I have been working with the Somali Refugee Population for close to 3 years and have co founded a non profit which serves them called COMSA. Projects I have helped come to fruition include Green Bay's first all female Somali swimming program, refuge...More
I have been working with the Somali Refugee Population for close to 3 years and have co founded a non profit which serves them called COMSA. Projects I have helped come to fruition include Green Bay's first all female Somali swimming program, refugee bike riding event, annual Hijabi Party fundraiser, empowerment sailing lessons and teaching in the after school and summer school refugee programs. I co facilitate a group of young female Somali refugees called The United Resisters who have attempted to postively change the refugee narrative in our city through an art mural, a commissioned fashion peice at a local museum, and their recently published memior, "The First WInter". Along with authoring a peice of the book, advocating for these groups in shelters, community leadership programs and various advocacy networks, I have finished my Masters in Social Work and have dedicated my field of study to the local refugee popualtion. As a newly hired school social worker I aim to utilize the programs I have helped to create as an empowerment tool in the schools to decrease the achievement gap, behavioral referrals, and increase academic success. Within the multiple levels of systems of support to which our public school distrcit subscribes, is a culturally responsive peice which calls for diverse curriculum and interventions. As an intern in the same district I utilized these local community based resources and organizations to strengthen the ability to communicate with refugee families and increase their children's postive perceptions of schools. I enjoy the themes of agancy, self efficacy, resiliency, leadership and growth mindest when working with the refugee popualtions and hope to bridge any gaps in our district by continuing to encourage diverse and culturally appropriate interventions.
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