We’re excited to welcome back Sadia Abdulkadir to Mosaics! Sadia spoke with us in 2023 as a social work undergrad, and since then she’s earned her master’s degree and is now working as a licensed social worker. Many of her clients, like herself, have experienced refugee resettlement firsthand.

Sadia shares about listening in the moment, working with interpreters, staying grounded, and approaching her work with curiosity, humility, and humanity.

People who have been forced to leave their home and resettle in another country may face messages that they are not worthy to be here or it’s not their place to pursue higher education, Sadia says. She encourages anyone feeling this way: you are worthy of pursuing a fulfilling life, and you’re not alone on this journey.

We discuss the recent changes to SNAP and Medicaid that are causing many refugees around the country to lose coverage. For help connecting with resources, please contact us at iorinfo@idahorefugees.org.

Boise foodies Palina Louangketh and Adan Callsen joined Mosaics to share about their love for cooking, rooted in family traditions, and how they share the joy with others.

Palina, executive director of the Idaho Museum of International Diaspora, is hosting a Lao Culinary Experience at the Idaho Foodbank's Meridian kitchen on Nov. 11, in partnership with the Idaho Office for Refugees. The event is free and open to all ages.

Adan Callsen is founder of Under the Table, a community dinner group, and manager of the West Bench Farmers Market in Boise. Check out the market before the final day of the season on Sept. 24 at Spaulding Ranch.
This episode was recorded live at Radio Boise on Sept. 9 and published by SB Studios.

This week on Mosaics, we hear from four storytellers about their journeys of displacement to becoming an American. Tune in to learn more about Idaho's resettlement history, hear firsthand accounts from storytellers representing Ukraine, Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, and experience the cultural heritages they continue to carry with them as they contribute to the American experiment.

Featured storytellers include Alla Aguilar and Tom Kanon (mother and son), Yasmin Aguilar, and Ezra ‘Kevin’ Irankunda. Ernestine, a high school student in Boise, performed an opening song in Kinyarwanda. Boise City Council Member Jimmy Hallyburton presented an opening message, and Mosaics host Holly Beech shared about the resettlement history and trends in Idaho.

This event was presented by the City of Boise on June 4 in partnership with the Idaho Office for Refugees and hosted at JUMP, part of the City of Boise's America 250 series.

This episode was recorded live and produced by SB Studios.