Cordani, Taryn

Denning, Max

Dennison, Casey

Opila, Ryan

Shanklin, Natalie

Stewart, Kyle

English

Ithaca College

Faculty: Brad Rappa  In January 2018, 15 seniors from the Park Scholar program visited Tucson, Arizona, on a service-learning trip to study issues pertaining to migration, immigration, and national borders. Students met with local leaders and worked with community organizations that advocate for and seek to actively improve the lives of migrants in Tucson and the surrounding area. Owl &  Panther was one of these organizations. This organization works to serve refugee families who have been impacted by trauma, torture, or traumatic dislocation. Owl & Panther provides meaningful and transformative experiences to these families, while also educating the Tucson community and fostering acceptance.   Many of the refugees who resettle in Tucson have experienced extreme stress as a result of their displacement. Resettlement, acculturation, and isolation stress are common. Many are also learning to live with trauma from war or torture. Research conducted by the Center for Disease Control & Kaiser Permanente in 1993 found that childhood trauma can impact children’s brain development, immune system, hormonal system, and can lead to misdiagnosis of ADHD. Despite there being a number of organizations and federal programs in the Tucson area that provide support services for recently resettled refugees, mental health support is in limited supply. Owl & Panther seeks to create a nurturing environment in which these families and individuals can heal. Their grassroots programing empowers refugees through expressive arts, community building, and engagement with nature. These opportunities have built resilience within participants, combatted isolation, and fostered a sense of belonging. According to an independent assessment, “Owl & Panther has been successful in creating a reliable, engaging community for participants — one that alumni refer to consistently as a family.”   Inspired by the work being done by Owl & Panther and conscious of their expressed need for communications support, a team of Park Scholars partnered with the organization to develop lasting resources that could help tell their story, while describing the important role that they play in Tucson and its refugee community.   Seven interviews were conducted with volunteers, board members, and beneficiaries of the organization. Their anecdotal experiences with forced migration, displacement, and resettlement were recorded and organized to express the systematic need for the healing experiences provided by Owl & Panther and to showcase the meaningful impact they’re having. The resulting video incorporates sections of each interview, telling the story of Owl & Panther through the words of those who’ve guided and benefited from its services. This video will be screened as part of the presentation.   A series of short testimonials were also produced from these interviews, along with a social media handbook and library of sample posts. These deliverables were created to equip Owl & Panther with a variety of multimedia tools aimed at empowering future fundraising and awareness generating efforts. These materials will be presented verbally as part of the presentation.   This reciprocal partnership between Owl & Panther and the Park Scholar program embraced the pedagogies behind service learning that link community service to academic study. The relationship and service component of this project provided the basis for self-reflection and an analysis of systems of migration. While these learning experiences are not evident in the visual submission, they were nonetheless a significant aspect of this process.  

Owl & Panther : Support for Refugees in Tuscon, Arizona (Video)

https://digitalcommons.ithaca.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1195&amp;context=whalen

Owl & Panther : Support for Refugees in Tuscon, Arizona (Video)

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