lara, Production Assistant
Jen Peacock, Sound editing on Episode 7
Allison Plake, Audio Production Intern
Kade Peacock, Sound Technician
Dr. Bradley Klein, Associate Director of SMU's Embrey Human Rights Program, is the mentor on this project

This month, we will find the common ground between an Iranian refugee youth activist, a soprano former student and Conrad Charging Choir member, and a U.S. Marine who now advocates for refugees. How, you may ask? Listen now to find out!

On this episode, you'll meet Rooha Haghar, a junior at Conrad High School in Dallas who is also an Iranian Bahá'í activist sharing her story and raising awareness of the fate of other Iranian minorities. You'll also meet her classmate Zasha Garcia, a soprano in Conrad Charging Choir and graduate of the multicultural school where over 30 languages are spoken. Finally, you'll meet US Marine Veteran Joe Jenkins who advocates for refugees through the Human Rights First initiative, Veterans for American Ideals. All three guests epitomize the freedom and bravery of Americans.

SPONSORSHIP:

Funding for this podcast is provided by Southern Methodist University's Embrey Human Rights Program via their Community Outreach Fellowship. Their website is: http://smu.edu/humanrights/

MEDIA INQUIRIES:

For media inquiries, please contact tiffany@hrtsmedia.com.

HOST:

This podcast is hosted by Human Rights Media at: www.hrtsmedia.com and can be found on iTunes, Stitcher, and TuneIn as well as on most podcast aggregators.

New episodes are released monthly through May 2018.

Many thanks to the dedicated staff who work tirelessly to help produce this series and make it possible. And for each refugee and expert guest, thank you for your honesty and vulnerability to bring your stories and reliable data to the public.

CREDITS:

Tiffany Jelke, Producer & Host • SMU Community Outreach Fellow •
Michelle Lara, Production Assisant
Allison Plake, Audio Production Intern
Kade Peacock, Sound Technician

Dr. Bradley Klein, Associate Director of SMU's Embrey Human Rights Program is the mentor on this project.

This is the story of Bothina Matar, a Syrian refugee who witnessed the horrific government's response to children and teenagers writing a message to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on the wall of a school in Daraa. That response sparked the crisis Syria is still experiencing today.

We will also learn about the Global Migration Crisis, the largest displacement of people since World War II, from Ciarán Donnelly, head of International Programs at International Rescue Committee worldwide. We will hear what's causing the crisis, its consequences for all of us, and what will and won't help to solve it.

Please enjoy this episode of In Their Own Voices.

SPONSORSHIP:

Funding for this podcast is provided by Southern Methodist University's Embrey Human Rights Program via their Community Outreach Fellowship. Their website is: http://smu.edu/humanrights/

MEDIA INQUIRIES:

For media inquiries, please contact tiffany@hrtsmedia.com.

HOST:

This podcast is hosted by Human Rights Media at: www.hrtsmedia.com and can be found on iTunes, Stitcher, and TuneIn as well as on most podcast aggregators.

New episodes are released monthly through May 2018.

Many thanks to the dedicated staff who work tirelessly to help produce this series and make it possible. And for each refugee and expert guest, thank you for your honesty and vulnerability to bring your stories and reliable data to the public.

CREDITS:

Tiffany Jelke, Producer & Host • SMU Community Outreach Fellow •
Michelle Lara, Production Assisant
Allison Plake, Audio Production Intern
Kade Peacock, Sound Technician

Dr. Bradley Klein, Associate Director of SMU's Embrey Human Rights Program is the mentor on this project.

On this episode, meet Nisar Ahmad Momand. Nisar spent most of his life as a refugee, first in Pakistan, then as an enemy of the Taliban who worked for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan, risking his life and becoming the target of Taliban attacks three times! He now lives in Houston, TX with his family and works with a resettlement agency helping newly arriving refugees. He was named a hero by Univision last summer when he and a group of 20 helped move people and belongings during Hurricane Harvey.

Dr. Susan F. Martin talks to us about the history of immigration in the U.S., and explains her colonial model of immigration that is repeated over and over through today and illustrates what we can learn from this history. Dr. Martin is Emeritus Professor of International Migration and Director of the Institute for the Study of International Migration in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Previously she served as the Executive Director of the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform, established by legislation to advise Congress and the President on U.S. immigration and refugee policy, and the Director of Research and Programs at the Refugee Policy Group.

