“My name is Emma Cummins. I am from Boise, Idaho and I am majoring in English Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication (WRTC) and minoring in Anthropology. I originally was interested in Criminal Justice, but soon after my first class under that, I decided it wasn’t for me. So, I turned to something I have always succeeded at which happens to be English. I knew I didn’t want to become a teacher or pen the world’s next great novel. So, I researched and found the perfect fit for me: technical communication. Here, I can produce written material for all sorts of backgrounds such as video game manuals, grants, social media posts, and memos.
Along with technical communication, my selected major also allows me to hone in on my English skills through the act of various writings. These include nonfiction, fiction, analysis, and research pieces. After graduation, I hope to travel the world for a while before settling on a job. I am hoping the type of job I get allows me to work from remote locations, as I want to continue what I like to do outside of work and study, which is traveling and being with my family (which includes two lovable labradors).”
Gain Knowledge of Refugees, Be Proactive
If someone told you Boise, Idaho was a leading city in refugee resettlement, would you believe that local hospitals and businesses support part of their lives here? Whether you said yes or no, my experience during this project has proven that the local hospitals and companies are very supportive in helping refugees develop and adjust to a comfortable life in Boise. Speaking with local businesses; I have discovered a deeper understanding of the importance of small businesses regarding refugees, the various programs hospitals have in place, and why my interests and social location create a powerful harmony that can, and will, be used to educate, volunteer, and learn across the globe.
For this project, I wanted to learn more about the connection between hospitals and businesses to refugees in Boise. To do that I needed to understand the history of refugees settling in Idaho. In 1975, Governor John Evans established the Indochinese Refugee Assistance Program in response to the need for all states to participate in the resettlement of refugees fleeing the overthrow of U.S. supported governments in Southeast Asia (“Refugees in Idaho”). From then on Idaho continued to take in many refugees from multiple countries, in the 90’s alone Idaho took in 5,000 refugees. In 2017, Idaho had refugees coming from Iraq, Congo, Burma, Afghanistan, and Somalia among other countries (“Refugees in Idaho”). Of the number of refugees that arrive in Idaho, a significant portion of them settle in Boise, which has been recognized internationally in some situations as a welcoming community for refugees (Johnson).
By knowing more about the refugee history in Idaho and more specifically, Boise, I was able to contact local businesses and hospitals with a more precise purpose in mind. I decided to get in contact with various types of companies in Boise such as restaurants, bookstores, and, bakeries. Through emails and phone calls, I was able to learn more about the Boise community and just how welcoming they can be. I decided to ask the businesses in town about opinions they might have on refugees and if they would hire them or if they already do have refugees in their employ. I first got a response from Charles Alpers, the owner of Zeppole Baking Company. His response, though short and sweet, gave me a starting point in understanding Boise’s feelings regarding refugees. He said, “Yes, we employ refugees if they are qualified to perform the required duties. We currently have refugees working for us. Unfortunate that it is a sensitive topic.” This response was enough for me to continue forward and see if other businesses were just as accepting.
Next, I talked to Kasey Allen, owner of The STIL Ice Cream Shop in downtown Boise. He said, “We do, in fact, have an opinion about this topic! We already do employ a refugee. Her name is Najlaa, she is from Syria, and she’s been one of our head ice cream makers since September of 2017. She’s a huge part of our team, and we’re extremely grateful to have her! Our goal is to hire more refugee labor as we grow, which we hope is sooner rather than later.” It was amazing to hear a more personal response to my questions. I also think that to have a refugee from Syria in your hire in these political times is a great reminder that the United States can be accepting and that Boise is a supporting part in the refugee crisis. I also emailed with Laura DeLaney, co-owner of Rediscovered Books located on 8th street. She said, “I am proud to live in a city that welcomes refugees into our community. Their experiences and viewpoints enrich all of us and challenge us to grow in our understanding and ask us to evolve how we create community.” I was not expecting such a meaningful response that connected so tightly to my project purpose.
