|
The Lost
Boys Center
Where are they at - AZ Lost Boys Center
1918 W. Van Buren Street, Phoenix, AZ 85009 United States
When was the center founded? April 2003, the center opened.
Names of key spokespersons/officers - Camelia Assem - Executive
Director, Duane Jendrick - Office Assistant, Jany Deng - Outreach
Coordinator, Marsha Henzler - Office Manager, Michael Shapiro -
Educational Coordinator.
What/who is key constituency or audience? Sudanese youth males
What are the agency’s main activities? - To help these newly placed
immigrants
The center provides a comfortable and safe refuge to gather and talk
with community leaders, receive help from a tutor, listen to music,
play cards, or watch a video in the company of friends. A gallery
featuring photos of lost boys at work and play, and their artwork
and writings, decorate the walls. In other words help empower the
refuges to live and to enjoy life in America. To help them
understand the way of life and to aide them in their ability to
adapt to life in Arizona.
Mission statement? - They have developed a unique center for 400
plus Sudanese youth refugees who now call Arizona home, This center
will support their successful assimilation into the community,
giving them the power to advocate for themselves and address their
unique economic, cultural, emotional, and resettlement needs. This
is an agency that was formed to aid the Sudanese in this unforgiving
time
“We have developed a center for the 400+ Sudanese youth refugees who
arrived in Arizona, which will support their successful assimilation
into the community, empowering them to advocate for themselves and
address their unique economic, cultural, emotional, and resettlement
needs. In return, our local communities have been rewarded not only
by the cultural exchange, but also through the insights and wisdom
gained from these young men’s resilience, determination, faith and
hope.” (Lost Boys Website;
http://www.azlostboyscenter.org/ )
The AZ Lost Boys Center is a welcoming haven for all Arizona Lost
Boys. It is a place to support unity among Lost Boys, regardless of
tribe affiliation, yet is supportive of the unique qualities that
are a source of pride to each young man. The center provides a
comfortable and safe refuge to gather and talk with community
leaders, receive help from a tutor, listen to music, play cards, or
watch a video in the company of friends. A gallery featuring photos
of lost boys at work and play, and their artwork and writings,
decorate the walls.
What are the key immigrant’s migration issues of concern to this
agency? The refuges, primarily children but also young adults of
ravaged Sudan. To help aide them in a positive way to become better
equipped to strive in America.
As best as you can determine, on what
evidence/sources/research/community does this agency base its
informational statements issued, press releases, reports, etc.?
Any publications? (what types, sample titles; if online, give links)
- There is a documentary film titled “Lost Boys of Sudan” produced
and directed by independent and documentary film maker Megan Mylan.
The film won an independent Spirit Award and was screened in
theatres in 70 American cities to what was said a strong audience
and many critical praise. The documentary film was even nationally
broadcasted on PBS in the fall of 2004. (Lost Boys of Sudan; Mylan,
Megan;2004; www.lostboysfilm.com)
Give at least one citation about this agency from 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 Briefly
state what the article is about, and provide a quote from the
article that includes the agency’s name and gives a good idea of
this agency’s perspective on immigration migration. Note: not a
quote from agency’s own web site! – There was a story on 12 news
concerning the Arizona Lost Boys Center on November 28, 2005. It
talks about the center being a nonprofit center for refuges from
Sudan. It also talks about a fundraiser it is doing selling. It also
explains how 70% of the Lost Boys are enrolled into colleges and
Universities “The cow project helps raise money for scholarships.
The young men mold the cows out of clay, just as they did when they
were children. Then, they glaze them, and fire them in a kiln.”
(http://www.azcentral.com/azlinks/12news.php; 1/25/2006)
Any other issues of interest about the agency? This agency is here
to help Sudanese youth males and girls. That’s it. That’s more then
enough.
Is the agency noticeably pro or con immigration? (You may need to
determine this from “reading around” in its position papers, press
releases, news reports, etc) This agency is pro immigration.
Web site? Give URL -
http://www.azlostboyscenter.org/
You can by the award winning Documentary
Emmy
Nominee
National Academy of
Television Arts & Science
“Deeply
moving. One for your must-see list!”
-Jan
Stuart, Newsday |
For more
information about the Lost Boys Center or the Documentary please go
to their website -
http://www.azlostboyscenter.org/
|