Please enjoy this episode of In Their Own Voices.

SPONSORSHIP:

Funding for this podcast is provided by Southern Methodist University's Embrey Human Rights Program via their Community Outreach Fellowship. Their website is: http://smu.edu/humanrights/

MEDIA INQUIRIES:

For media inquiries, please contact tiffany@hrtsmedia.com.

HOST:

This podcast is hosted by Human Rights Media at: www.hrtsmedia.com and can be found on iTunes, Stitcher, and TuneIn as well as on most podcast aggregators.

Audio production enhancements for this episode were performed by René Coronado at Dallas Audio Post. Their website is: http://dallasaudiopost.com/

New episodes are released monthly through May 2018.

Many thanks to the dedicated staff who work tirelessly to help produce this series and make it possible. And for each refugee and expert guest, thank you for your honesty and vulnerability to bring your stories and reliable data to the public.

CREDITS:

Tiffany Jelke, Producer & Host • SMU Community Outreach Fellow •
Michelle Lara, Production Assisant
Allison Plake, Audio Production Intern
Kade Peacock, Sound Technician
René Coronado, Dallas Audio Post (Provided technical sound enhancement)

Dr. Bradley Klein, Associate Director of SMU's Embrey Human Rights Program is the mentor on this project.

In this powerful episode, follow Dr. Hadidja Nyiransekuye on a journey into the heart of the 1994 Rwandan genocide that will make you question the very thing that makes us human. Paul Solman of PBS NewsHour describes how refugees revitalized the town of Utica, NY, and Dr. Jennifer Hunt of Rutgers University explains the cost benefit analysis of refugees in the U.S. *Warning: Graphic content that may not be suitable for all listeners.*

Please enjoy this episode of In Their Own Voices.

________________________________________________

SPONSORSHIP:

Funding for this podcast is provided by Southern Methodist University's Embrey Human Rights Program via their Community Outreach Fellowship. Their website is: http://smu.edu/humanrights/

MEDIA INQUIRIES:

For media inquiries, please contact tiffany@hrtsmedia.com.

HOST:

This podcast is hosted by Human Rights Media at: www.hrtsmedia.com and can be found on iTunes, Stitcher, and TuneIn as well as on most podcast aggregators.

New episodes are released monthly through May 2018.

Many thanks to the dedicated staff who work tirelessly to help produce this series and make it possible. And for each refugee and expert guest, thank you for your honesty and vulnerability to bring your stories and reliable data to the public.

CREDITS:

Tiffany Jelke, Producer & Host • SMU Community Outreach Fellow •
Michelle Lara, Production Assisant
Allison Plake, Audio Production Intern
Kade Peacock, Sound Technician

Dr. Bradley Klein, Associate Director of SMU's Embrey Human Rights Program is the mentor on this project.

FULL INTERVIEW WITH NICHOLAS HERAS OF CNAS (Subject matter expert for Episode 2 "Guilty Until Proven Innocent".

This is the full WebEx audio interview with Nicholas Heras of Center for a New American Security in Washington D.C. Nicholas discusses the key differences between U.S. and Euro migration and refugee flows and details the security vetting process for refugees coming to the U.S. He also explains the multilayered components that affect national security but are not covered as much in the press.

Nicholas Heras is an international expert on national security and the analysis of complex conflicts and security issues in the greater Middle East and North Africa, including Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan as well as Turkey and the Gulf. He has provided expert analysis for the National Intelligence Council, National Security Council, US Central Command, US Special Operations Command, the US State Department’s Policy Planning staff, and US Naval War College - Center for Irregular Warfare and Armed Groups. He is also a frequent commentator to the national and international media -- appearing on National Public Radio, Public Radio International, the BBC World Service, CBS Nightly News, Fox News, Al-Jazeera. He is often quoted in The Washington Post, The WSJ, CNN.com, The Associated Press, The Christian Science Monitor, Newsweek, USA Today, Voice of America, US News and World Report, Foreign Policy and many more.

Nicholas works as Middle East Security Fellow at the Center for a New American Security specializing in the Middle East Security Program and he is also a Senior Analyst for the Jamestown Foundation. He is the author of "From the Bottom Up: A Strategy for US Military Support for Syria’s Armed Opposition" and has co-authored and authored numerous scholarly articles.