June 20: World Refugee Day

June 20th is the Annual World Refugee Day. This year's theme is "1 is too many."

1 family forced to flee their home country is too many.

1 child growing up in a refugee camp is too many.

1 refugee without hope is too many.

You hear about refugees, but do you know much do you really know about them?

Do you know the difference between an immigrant and a refugee; a refugee and an asylum seeker? Why do people flee their home countries? What is the process to become a refugee?

These are important questions and it is important that we educate ourselves and welcome the refugees in our communities. You may pass them on the street and notice that they look different but are you aware of what they may have been through?

Take this quick quiz to test your knowledge!

Being a Refugee



Storytelling Through the Eyes of Refugees: Sahar's Story



There are many things we can do to help welcome the refugees in our community.

Volunteer with a local refugee resettlement agency or any agency that works with refugees. Chances are they could use your help in orienting the newcomers to the United States whether it is
-making sure their new apartments are set up
-helping teach English
-helping them navigate via public transit or
-simply being a friend.

Find ways to get involved in your local refugee community!

Additional resources:
Bridging Refugee Youth & Children's Services: Refugee 101
UN Refugee Agency's "Do One Thing" 2011 Campaign
U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement
Mosaic Family Services

Mosaic Receives Grant from the Texas Bar Foundation

Mosaic Family Services recently received a $9,600 grant for the Multicultural Legal Services Program from the Texas Bar Foundation. This generous grant will support the Language Access Program within the legal program by expanding interpretive services in order to improve access to justice for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) victims. As an agency that targets refugees and immigrants, approximately 80% of Mosaic’s clients speak little to no English. Consequently, the Multicultural Legal Services Program depends upon translators and interpreters to effectively serve clients. Professional interpreters are often unaware of crime victim issues and are unprepared for adversarial courtroom settings. Through the Language Access Program, the legal program at Mosaic can better serve its clients by ensuring the provision of professional interpreters and by training those interpreters to be sensitive to issues such as domestic violence and human trafficking, which directly impact the LEP victims.

Since its inception in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation has awarded more than $12 million in grants to law-related programs. Supported by members of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Bar Foundation is the nation’s largest charitably-funded bar foundation.

Mosaic Family Services Multicultural Legal Services Program employs three full-time attorneys who provide immigration and family law representation for low-income immigrant victims of crimes such as domestic violence and human trafficking.

For more information on the Texas Bar Foundation, please visit their website.

Posted by Laura B

World Day for Cultural Diversity

Today is the World Day for Cultural Diversity: For Dialogue and Development. You may wonder, "how in the world do I celebrate such an occasion?" Well this year's theme is "Do one thing" for cultural diversity and inclusion. Again, this may seem very abstract, but there are some very practical, easy and FUN ways to do this in your everyday life.

Thought Starters for Individuals
(adapted from the "Do One Thing" facebook fanpage)

Show your care for diversity and tell others:
1. “Like” Mosaic, the Do One Thing Campaign or another culturally diverse organization on Facebook and start a discussion on your “wall”
2. Invite your friends to review the pages and learn more
3. Tell your Twitter followers what you are doing in support of the Do One Thing Campaign!
4. Create a 1-2 minute video and post it to our Facebook page about your “ONE thing”
5. Tell others about the Do One Thing Campaign and about Mosaic!
6. Start a conversation with a friend about any cross-cultural experiences that you've had.

Increase your awareness:
1. Take a virtual/on-line tour of a country you’ve never been to
2. Research the history or culture of another country or civilization and talk about it with your family and friends
3. Check out world events through another country’s news channel
4. Set your web browser to the international version
5. Explore art/music of a different culture

Experience another culture:
1. Visit an art exhibit/museum that reflects diverse cultures
2. Rent a movie about a different culture… with subtitles
3. Go out to a culturally diverse lunch/dinner
4. Prepare a dish that is not of your native cuisine
5. Have a potluck with your co-workers/friends that is your native cuisine
6. Learn traditional greetings/thank you’s in another language. Practice them at work and with your family
If you are in the DFW area, check out the cultural calendar for local cultural events.

Make a difference for cultural understanding and give back:
1. Make a donation to a non-profit that is meaningful to you and making a difference around the world or in your community (like MOSAIC!)

After your cultural experience or activity, feel free to share it by commenting on this wall or on our Facebook page. We would love to hear from you!

Mosaic in Motion - Just 4 Weeks Away!

The countdown begins as our 2nd Annual 5k and 1 Mile Family Fun Run is just 4 weeks away! If you register by April 30th- it is only $25. That is enough to feed a family at our transitional shelter for 1 week!

Remember, if you are not able to attend for whatever reason, you can register as a
VIRTUAL RUNNER and still benefit a great cause!

As the big day is fast approaching we need anyone who is part of a student, civic, faith or interest group to help us spread the word! Please visit our website for more details and to download a brochure and/or flyer to help distribute!

Remember, this race is kid and pet friendly!



A brief run-down of the event day:
8:30-8:40AM Opening ceremony and welcome
8:40-8:45AM Warm-up and stretching with personal trainer
9:00-10:00AM Run/walk events! (9AM- 5k begins; 9:30AM 1 Mile begins)
10:05AM Awards ceremony
10:00AM-12:00PM Activities and raffles!

