Finding the needle to success

Story and photos by EMILY RODRIGUEZ-VARGAS A 3-year-old boy sits barefoot on the pavement at 2248 S. 440 East in South Salt Lake City, with a weary look on his face. Watching other children laugh and play at the Hser Ner Moo community center for refugees, he remains on the sidewalk alone. Unfortunately, not all [...]

Refugees celebrate First Thanksgiving in America

by MATT BERGSTROM Virtually attend the First Thanksgiving celebration. Each of us probably has many unique memories of Thanksgiving, but they probably all centered on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and family. We remember the pilgrims who broke bread with their native hosts in this new land. And eventually we go around the table [...]

Iraqi refugees in SLC find differences and similarities

by BRETT PERFILI View a slideshow of the families and the Humanitarian Center (best viewed in full-screen mode) In the spring of 2003, the U.S. government sent in troops to invade Iraq because it was believed the country held weapons of mass destruction. The invasion also aimed to put an end to Suddam Hussein’s support [...]

Salt Lake County faces refugee-housing crisis

by MATT BERGSTROM At the end of 2007, Salt Lake County Community Resources and Development commissioned a report on the housing situation for refugees within the county. The report, published in December 2007 by Wikstrom Economic and Planning Consultants Inc., revealed a dire situation. According to the report, Salt Lake is what is known as [...]

LDS Humanitarian Center and Inner City Project helps refugees

Story by MICHAEL OLSON   See a slideshow about an English class provided by the LDS Humanitarian Center and hear from a service missionary (best viewed in full-screen mode) Amy Wylie, 49, and her husband have been volunteering with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Inner City Project for nine years. They [...]

Salt Lake City is fighting human trafficking

by BRAD TAGGART Human trafficking usually starts with despair and a desire for something better and often ends in tragedy. Human trafficking is the act of illegally transporting victims for slavery from one country to another. It has become increasingly common around the world. Human trafficking is a multi-billion-dollar industry that relies on hopelessness and [...]

Burmese refugee liking life in America

by BRETT PERFILI Every year immigrants and refugees come to the United States seeking change, looking for opportunity and trying to discover some success in their new country. And as most Americans wake up on weekdays and head to work to make a living, Sebastian Palsuk, a Burmese refugee, is right there with them doing [...]

A big change is coming for the IRC in SLC

by MATT BERGSTROM Imagine you have just contracted a life-altering disease. You find a specialist who knows how to treat it and the two of you work together to improve your quality of life. Now imagine that after six months you are told you have to go to a new specialist. The new doctor is [...]

Refugee caseworkers work long hours in Salt Lake City

by MICHAEL OLSON Originally from Rwanda, Africa, Valentine Mukundente and her parents were relocated to Salt Lake City as refugees. Before they came to America, however, Mukundente and her family were sent to a refugee camp in Zambia where she spent her high school years. In Zambia, Mukundente worked as a translator for the United Nations [...]

SLC refugee agencies fight for time, money

by BRADY LEAVITT The flight attendant lifts the microphone to his lips and smiles. He announces that in an effort to cut costs the scheduled pilot has been laid off. Fortunately, a good-intentioned passenger has skimmed a copy of the pilot’s handbook and is volunteering to fly the plane. It is a metaphor used by [...]