[Music]
thank you I don’t know where to start
but I will talk about my personal
experience I have been working for
development in different area of
conflict and crisis for almost 13 years
as a result of this work I have seen the
worst and the best of this world and of
humanity I live in a conflict area and
5-star Hotel I witness the conversion of
the field workers and brutality of the
war lords I confronted the inhumanity
but I also loved it is beauty love the
beauty of this world and cherish it now
I feel that I have an immune system that
protect me everywhere I go
although the assumption and a stereotype
it seemed to always follow me and
challenge me but I still I believe in
the community I believe in a community
and I believe that I belong to the
community everywhere I go
3 word from my experience describe
refugee anniversary like me its
accommodation assimilation and isolation
accommodation is the best approach where
we give up something of ourself and we
gain something assimilation is the worst
approach where we give up everything
that define us and gain nothing
isolation is a process where we give
everything and gain muscle some people
think isolation is in a condition that
involves barriers for example
think we’re isolate a dangerous prisoner
or quarantine a contagious patient to
protect citizen in contrast we think we
receive danger as a barriers that can
involve isolation and isolate refugees
and immigrants fare protection based on
the wrong assumption can isolate us and
create barriers protective barriers can
also restrict our movement and was most
worsening those barriers they can
restrict our association with each
other’s when I moved to the US I was
hoping that in this diverse place it
would be easier for me to engage and
thrive because there is a loud voices
that will come newcomer like me I came
and I was not I was patient enough that
acceptant will follow however this
community has preferred to see me as a
Naboo refugee who need a sister when I
arrived I had an appointment with the
director of one year I went with a
company of man of privilege and
approached the receptionist and I said I
have an appointment with the director
the reception is with a gulet with the
good intention who happened to be a
woman from disadvantaged group she
turned her back and talked to the man
who accompanied me and she said what
services does she need in a private
moment the man and I we laughed the
gentleman he told her that and she said
she has an appointment she doesn’t need
a service I can understand the good
intention of the women by working she
was quitting the exchange by turning to
be resumed native speaker
and asked but she asked based on wrong
assumption that the only business that I
can have with the director was to
receive a services imagine how many of
you have thought the same thing how many
of you who thought that a person like me
is just an oppressed women need to be
liberated it’s just an a poor person
need assistant or a vulnerable person
need support
how many of you I’ll tell you one story
after the election result I was
traveling from DC back home and I
stopped on one of the Travel Plaza while
I was wandering with my chai latte or
women with a friendly face and a warm
smile insisted on having a conversation
with me we have a short conversation and
eye contact and then she hugged me and
she said I promise I will not be silent
and I will protect any women whoever he
got I hug her and I promise that I’ll be
strong and I told her that you know what
I’m not vulnerable and I will not let
anyone to harass me I know many people
who never met a Muslim or know the
struggle of immigrants
there are susceptible for the assumption
and I simulate the assumption that
everyone like me can create fear and
security around them I may not see that
woman again or not even remember her
face but I know one thing that we both
will keep the promise because we stand
together in a warm voice of humanity
but I have to remind myself after the
hundred days that followed the swearing
of the president that I’m strong Muslim
women Sudanese and female and above all
those work and I will continue to be
myself regardless of the political
rhetoric that encouraged assimilation
and force isolation I was happy to walk
around my neighborhood and to see that
my neighbor had a sign written in three
different language include mine which is
Arabic the science had if I remember
very well no matter were you from we are
glad to have you as our neighbor I was
happy to see that sign and I went to the
neighbor and I said thank you that will
give me the hope that I will be a good
neighbor and together we can celebrate
the humanity and diversity of this
community
two days ago I returned back from the
Berlin after been visiting the camps on
the border with Syria Lebanon it’s a
very complicated community in Lebanon
you find Islam and Christianity you find
refugees from everywhere from Serbia
Sudan Palestine and Syria and Lebanon
the refugees and Lebanese are equal in
more or less or equal in population and
you might think that Lebanese they are
accepting this big number of refugees
but like everywhere and here in the US
they have a fear of security of fears
and insecurities of that big numbers of
refugees
I have to remind the head worker that I
was working with that we are home
Italian worker we make no distinction in
the status on our obligation is to the
community and again I keep remind myself
that I will always as a visitor and a
stranger it will be difficult for me to
tell or for everyone who belong and who
I select but I believe in one thing that
we together can work to build a
community based on mutual respect and
opportunity for all before I leave I
will say that I will continue to
accommodate humanity for the sake of
better community but I my sometime need
to isolate myself to seek peace and
century but I will never assimilate I
cannot be you and you cannot be me your
culture is your culture and my culture
is mine but I will do my best to
accommodate humanity for the sake of a
better community and we together can
accommodate and define humanity and
celebrate diversity I will not take a
class to lose my accent but I will do my
best to communicate the story of how can
we accommodate and appreciate each other
in my community there is no refugee
there is no immigrant there is just
humility and community began with a
sincere welcome thank you
[Applause]
[Music]
thank you I don’t know where to start
