nothin Thousands Run, March, Rally For Refugees | New Haven Independent

Thousands Run, March, Rally For Refugees

Thousands of New Haveners poured onto the streets to show their support of refugees Sunday — first with a run, then with a march and a rally on the Green.

An annual five-kilometer Run for Refugees” hosted by Integrated Immigrant and Refugee Services (IRIS) brought out nearly 2,600 runners and walkers from across the state, raising over $150,000.

Two hours after that run, a march and rally organized by doctoral student Heba Gowayed and a group of grassroots activists filled the streets, traveling from Wilbur Cross School in East Rock to the New Haven Green downtown.

Before the march, there was the run. A little before 10 a.m. Sunday, IRIS Executive Director Chris George welcomed a group of over 2,500 runners — that’s more than twice last year’s registration of 1,100 — to the starting line. He said several resettled refugee families would be running alongside those who had considered themselves American” for years. It was time to get behind them, he said, for the long haul.

George

It’s been a rough ten days,” George said, referring to President Donald Trump’s executive order barring entry to the U.S. from seven Muslim nations. Refugee resettlement needs strong support from all branches of Connecticut.”

Thank you for running for refugees, but thank you for running for America,” said U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who remained at the start line for hours to march with protesters after the race. You are running today for the heart and soul of America. You are showing the world that America’s heart is bigger than some people in Washington think it is … that America welcomes refugees because they have helped to make America great. We can make it greater if we open our arms to the refugees who are fleeing violence and persecution.”

Runner Katie Jones.

Then runners were off, pounding the pavement as they passed Wilbur Cross, up the gentle slope of East Rock towards the summit, and back down again in a loop. Many came in partial or full costume as the statue of liberty; others proudly raised signs in English and Arabic that voiced support for refugees.

One of those runners was Joseph (who asked that his full name not be used). He arrived in New Haven with his wife and three children three months ago, fleeing violence in Congo.

Today, we are here, we stand on the constitution, with America, because the future of the nation, of the world, is in danger.” he said. You have to start here from the ground up — to start your life over again. But we feel safe, and we love this country.”

You cannot divide us up by country,” he added, referring to the travel ban on majority-Muslim countries that President Donald Trump has put into place. Refugees are refugees.”

Joseph’s sign.

The race concentrated on that fact. Signposts announced how to say welcome” in Arabic, Pashto, and Farsi dotting the upward climb. Statistics — that 6 in 10 Syrian refugees have encountered extreme violence at home; that refugees are the most likely to open small businesses — marked the way down. A drum circle played on festively at the two mile mark, urging runners on.

A small smorgasbord and trophy ceremony for winners — New Haven’s Raphael Sarfati in first and Jacob Zonderman of Orange in second — in Wilbur Cross’ gymnasium lent a celebratory feel to the morning’s activities, for which several people had turned out feeling somber.

This was really important to us,” said Valery Horsely, whose team for Action Together CT led the run’s fundraising charge, clocking in at over $12,000.

This Is What America Looks Like!

At noon, runners, organizers and activists close to the park had another task before them: march the mile and a half from Wilbur Cross to the New Haven Green, where there would be an hour-long rally.

Chaperoned by New Haven cops, thousands of marchers filled the streets of East Rock, spanning the length of almost four blocks as they made their way downtown. The front of the line — a group comprising George, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, U.S. Sen. Blumenthal, and a clump of protesters holding a banner that read Refugees Welcome” — offered up a cheer. The rest of the crowd picked it up, waves of Show Me What America Looks Like/This Is What America Looks Like!” and No Hate/No Fear/Refugees are welcome here!” echoing through the crowd.

Turning down Trumbull Street and again down Temple, the group made its way to the Green, where over 3,500 had gathered to hear three refugees tell their stories, in their own words.

Three women took the stage to speak in Arabic, with Gowayed translating into English. Each, surrounded by family and friends, said they were telling their stories for a specific reason: to show the American government how little there was to fear from refugees, who left their countries of origin when there was truly no hope.

