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The Long Wait for a Day in Court

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 21:57:06 GMT

In 2021, Felix* presented himself to immigration officials at the US border and explained that he was fleeing years of political persecution in his home country. He was granted parole and allowed to enter the country to pursue asylum.

Felix made his way to Baltimore, where he connected with AWE. He told his story to the AWE Immigration Legal Services team, and they agreed to represent him in his asylum case. Felix submitted his asylum application in summer 2022. The Baltimore Immigration Court instructed him to return in winter 2023 for his individual hearing.

I don’t know if I’ll be next. I don’t want to disappear

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:58:27 GMT

This is the story from an AWE client, in their own words, of what it’s like to live under ICE surveillance.

I am very afraid. I am very afraid of going out. I feel I am always being watched and surveyed. The first thing I think about is the fear. In some ways I feel like I am traumatizing myself. I am always checking my ankle monitor to see if it’s working, if it’s blinking, worrying it will malfunction. I am traumatizing myself because I am constantly afraid it will malfunction and I will need to go back there [the ICE office] again. That is the last thing I want to do.

Always in the back of my mind is my daughter. It is very difficult to bear the weight of how this is affecting her. I try to be okay. I mentally prepare before my ICE check-ins, but I am so afraid when I leave her behind. It is painful and it causes so much fear for me and for her. It has all affected her, too. It has caused her to grow up too fast. She is only 5 but she is forced to ask questions that are not age appropriate. She asks what will happen if I get detained. She asks if she will have to stay with her grandma and she says “I don’t want that! I want to be with you, Mama!” Five years old is too young. It is too hard for her to bear that she might lose me.

It is not only this mental load we carry, but it is the physical load too. There is a physical device on my body. It ’ s painful on my ankle. My leg hurts a lot. There is inflammation and sometimes I need to take painkillers to manage the pain.

They harm us physically and they harm us mentally. I keep having to go to their offices and I know they can take me anytime.

Now at the ICE office they have a private elevator. This is where they disappear people. I don’t know if I’ll be next. I don’t want to disappear.

There has been a critical change with how the ICE visits are conducted since the new administration. Before, I felt like there was due process in place. I wore an ankle monitor when I arrived in the US. It was only for a few days, though, until I got the results of my credible fear interview. When I passed the credible fear interview, a few days later they removed the monitor. I felt like there was a process before and I understood it. But now I don’t.

I want all the people to know that it is very difficult now. It is hard to tell your loved ones it will be ok when you go to your ICE check-in, but you don’t know if it will be ok. I want them to know we are only here to seek safety.

I see my mom and I see her fearful eyes every time I go to the ICE office. I assure her it will be okay, but I’m afraid. It’s so difficult and I don’t know if it will be okay.

I want people to know that wearing this device is not only physically painful, but also emotionally exhausting. The weight is constant, but the stigma feels heavier, like being mentally incarcerated. I hide my exhaustion from my family because I want to protect them. I tell them everything will be okay, even when I walk into an ICE check-in not knowing what will happen. We came here only to seek safety. I see the fear in my mother’s and daughter's eyes, and I feel the anxiety these visits bring to my whole family. I hope that one day my mind can finally rest from this fear and be filled with peace. We do not wish harm. We are grateful to be here. And even though I am exhausted - for today, we are safe.

Living Under Constant ICE Surveillance: My Story

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 16:20:06 GMT

This is the story from an AWE client, in their own words, of what it’s like to live under ICE surveillance.

I am an asylum seeker currently under supervision through the government’s Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP).

This is not a criminal punishment, and I am not under criminal prosecution. It is strictly an administrative requirement related to my immigration case because I am seeking asylum in the United States.

I have fully complied with all conditions and requirements of the program. However, despite my complete cooperation, the conditions imposed by ISAP have created significant emotional distress and have deeply affected both my daily life and education.

Under ISAP, I am continuously monitored . I am required to respond immediately to any messages or calls from ICE. If I miss a message or call – even briefly – it may be recorded as noncompliance and could result in my detention and deportation.

Living under this constant obligation creates ongoing anxiety and severe psychological pressure. I must remain alert at all times, every single day.

I am required to attend monthly in-person appointments at the ICE office and ICE schedules frequent home visits. These appointments can take hours, and I cannot go to school on those days. ICE is also permitted to show up at my home at any time unannounced.

There is a constant feeling of surveillance. I am required to carry a device that allows ICE to continuously track my location. I am required to submit a photograph of myself to ICE every week. ICE has access to my personal and biometric information.

I worry about technical errors or system malfunctions that could mistakenly register noncompliance. The legal consequences of a mistake could be severe.

ISAP impacts my academic performance.

At my university, phones are collected at the beginning of each class and returned at the end. Phone use during class is not permitted. However, because I must respond immediately to ISAP messages and calls, I cannot be separated from my phone – even for a few minutes. Some of my classes are held in the basement, where there is no signal. I have to leave class repeatedly to make sure I have not missed any communication.

