‘Jacir’ is the first full-length feature from director Waheed AlQawasmi, who moved from Jordan to Memphis at the age 13. The drama follows a Syrian refugee resettling in the South, showcasing the best and worst parts of humanity.
Curious Nashville: How the city became a destination for Kurdish families, and how the community is evolving
You may be aware that Nashville is home to the biggest population of Kurdish people in the United States — Kurds, who are considered the largest ethnic group in the world without a sovereign state. But one Curious Nashville listener asked how Nashville came to be such a destination for Kurds. The answer is multi-layered.
Slaughterhouse workers allege brutality in case against federal agents in 2018 raid
The Tennessee Lookout is fighting for the release of a video that allegedly shows a federal agent stepping on the neck of a man captured in a 2018 raid at a slaughterhouse in Bean Station, Tenn.
‘We want to work’: Ukrainian refugees are resettling around Nashville but paperwork is preventing them from building independence
More than 70 Ukrainian refugees have made their way to Middle Tennessee since the start of the war earlier this year. But their resettlement process looks different from many others.
How rising housing costs are pushing Nashville’s immigrant communities further away
In this episode, we examine how the red-hot Nashville market specifically impacts working class and recently-arrived immigrants and their families. We’re joined by community members, outreach worker, and educators to learn about how development and rising rents are making cultural communities and vital services harder to access for many immigrants and recently-arrived refugees.
New career options could soon open for thousands of immigrants in Tennessee
Under current law, some immigrants who are federally authorized to work in the US, like DACA and TPS receipients, are still denied access to state professional and commercial licenses. That can prevent certain immigrants from working in a wide range of career fields.
First Kurdish American wins top prize at Tennessee Craft for textile work that captures the immigrant experience
This year, for the first time, the top prize at a biennial exhibit of Tennessee Craft has gone to an artist from the state’s Kurdish community.
‘We Don’t Look Back, We Look Forward’: A Syrian Family Rebuilds Their Life In Murfreesboro
This year marks a decade since the start of the Syrian civil war that has caused more than 6.5 million people to seek refuge around the world, including Kinan Alrifai and her family in Middle Tennessee. The John Overton High School science teacher spoke with WPLN News about the challenges and triumphs of rebuilding their lives here.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn Again Sponsors New Asylum Restrictions
Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn is, once again, co-sponsoring a bill to tighten restrictions on immigration. It’s the third try for retiring Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe’s legislation, called the “Asylum Abuse Reduction Act.” Blackburn first signed on as one of five co-sponsors in the bill’s second iteration in 2019.
Tennessee Says It Won’t Track Immigration Status For Vaccinations
Whether someone is in the country legally will have no bearing on whether they get a COVID-19 vaccine in Tennessee, says the state’s health commissioner.