Yesterday, MidCoast New Mainers Group offered a “Know Your Rights” info session at the Welcome Center with an immigration lawyer who gave the community sane, useful guidance on responding appropriately and safely in different situations in which their right to be here might be challenged.

The message for asylum seekers was to get good information, not to trust everything you hear or see in the media, and, above all, to stay calm- you are not deportable unless you are convicted of a crime or miss your immigration court date.

One important piece of information she repeated was that marijuana use is only legal for US citizens- Federal law supersedes state law and so asylum seekers can be charged and deported if they are caught using marijuana in any form.

We hope to host a similar session for volunteers in the near future.

THIS EVENT IS BEEN POSTPONED!

Coming to the Chocolate Church!!!!

“How to Have Fun in a Civil War” – A Play for Kids and Adults

Somali-American playwright and performer Ifrah Mansour resides in Minnesota, and comes from the world of puppetry and the life-changing experience of surviving a civil war and immigrating to the United States. Her play, “How to Have Fun in a Civil War” is told from the perspective of a young girl, and the story — though visceral and moving — is suitable for kids and adults alike. It’s a captivating one-woman play, a story of resilience and survival.

“How to Have Fun In a Civil War” offers a voice to refugees — and child refugees in particular — and contextualizes the experience for non-refugees in a way that cultivates understanding and empathy for those who survive such life-changing events. Artists like Ifrah Mansour speak to the community-building that underpins much of the work of the Chocolate Church Arts Center, and this performance will be a memorable one.