Read “Gay and Marked for Death”

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The New York Times has published an op-ed story about Monday’s UN Security Council session on the persecution of LGBTI people in Africa, the Middle East, and many other areas around the world.

One of the men who is scheduled to testify in front of the United Nations, Subhi Nahas, is a San Francisco residence who is a client of the Guardian Group’s partner, the Jewish Family and Children Services of the East Bay.  The Guardian Group is not helping this 28-year-old Iraqi man, but we appreciate his courage in testifying.

Read more from the New York Times.

Plight of LGBTI Refugees Hits the News

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Screenshot of BAR article on refugeesToday’s Bay Area Reporter features an article by Matthew S. Bajko that highlights the problems of LGBTI  refugees adjusting to San Francisco.  Correctly the difficulty of finding housing and the high cost of living in San Francisco lead the list of challenges.

Two of the group’s client’s, Junior Mayema and Firooz, were interviewed for the story and quoted.  In addition, two members of the Guardian Group, Jay Roller and Galen Workman, have their comments included.

It’s a terrific article.  Thanks Matthew and BAR for shining a light on the need of our clients and of all the LGBTI refugees/asylum seekers/asylees that come to the Bay Area.

Read the story!

Old-Fashioned Networking Works

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Old-fashioned word-of-mouth, talk-to-friends networking has found just-in-time temporary housing for our 31-year-old asylum seeker from Tunisia.

A man who met Mr. T (the Tunisian) at an open house hosted by T’s host for a week, mentioned to someone he knows of our need.  Although the woman hadn’t met Mr. T. she responded by volunteering to let Mr. T stay with her until mid-September.

Wonderful!

All done without the help of Mark Zuckerberg or the Twitter bird… although I very much appreciate how my friends helped spread the word of our plight online.

For now, we are off Red Alert!  Our sensors are scanning for a place in September (and that’s also the last month our refugee from the Congo at his present place.  I guess we are on Yellow Alert (which is better than Battlestar Galactica’s Condition Orange).

The lion in the photo is guarding the gardens a block away from Mr. T’s new place.

Lion Guarding Sutro Gardens

Lion guarding the gardens near our asylum seeker’s host’s home

Gay Pride Flag

Happy Pride! and PLEASE Help Us Find Housing!

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Our 31-year-old gay Tunisian asylum seeker needs a place to stay starting about July 4th.
Please help!

As you talk to people at the Parade, at parties, and at worship services, please mention that we are looking for housing.

We need a room with access to shared bathing and cooking facilities. Ideally the housing would be in San Francisco and have the potential to extend if the host and asylum seeker are compatible.

Anyone talking today with empty nesters? Retirees with now-unused home office space? Simply generous individuals?

This is a day of celebration and fun! Let’s have a great time. And, please don’t be bashful about mentioning our urgent need for shelter.

This website, www.RefugeeGuardianGroup.org, is a good place to point people to, and, of course, I would be happy to give any additional details.

My office number is 415.647.8830 and my email address is [email protected].

Thank you… and have a Supremely Happy Day!

— Galen

10 Best States to be an Illegal (sic) Immigrant

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The folks the Guardian Group help are all in the country legally.  However, some of the details in the graphic below — such as being able to get drivers’ licenses without Social Security numbers — affect the people we are working with.

This graphic was sent to us by Liz Nelson… thanks!
Illegal Immigration Rights by State

This infographic came from PM Guardian.com