Every Campus a Refuge hosted a “welcoming new arrivals in the High Country” gathering Friday in Leon Levine Hall. The event invited locals, community organizers and students for discussions and activities on how to make the High Country a more welcoming community for refugees and migrants.
“We were congregating; we were discussing our work in the community, our passions in the community and leveraging this knowledge and brainstorming ways to apply it in Boone,” said Kimberly Acosta-Flores, a senior apparel design and merchandising major who attended the event.
ECAR is an aid organization that provides support to migrant families by housing them on college campuses during the resettlement process.
The day’s activities were meant to allow neighbors to learn from one another, connect and discuss ways App State can be a part of aiding the global refugee crisis.
“Throughout the day, to me, what stood out was the passion for commitment to the community and passion to help,” Acosta-Flores said. “A lot of people in the workshop were allies and advocates for the community, and all of them were sharing the resources they provide, and they were sharing stories that they’ve had.”
ECAR was founded by Diya Abdo, an English professor at Guilford College, in 2015. Abdo comes from a family of Palestinian refugees in Jordan and was inspired by Pope Francis’ call for every European parish to host one refugee family in the wake of the Syrian refugee crisis.
Understanding the critical resources and welcoming communities on college campuses, Abdo developed ECAR with the idea that campuses could also serve as sanctuaries for migrants and refugees.
ECAR’s website describes college campuses as “uniquely equipped to host refugees, offering housing, food, medical care and a supportive community, all within a self-sufficient, self-regulating environment.”
Plans to bring ECAR to Boone came about when Diya Abdo met Joseph Bathanti, a creative writing professor at App State, at a lecture.
“We connected around community care, peace and being a good neighbor,” Abdo said.
Upon learning more about App State and Boone’s community, Abdo thought it would work well as a part of her sanctuary program.
“App State is a good fit. People feel surrounded by beauty here,” Abdo said. “Students understand what it’s like to leave home and try to find their way in a new place.”
Nothing is set in stone for App State’s involvement in ECAR yet, but Abdo is optimistic about the progress made at the gathering based on what she saw from the discussions.
“People are invested, involved and righteously incensed,” Abdo said.
