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Agency
Report : Arizona Lost Boys Center
A. Title
of agency or organization? Arizona Lost Boys Center
B. Where is home base
(city/state/country)? Phoenix, AZ, but there are other centers around
the country
C. Date founded? The
center opened its doors April, 2003
D. Names of key
spokespersons/officers There are many employees and volunteers that
work for the Arizona Lost Boys Center. Among them were Camelia
Assem-Executive Director, Brian Hawkins-Program Coordinator, Marsha
Henzler-Office Manager, and Cal Mbano-President of AZ Africa Society.
E. What/who is key
constituency or audience? male Sudanese youth refugees
F. What are the agency’s
main activities? The agency helps the young men to assimilate to
American culture, to get an education, and to find employment.
G. Mission statement?
(you may quote mission statement if available; use quotation marks) The
agency’s goals are to “help these young men to achieve their dreams of
education, a better life, and helping those left behind”. The agency
wants to give these young men a chance to succeed not only personally
and professionally ,but to also put their new knowledge to work by
helping all of the people left behind in Sudan who did not have the
chance to come to the United States.
H. What are the key
im/migration issues of concern to this agency? The main concern of this
agency is to provide opportunities for these boys who would not have
had chances to be educated, employed, or even have a chance to live in
their own native country. While doing this they try to make the
transition from refugee camp to the American way of life as easy as
possible by teaching them American culture.
I. What appears to be
the most common informational basis for statements issued, press
releases, reports, etc.? Government news releases for upcoming group
activities, newspaper articles, local online news articles, local
fundraisers
J. Any publications?
(what types, sample titles; if online, give links) Although it is not
specific to Arizona, there is a documentary called Lost Boys of Sudan,
by Megan Mylan and Jon Shenk, 2003 www.lostboysfilm.com .
K. Give at least one
citation of this agency in a newspaper article (preferably an Arizona
newspaper). Use a citation index to research this e.g., Lexis Nexis,
available from the Migration Course Web Page made by the Fletcher
Library:
http://library.west.asu.edu/subjects/SOC/soc331.html Provide a
quote from the article that gives a good idea of this agency’s
perspective on im/migration. Note: not a quote from agency’s own web
site.
“ The difference between success and failure for these "Lost Boys" lies
with individuals like Wheat, the founder and president of the AZ Lost
Boys Center. The center is funded through a three-year grant from the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.” Arizona Monthly Summer
2004 issue, “Lost Boys of Sudan”
L. Other issues of
interest? There is also a similar center called the Lost Girls, but
unfortunately most of the girls are made servants in refugee homes, are
sold into slavery, are forced into marriage by the Sudanese People’s
Liberation Army, or are raped and murdered before they have a chance to
make it to the United States.
M. Is the agency
noticeably pro or con immigration? (you may need to determine this from
readings its position papers, press releases, news reports, etc) It is
pro immigration.
N. Web site? Give URL
www.azlostboyscenter.org
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