Episode 92: Ghazanfar Ali | Our new refugee neighbors from Afganistan, the Hazara people. The struggle to embrace our new freedom.

My guest today is the Communications Director for the Utah Hazara Association, Ghazanfar Ali.

Until I attended a fund raising event one month ago, I too, knew nothing about the Hazara people nor the tremendous struggle they have endured for generations. Hazaras are Dari-speaking people, thought to be of the Turk-Mongol race and live primarily in the rugged central mountainous core of Afghanistan with an area of approximately 50,000 sq. km.

They, much like the Jews, have been systematically marginalized, persecuted and brutalized for centuries simply because they exist. For whatever reason, because they want to live normal productive lives, like their neighbors, they are deemed a threat in Afghanistan and neighboring countries like Pakistan. Thousands upon thousands have fled for their lives to neighboring countries and, of course to Utah and other cities in the US.

Ghazanfar Ali shares a brief history of his people internationally and how we can help locally as more and more refugees arrive in our community on a weekly basis, especially in the wake of the recent US Troop withdrawl and subsequent mass exodus from Kabul, for a better opportunity.

America and Americans are welcoming, loving, generous and kind. If you're a Christian, the Lord said Love thy neighbor as thyself. These wonderful people ARE our neighbors and need our help.

Also according to Ali, below are several immediate ways you can help these people have the basic freedoms and necessities to start their new lives here in Utah. Contact the Utah Hazara Association directly.

1. Humanitarian Visas
2. Personally meet them and ask how they are doing and how you can help them.
3. They need help building a community center where the can gather, worship and support one another.

Here are some local Utah organizations you can reach out to should you desire to help further.

1. IRC - International Rescue Committee/Salt Lake City
2. CCS - Catholic Community Services

Many states in the US and countries around the world have their own chapters or associations.

1. IRC - International Rescue Committee/Worldwide

#UtahHazaraAssociation #HazaraLivesMatter #StopHazaraGenocide #HelpTheHazara #OurNeighborsTheHazara #BaFttF #LoveThyNeighbor #KindnessMatters #KindnessAlwaysMatters #DonateAndGive

--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/parrishthethought/message