My final business connection in Boise was to Idaho Blueprint & Supply Company. Idaho Blueprint is my family’s business that was first run by my great-grandfather, then my grandmother, and now my parents. My grandmother is 100% Basque, (These are indigenous people who came from/live in the Basque Country in Spain), making my father 63% and me 28%. Throughout the years the Basque country has been tormented by discrimination and war, my great-great grandparents were immigrants from Spain in the late-late 1800s. There is a history of Basque people fleeing their country and heading to the U.S., even recently during the Basque Conflict that began in 1959 and ended in 2011 (Whitfield). Knowing this history and speaking with the owners of Idaho Blueprint gives more of a connection to the current refugee situation. Though my parents do not have any refugees in their hire at the time, they do understand how vital Boise can be to those seeking asylum. They also point out that my father’s family history brings about a representation and meaning to refugees in Boise and that accepting them in our city will only bring more awareness to what they have gone through and what they can bring to the growing city of Boise.
Gaining information from the local hospitals in Boise was also crucial to me and my project. I got in contact with St. Luke’s hospital, and unfortunately, they have not gotten back to me, but they were very open to speaking about refugee situations, they just needed to make some calls to figure out their refugee services. I did talk with the administration at Saint Alphonsus, and they directed me to the Center for Global Health & Healing. Here, I learned about their International Clinic. This clinic works directly with patients that have endured trauma, and they help them physically, psychologically, spiritually, and socially. They have health care providers that are involved in the Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers and Center for Victims of Torture. Saint Alphonsus also has a CARE Clinic; this clinic offers group prenatal and infant care to families who have arrived into the United States through the refugee resettlement program (“Center for Global Health & Healing”).
In learning about refugees and how Boise businesses and hospitals welcome them, I have uncovered a deep personal interest in helping those who need it most. When I look at my identity, white American woman part of the middle class, I often think what can I possibly put into action to further help those in need? I am only me. However, when you take into account your social location, the point where all the features embodied in a person overlap (Kirk & Okazawa-Rey), you can see your identities and interests, your community, and the global levels all affect change.
In developing this project, I find myself looking at how my interests align with helping refugees. At Boise State, I am majoring in English with a Technical Communication emphasis and minoring in Anthropology. In taking Anthropology courses, I have begun to understand the complex minds that have shaped the human condition. Developing emotions and empathy has been a long journey and has led us to our current brains. By understanding more about what makes humans so unique, I have located a part of my mind that has a desire to help those in need. From the interests of this class, I have a desire to help refugees more than I ever knew I could. I want to take the knowledge I have gained here and from the Boise community and bring awareness to not only the greater United States but the entire world. With this acquired knowledge on refugees; I have learned how welcoming a city can be, how hiring refugees can bring discovery and enlightenment, how a community is more than the people born there, and just how vital it is to bring awareness to the refugee situation.
By creating a harmony of my interests and the entirety of my social location, I believe that by educating those around me, volunteering in refugee programs across the globe, and by learning from refugee stories and my own experiences, I am bringing action to a situation that deserves it. In my “Cycle of Socialization,” I am looking at the results from years of culturally reinforced bias and discrimination. I see anger, stress, silence, and violence. I am interrupting this cycle and taking charge of my life, and what I can bring to others, I am creating a direction for change (Harro).
Work Cited
Allen, Kasey. “Refugee Labor.” Refugee Labor, 20 June 2018. Email.
Alpers, Charles. “Businesses and Refugees in Boise.” Businesses and Refugees in Boise, 16 June 2018. Email.
“Center for Global Health & Healing.” Boise, Idaho (ID), Saint Alphonsus Health System,
www.saintalphonsus.org/services/center-for-global-health-healing/.
DeLaney, Laura. “Refugees in Boise.” Refugees in Boise, 21 June 2018. Email.
Harro, Bobbie. “The Cycle of Socialization.” Reading for Diversity and Social Justice, 3rd ed., Routledge, pp. 45–52.
Johnson, Dean. “More Syrian Refugees in Boise than in NYC and LA Combined.” KTVB,
KTVB, 1 Sept. 2016, www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/more-syrian-refugees-in-boise-than-nyc-and-la-combined/312674885.
Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. “Identities and Social Locations.” Reading for Diversity and Social Justice, 3rd ed., Routledge, pp. 9–15.
“Refugees in Idaho.” Idaho Office for Refugees, www.idahorefugees.org/refugees-in-idaho.html.
Whitfield, Teresa. The Basque Conflict and ETA: The Difficulties of an Ending. USIP, TheBasque Conflict and ETA: The Difficulties of an Ending, cic.nyu.edu/sites/default/files/whitfield_basque_conflict_eta_dec2015.pdf.