Name: Margaret MacGillivray

Social Justice Group: Refugees

Date of Fieldwork: January 22, 2018

Name of Organization:

Person (people) with whom I met and their job titles: Bill Bailey, Abdulla, and Mamoud

Type of Fieldwork: Interview

What I did:

We spoke with Abdulla and Mamoud about their experiences as Syrian refugees. We also learned more about what the church does to support refugees like them.

What I learned:

It was truly amazing to get to speak with real refugees. It gave me such a better connection to our topic, and helped me to realize what so many refugees must go through. Abdulla and Mamoud were forced to leave Syria because of the civil war that is taking place, and ISIS. They spoke about how they lived outside of the village of Aleppo, and would be able to walk to the village for their daily needs. When the civil war took place, Aleppo was no longer safe. They couldn’t leave their house without being robbed or being held for ransom. They didn’t have access to food, and had to leave. They went to Turkey in the mean time when they had a connecting flight. At the border, they were told that they couldn’t go to the United States because of Trump’s new rules. They were forced to stay in Turkey with no money and no house, and eventually finally were able to come here. This interview helped me to learn that not only do refugees need help legally to be allowed to come into our country, but they need help once they get inside our country with money and food. Bill Bailey works at a church that lends refugees money to help them settle in. This is how Abdulla and Mamoud are here today, with jobs and houses.

What I learned about Social Justice “work” and/or Civil and Human rights “work” from this fieldwork:

Throughout this fieldwork, I learned that even if you are facing hardships because of lack of social justice, you need to keep your head held high. Even though Mamoud and Abdulla went through a lot to get here and are still going through a lot, they always have smiles on their faces. They are happy, and don’t let their past bring them down. This is a lesson I believe is important for every social justice issue, and while people should be protesting and fighting for their lives, they must also remember to put a smile on their face.