#104: Laura Osuri - Finding an Afghan Refugee a Home | The Afghanistan Series
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Episode Description
If there's one thing that drives Laura Osuri, it’s serving her community. After college, she sprang into an expedition that would take her across the globe to Europe and Latin America in search of new perspectives. Coming back to the states she felt listless, but soon sunk her energy into Street Sense media, whose mission was to vocalize homeless issues and provide community support. Realizing that she could help the marginalized, Laura once again saw a calling as the Syrian refugee crisis erupted. Taking action, she joined her church in welcoming and supporting newly displaced families. Her work with these agencies eventually inspired her to found her own resettlement nonprofit--Homes Not Borders right in her hometown of Washington D.C. However, things would get more complicated as the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.
Show Notes
Early Inspirations: Laura learns the value of community service from her parents and the importance of applying real world knowledge from reading nonfiction.
Stepping into the World: Laura builds her storytelling skills through studying journalism then goes off to explore the world.
Cultural Exploration and Empathy: Laura waits tables in Ireland, travels across Europe with a fellow explorer, and volunteers as an English teacher in Costa Rica all the building her empathy for people across cultures.
Early Career and Volunteering: Laura engages with her D.C. community as both a volunteer and a journalist.
Founding Street Sense: Thriving off the freedom of her early twenties, Laura channels her entrepreneurial and humanitarian passion into creating Street Sense, a local paper written by the homeless community.
2014 Syrian Refugee Crisis: Reacting to an influx of Syrian refugees as a result of the 2014 Arab Spring revolts, Laura volunteers with her church to welcome and resettle refugee families.
Transition from Homeless Outreach to Refugee Resettlement: Despite encountering new cultural gaps with the new population she served, Laura nevertheless finds that empathy can be achieved between people of all backgrounds.
Embracing Leadership: Driven by her people centered personality, Laura steps up wherever she sees a need for help, her initiative opening up new opportunities for leadership.
2021 Afghan Refugee Crisis: With the collapse of the Afghan government in August 2021, Homes Not Borders finds itself stretched thin trying to meet the needs of this new humanitarian crisis.
Adjusting Operations: Homes Not Borders faces the deluge of refugees head on through providing education, basic supplies, and onboarding extra hands.
Motivation for Community Work: Laura explains how her attention to the needs of the world around her motivates her to make the world a better place.
Advice to a Younger Self: Follow your heart, Laura advises, especially when you have the freedom of youth.
Follow Laura Osuri:
Homes Not Borders: https://www.homesnotborders.org
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-thompson-osuri/
Links From the Episode
As Afghan refugees arrive in the U.S., Southeast Asian American advocates urge more support - PBS (9/3/2021): https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/as-afghan-refugees-arrive-in-the-u-s-southeast-asian-american-advocates-urge-more-support
Syrian refugee crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help- World Vision, (7/13/2021)-https://www.worldvision.org/refugees-news-stories/syrian-refugee-crisis-facts
Syria Refugee Crisis Explained- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, (2/5/2021)-https://www.unrefugees.org/news/syria-refugee-crisis-explained/
Afghan refugee resettlement numbers– (9/14/2021): https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2021-09-14/afghan-refugee-resettlement-by-state
Photos of Afghans escaping (8/16/2021): https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/16/middleeast/gallery/taliban-afghanistan/index.html
Video of Afghans escaping (8/16/2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaJvgUpZtNI
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