November 17, 2006

IIRI's thanksgiving tribute

a place at the table
a mentoring program for new refugee arrivals in partnership with johnson & wales university

By Dorothy Abram, Ed D

“Come and eat with us!” 

There is no greater welcome to a refugee from a foreign country than an invitation to dine together.  Sharing a table offers everyone present the opportunity to participate in a feast of friendship, honor, respect, and discovery.  Eating together enables refugees to feel at home in their new land and grants the hosts recognition of the blessings of life. 

It seemed that almost everyday I was asked by my students:  What can we do about genocide, refugees, and human rights around world when international powers are unable or unwilling to intervene?  As we discussed the difficulties and complexities of the response, I saw my students’ expressions change from righteous outrage over injustice to sadness, and on to hopelessness and cynicism. Then, the worst followed: they became complacent.  As a professor, I struggled with how to respond and asked: Should I require a writing assignment on the topic for homework? How do we affirm and strengthen our humanity with our students in regard to these sorts of issues?

I felt that, even if we cannot provide easy answers for our students, at least we can offer them lessons on how to live life with compassion towards the survivors of genocide and human rights atrocities.  Dr. Westy Egmont, keynote speaker at the International Institute’s Annual Meeting in October talked about current political resistance to integrating immigrants in America, using a familiar metaphor for our need to invite immigrants to share A Place at the Table.  Through the principled poetics of his speech, I saw an answer that could bring—with passion, personality, and purpose—the issue of human rights to the hearts of our students.  Human rights, refugees, genocide, and many painful terms could enter their lives with a face, history, and stories to share together.  In that moment, A Place at the Table was set.

A Place at the Table is a mentoring volunteer program open to all and being organized by IIRI staff in collaboration with J & W University’s Culture and Food sociology course made up of 16 culinary students.  It offers opportunities to share “places of compassion and welcome” at our tables with IIRI’s new refugees.

To read the full article and to learn more about A Place at the Table, please click here

For more information about mentoring a new refugee arrival contact IIRI Refugee Resettlement Director Baha Sadr at
401-784-8611 or email bsadr@iiri.org.