Here is a list of just some of family fun activities that will be happening after the race:
Cupcake walk, water balloon toss, tug of war, pet trick contest

Raffle prizes include:
o Running watches
o Certificate for ZOOM teeth whitening
o Certificates for 3 months of free tanning
o Studio Movie Grill Tickets
o VIP coupons from Allen Premium Outlet
o $50 gift card to Costco (Lewisville)
o $20 gift card to Tom Thumb (McDermott)

REGISTER NOW and RSVP on our Facebook event page and invite your friends!

“A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable
faith in their mission can alter the course of history.”
—Mohandas Gandhi (1869 – 1948)

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (April 10-16, 2011)

“The past is behind, learn from it. The future is ahead, prepare for it. The present is here, live it.” --Thomas S. Monson

Every April since 1981, the Office for Victims of Crime of the U.S. Department of Justice has hosted a National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. This year’s theme is Reshaping the Future, Honoring the Past.

Reshaping the Future, Honoring the Past applauds the power of victims and the victims’ rights movement to transform lives and change the course of history. The 2011 NCVRW theme honors victims, underscoring the nation’s duty to respect and support their efforts to reclaim their lives. As it calls on us to reflect on past achievements, this theme also challenges us to confront persistent shortcomings in our nation’s treatment of victims. Only 2 to 15 percent of crime victims access needed victim services, such as crisis and mental health counseling, shelter, information, financial assistance, and advocacy within the criminal and juvenile justice systems. Victims’ rights vary significantly from state to state and between states and the federal government. Furthermore, many victims do not know they have legal rights. This is the case with many of our clients as they are often foreign-born, being either a victim of human trafficking or an immigrant victim of domestic violence. Both human trafficking and domestic violence are of course, terrible crimes.

The impact of the recent recession—both on donations to nonprofit victim services and on city, state, and county budgets—means that fewer victim assistance programs are available or they have decreased in capacity to serve the growing need. National Crime Victims’ Rights Week calls our nation to take up these challenges—to reshape the future by facing our failures and building on the successes of the past. Likewise, Mosaic is calling our local community to join us in facing these challenges. Although this challenge may seem overwhelming, together we each can do something simply by raising awareness for the unique needs of victims of crime- in this case domestic violence and human trafficking.

Click here for more information and ideas about things you can do in your community to celebrate National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

Don’t forget that our 2nd Annual 5k and 1 Mile Family Fun Run is coming up in just over a month. The beauty of this work lies in the transformation of a VICTIM into a SURVIVOR. You can be a part of that transformation as the proceeds will directly benefit the survivors we serve. Click here to register or find out more information.

Happy International Women's Day!

"If you want to alleviate poverty, you give women access to credit and opportunities to actually start to generate income for themselves and their families." -Hillary Clinton

About International Women's Day

When: Tuesday 8 March 2011
Where: Everywhere
What: International Women's Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is a national holiday.
Why: Suffragettes campaigned for women's right to vote. The word 'Suffragette' is derived from the word "suffrage" meaning the right to vote. International Women's Day honors the work of the Suffragettes, celebrates women's success, and reminds of inequities still to be redressed. The first International Women's Day event was run in 1911. 2011 is the Global Centenary Year. Let's reinvent opportunity for working women and all women!

What will you do to ensure women and girls enjoy equality, safety and a bright future? Think globally, then act locally!

Here are some helpful links to get you started in taking action to celebrate women’s equality!

Wikigender
International Women's Day
Join me at the bridge
Hillary Clinton standing up for women

As love filled the air yesterday, many hearts remain broken by family abuse.

Last month started the 82nd Legislative Session. This Session is crucial because many agencies such as Mosaic Family Services will be in the shadow of an $18 billion shortfall in the budget. Here are ways to let your legislators know that compromising services for domestic violence victims in order to satisfy a budget is NOT acceptable:

1. Visit your legislator’s local office and let them know how important continued
funding is for domestic violence programs.
2. Spread the word through the various avenues of social media, such as Facebook and Twitter by posting something like: “Texas has to make major budget cuts; make sure services for domestic violence won’t be sacrificed.”
3. Find your legislator on Facebook, Twitter, or write a letter them know important this is to you.
4. Call your legislator.

The beauty of democracy is that legislators will listen, IF they hear from you.

It only takes:
• 50 emails
• 10 letters
• 5 calls OR
• 1 visit to persuade a legislator.

These actions make a difference and YOU CAN BE that difference!

Below are a variety of ways you can contact our Texas Senators:

Senator John Cornyn

Local office:
SENATOR JOHN CORNYN
5001 Spring Valley Road, Suite 1125 E
Dallas, TX 75244
Main: 972-239-1310
Fax: 972-239-2110

-Other office locations
-Online contact form


Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson

Local office:
SENATOR KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON
10440 N. Central Expressway
Suite 1160
Dallas, Texas 75231
214-361-3500
214-361-3502 (FAX)

-Other office locations
-Online contact form


To find out who represents your respective district in Texas, click here.