One woman, Azhar Ahmed, told the crowd that she had arrived in New Haven a year ago from South Sudan, where she and her family were forced to flee persecution in the Nuba Mountains, subject to attack from rebels fighting the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF). It was, she said, a land of mines, planes, wild animals.” They had made the trek to Khartoum, where she died a million times a day,” stigmatized by her place of birth. She fled to Egypt, where she was persecuted by the government of Hosni Mubarak and watched a 2005 massacre in Mustapha Mahmoud Park. When she received note that she and her children could make safe passage as refugees to the U.S., she said she felt like she was dreaming. 

I thought it was the last journey I would make in search of peace,” she said. Until Jan. 20 2017, I realized my search was not over yet. My hopes and dreams had evaporated … and now I must wake up from my dream, and look for security once again.”

Another, Rawan (who asked that only her first name be used), began her speech with As-Salaam-Alaikum,” the Arabic greeting for peace. She said she wished to show politicians, legislators, and even the president that she carries with her only compassion for fellow Americans.

A refugee from Syria, she has been in New Haven for almost two years. Her son, a special-needs student in the West Haven schools, has gotten the help that he desperately needed back home. Her older daughter was lucky enough to get a scholarship to a boarding school in Vermont, and is now learning more than she could have in Syria, Rawan said. Her friend’s young daughter got a cochlear implant. Another colleague, a father of four who has cancer, has been able to get lifesaving treatment.

Then Trump issued his executive order, and she watched her children become afraid again. Her friend Afifa, whose daughter was at a refugee camp in Jordan, didn’t know if she would ever make it over to see her mother again.

People were settling into their lives until President Trump issued his decision against refugees,” she said. This has returned us to a state of fear and anxiety for the future … fear that families who are affected will not make it. A am a Syrian, a Muslim, and I wear the hijab — but I am also a human.”

A third woman, an Iraqi refugee named Bushra Mahdi, said she had been physically ill since the election, ending up in the emergency room last week with anxiety over Trump’s executive order.

Muslim Student Association president Abrar Omeish.

Several elected officials including DeLauro, Blumenthal, New Haven Mayor Toni Harp, and State Sen. Gary Winfield, also gave short speeches of encouragement and support as they took the stage. Picking up on Sen. Blumenthal’s statement that We are a nation of immigrants, and we will win this fight,” and DeLauro’s that we will not cower in fear” in the face of an unconstitutional ban, Harp told the crowd that New Haven will remain a sanctuary city, welcoming immigrants and refugees. 

We know that what it takes to make this country what it says it is — a place of freedom — that you must stand up and you must fight,” she said. We demand that this country be what it says that it is. That it is tolerant. That it believes in religious freedom. That it supports the people who come here with a dream.”

I will tell you that we, in my background, did not come as immigrants willingly,” she added. But we helped build this country … I stand with you because I stand for the America that we all believe in. And I think what we’ll have to do for the next four years is to stand up. And don’t get tired, because this is not over yet.”

Muslim Student Association member Sana Mojarradi: “There is strength in numbers.”

Vietnamese refugee Trinh Truony (pictured), a Yale undergraduate who became an American citizen four years ago and is now working towards becoming a civil rights lawyer, echoed that sentiment.

We need to stop defining by race, class, religion, immigration status and country of origin,” she said. We need to tell our politicians: don’t be afraid of refugees. Be afraid of the people who made them refugees.”

As the crowd launched into another cheer of Show me what New Haven looks like! This is what New Haven looks like!” many attendees shivering in the cold, George took the stage for a final hurrah, and call to action.

The race this morning was a 5k,” he said. The fight for social justice is a marathon. I’m honored to be running it with all of you.”

The New Haven Independent was live on Facebook for most of the rally. To check it out, visit the NHI’s Facebook page. 

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