Episode 14: Refugee women’s empowerment through soccer

Today our guests are from New Haven’s refugee agency, IRIS, which stands for Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services. The agency was founded many years ago by Episcopal churches, and now works with our federal government to resettle refugees in the State, with the help of faith communities and other groups and individuals. World Refugee Day is June 20and IRIS is sponsoring a festival on June 23, from 2-6 p.m., at Trinity on the Green in New Haven, with world cuisine tasting, world music, and more.(Ticketedevent! Get one at http://www.irisct.org) 

Back in March, we went to an event sponsored by the Episcopal Church in Connecticut’s Women’s Ministry Network, held at Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford, which was followed by joining a public witness against gun violence at the Capitol. The morning program was about celebrating the gifts of women and hearing about challenges, and it asked everyone who attended to think about how we’re called to participate in the work of equipping and empowering women. Two of the speakers were from IRIS, one a young refugee woman, who shared her experience in playing soccer. She found it empowering.  We’re going to learn more about that today.

With us are Ashley Makar, Leslie Koons, and Gladys Mwilelo.

Ashley is the Outreach Coordinator for IRIS, and Leslie is their Health Promoter. Leslieand Ashley and colleaguesstarted the women’s soccer club. Gladys is a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but spent most of her life in Burundi. Some of you may have seen Gladys if you’ve been through New Haven recently, as her face is one of the GIANT images on the Green in New Haven, installed as part of the“WEARE: A Nation of Immigrants”photo installation this summer. She was also a speaker at the opening event for the photo installation.

But today we talked about soccer! There seems to be some agreement, at least by Leslie and Gladys, that soccer is life. 

We start out by asking questions about the women’s soccer club, started in 2015. She talked about how it got started, how it works, who can participate, and the like. We learned that Gladys’ mother, who was NOT a soccer player, now loves it and won’t miss a session if at all possible! That inspired Gladys, who is currently a student at Central Connecticut State University, and was already a skilled soccer player, to join it as well.

Gladys told us the amazing story of when she used to play soccer in Burundi, dressed as a boy. And when she got a little older, and the boys and others realized it …  To this day she hadn’t told her parents. This podcast will be the“bigreveal.”

Ashley helped us see the soccer club as part of the many wellness programs by IRIS for its clients, all of which help build community. IRIS’s core services include all of the work of welcoming and resettling refugees, and provide additional support services. It’s not just“serviceprovision,” she said, it’s a community where people empower one another. 

We dipped into a few other questions about clothing and creating a safe space, and ended with more about the World Refugee Day Festival sponsored by IRIS on June 23 in New Haven.

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In Christ and Coffee,
Karin & Alli