but I will talk about my personal
experience I have been working for
development in different area of
conflict and crisis for almost 13 years
as a result of this work I have seen the
worst and the best of this world and of
humanity I live in a conflict area and
5-star Hotel I witness the conversion of
the field workers and brutality of the
war lords I confronted the inhumanity
but I also loved it is beauty love the
beauty of this world and cherish it now
I feel that I have an immune system that
protect me everywhere I go
although the assumption and a stereotype
it seemed to always follow me and
challenge me but I still I believe in
the community I believe in a community
and I believe that I belong to the
community everywhere I go
3 word from my experience describe
refugee anniversary like me its
accommodation assimilation and isolation
accommodation is the best approach where
we give up something of ourself and we
gain something assimilation is the worst
approach where we give up everything
that define us and gain nothing
isolation is a process where we give
everything and gain muscle some people
think isolation is in a condition that
involves barriers for example
think we’re isolate a dangerous prisoner
or quarantine a contagious patient to
protect citizen in contrast we think we
receive danger as a barriers that can
involve isolation and isolate refugees
and immigrants fare protection based on
the wrong assumption can isolate us and
create barriers protective barriers can
also restrict our movement and was most
worsening those barriers they can
restrict our association with each
other’s when I moved to the US I was
hoping that in this diverse place it
would be easier for me to engage and
thrive because there is a loud voices
that will come newcomer like me I came
and I was not I was patient enough that
acceptant will follow however this
community has preferred to see me as a
Naboo refugee who need a sister when I
arrived I had an appointment with the
director of one year I went with a
company of man of privilege and
approached the receptionist and I said I
have an appointment with the director
the reception is with a gulet with the
good intention who happened to be a
woman from disadvantaged group she
turned her back and talked to the man
who accompanied me and she said what
services does she need in a private
moment the man and I we laughed the
gentleman he told her that and she said
she has an appointment she doesn’t need
a service I can understand the good
intention of the women by working she
was quitting the exchange by turning to
be resumed native speaker
and asked but she asked based on wrong
assumption that the only business that I
can have with the director was to
receive a services imagine how many of
you have thought the same thing how many
of you who thought that a person like me
is just an oppressed women need to be
liberated it’s just an a poor person
need assistant or a vulnerable person
need support
how many of you I’ll tell you one story
after the election result I was
traveling from DC back home and I
stopped on one of the Travel Plaza while
I was wandering with my chai latte or
women with a friendly face and a warm
smile insisted on having a conversation
with me we have a short conversation and
eye contact and then she hugged me and
she said I promise I will not be silent
and I will protect any women whoever he
got I hug her and I promise that I’ll be
strong and I told her that you know what
I’m not vulnerable and I will not let
anyone to harass me I know many people
who never met a Muslim or know the
struggle of immigrants
there are susceptible for the assumption
and I simulate the assumption that
everyone like me can create fear and
security around them I may not see that
woman again or not even remember her
face but I know one thing that we both
will keep the promise because we stand
together in a warm voice of humanity
but I have to remind myself after the
hundred days that followed the swearing
of the president that I’m strong Muslim
women Sudanese and female and above all
those work and I will continue to be
myself regardless of the political
rhetoric that encouraged assimilation
and force isolation I was happy to walk
around my neighborhood and to see that
my neighbor had a sign written in three
different language include mine which is
Arabic the science had if I remember
very well no matter were you from we are
glad to have you as our neighbor I was
happy to see that sign and I went to the
neighbor and I said thank you that will
give me the hope that I will be a good
neighbor and together we can celebrate
the humanity and diversity of this
community
two days ago I returned back from the
Berlin after been visiting the camps on
the border with Syria Lebanon it’s a
very complicated community in Lebanon
you find Islam and Christianity you find
refugees from everywhere from Serbia
Sudan Palestine and Syria and Lebanon
the refugees and Lebanese are equal in
more or less or equal in population and
you might think that Lebanese they are
accepting this big number of refugees
but like everywhere and here in the US
they have a fear of security of fears
and insecurities of that big numbers of
refugees
I have to remind the head worker that I
was working with that we are home
Italian worker we make no distinction in
the status on our obligation is to the
community and again I keep remind myself
that I will always as a visitor and a
stranger it will be difficult for me to
tell or for everyone who belong and who
I select but I believe in one thing that
we together can work to build a
community based on mutual respect and
opportunity for all before I leave I
will say that I will continue to
accommodate humanity for the sake of
better community but I my sometime need
to isolate myself to seek peace and
century but I will never assimilate I
cannot be you and you cannot be me your
culture is your culture and my culture
is mine but I will do my best to
accommodate humanity for the sake of a
better community and we together can
accommodate and define humanity and
celebrate diversity I will not take a
class to lose my accent but I will do my
best to communicate the story of how can
we accommodate and appreciate each other
in my community there is no refugee
there is no immigrant there is just
humility and community began with a
sincere welcome thank you
[Applause]
[Music]
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