28 March

Meet Solange, An American Story, A Proud Citizen. Art Kits Needed.

by Jon Katz
An American Story

I went to Albany Tuesday evening to meet two remarkable people, Solange Mandego and Francis Sengabo, both agreed to meet me at the offices of the Refugee And immigrant Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE) Church.

Solange came to America from the Congo a decade ago, her family fled the Rwandan genocide. Sengabo, a gentle and easy going man, is now operations director of RISSE, he was in a refugee camp for 10 years, and was one of a handful of people – there were 400,000 people in the camp – who made it to America.

Solange saw her brother and cousin shot during massacre that occurred in her refugee camp. Solange and Francis say they would not be alive today if they did not make it to America. Neither has drained our social services or been a threat to anyone. Solange just became the first refugee in the history of the program to get her college degree (Sienna College), and she is going to join the board of RISSE.

In her country, women did not often get photographed, and she smiled and was just a bit shy, so I took this photo, and then other photos of her face with her permission.  I will post them tomorrow morning on the blog.I thought this photo was a fitting symbol of the terror that has gripped immigrant and refugee communities all over the country. They came her to escape terror, and found more here.

They give the lie to the disgusting idea that they are all violent parasites come to harm us. They are us.

RISSE is an amazing organization, wrapped around a Methodist Church second floor and an ashphalt playground. I want to write about it in the coming weeks and months.

They are overwhelmed with need, and I am going to try to help them in any way I can.I hope to bring them to life here, and follow them closely. We brought some art kits for refugee children, and they were a huge hit. I need to get more to them.

First, I want to help by writing about the refugees and showing that these are not terrorists or job stealers people who drain our resources. We have read a good deal about the small numbers of people who commit crimes and hurt people, but we have read little or nothing about people like Solange or Francis, who come her to work hard and live freely and raise themselves up.  They have all worked to learn English, get an education, find jobs, pay taxes. They love our country and are grateful to be here. It is wrong for them to feel fear and  hatred here.

They are just like my grandparents and perhaps yours. Talking to Solange and Francis, I felt a deep shame for my country. I owe them my support.

The first need of RISSE that I hope to fill – there are many more – is to supply 80 plus art kits (I brought 10) for the 90 children in their after school arts and English program. For that, I will need to raise $1,200 so Rachel Barlow can put them together. RISSE needs everything, school supplies, a new fence for the playground, a new van.

But I want to start with the art kids. They need 80-90 more. Their tiny classrooms are crowded.

In 2014, arsonists burned their building and slashed all of the tires on their aging vans. The new building just opened a year ago.

I’ll write more about these two remarkable people tomorrow. Solange is happy for me to show her face. We could use some help in putting together these art kits for very needy refugee children. You can see them and donate here. More tomorrow.

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