Even when I do not receive any calls or messages, the fear of possibly missing one remains constant. This continuous anticipation makes it difficult to concentrate and impacts my academic performance. It creates ongoing anxiety and psychological strain.

Each semester, my university requires that students travel to other states as part of the academic curriculum. I could not attend the required academic trip, because I am not allowed to travel out of state without explicit authorization from ICE. Following the trip, everyone was required to give a presentation about the trip. But because I could not attend, I received a zero.

Explaining my situation to others is extremely difficult. Most people are unfamiliar with such a program, and the level of monitoring involved is surprising and difficult for them to understand. Repeatedly explaining my situation adds further emotional strain.

I am constantly afraid I will be detained. When I go to class or travel anywhere - even while walking in public - I live with the persistent fear that ICE may detain me.

Because of this fear, I carry all my immigration, personal, and medical documents with me every single day. Carrying these documents - in addition to my textbooks, food, and water is extremely difficult. There have been days when I waited nearly an hour at a bus stop in freezing weather while carrying these heavy materials.

Sometimes when I am on the bus, I see someone with part of their face covered, and I’m afraid they work for ICE, so I get off and wait for another bus.

These circumstances may sound manageable when described in words, but in reality, enduring even one day under these conditions is physically and emotionally exhausting.

Despite all the hardships I have experienced, my goal is to continue my education, follow the law, and contribute positively to society. I respect and value the laws of the country. I want to remain honest and respectful to the government that has given me refuge.

But entering the country to apply for asylum is not criminal offense. I came seeking safety and protection.

Should the consequences of asking for refuge be this severe? Is it fair for the life of a migrant – whose only “fault” was seeking safety – to be so deeply disrupted?

I sincerely hope that one day, immigrants who come to this land for safety will be seen with greater understanding, fairness, and humanity – and that the heavy burden of constant fear and stress will be lifted from their lives.

With respect,

A migrant who has endured great hardship and suffering

Denying Safety: How New Rulings Endanger Domestic Violence Survivors

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 16:05:55 GMT

Every October, survivors, advocates, and allies unite across the country to honor Domestic Violence Awareness Month. But this October, they are grappling with the effects of two new legal rulings which make asylum even harder to obtain for survivors of domestic violence. The impact of the rulings is illustrated by the case of an AWE client, Ana*.

Ana* suffered decades of abuse in her home country at the hands of her husband, who believed that a husband has the right to treat his wife however he wants. Ana was determined to find protection for herself and her children. Repeatedly, she turned to her church, the police, and the judicial system for help. Yet, every time she was ignored, dismissed, and even mocked by the systems meant to protect her. Over and over, she was told to accept the abuse because that was the role of a wife. After a decade of abuse, multiple attempts on her life by her husband, and numerous dismissed police reports, Ana knew she had to flee to save her life. It was clear that she would not be protected in her country of origin. Ana fled to the United States with her children seeking safety. She made her way to Baltimore, where she connected with AWE.

At AWE, Ana worked with our legal team to apply for asylum. Over many meetings, they documented Ana’s story - about the abuse she experienced and her repeated attempts to find protection. Together, they gathered police reports, medical and court records, and letters from friends and family, attesting to the abuse and her efforts to find help. At her hearing, Ana underwent hours of questioning. She testified that her husband’s abuse was motivated by his belief in male dominance and the dominance of a husband over his wife. She described how this belief is pervasive in her country, and how it made it so difficult for her to receive the protection she needed.

The legal team argued that Ana qualified for protection as a woman who could not safely leave an abusive relationship in a country where the government failed to protect her. We submitted a legal brief citing years of legal precedent recognizing that violence- including domestic and intimate-partner violence- motivated by the victim’s gender constitutes persecution under asylum law. The judge agreed, and Ana’s case was approved.

Ana thought that she would finally be able to live in safety and begin to rebuild her life with her children. But just a few weeks after her case was approved, the two new rulings were released, and suddenly Ana’s asylum approval was in jeopardy.

The rulings drastically narrow the legal pathways to protection for survivors like Ana. One ruling reclassifies intimate partner and gender-based violence as “private matters” instead of persecution. It also raises the standard for proving that an applicant’s country cannot or will not protect them from the violence, meaning that asylum claims will be denied even with evidence that police ignored a victim’s attempts to seek protection.

The rulings also move to exclude gender-based violence as a basis for asylum. To qualify for asylum, applicants must prove that they experienced persecution because of a protected characteristic: race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. When the United Nations (UN) Refugee Convention - which is the basis for US asylum law - was written, gender was not included as a protected characteristic. In the years since, however, as gender-based violence has become better understood, the UN has acknowledged that gender-related asylum claims should be recognized under “membership in a particular social group”. In recent decades, judges have recognized gender-related social groups such as the one our legal team argued in Ana’s case: “women who cannot safely leave an abusive relationship in a country where the government fail to protect them”. In granting these kinds of asylum claims, judges acknowledge that in many contexts, gender puts individuals at risk for persecution because of societal views.

However, the new rulings state that social groups based on gender are too broad - ignoring the reality of violence motivated by gender.

Fortunately, Ana’s asylum approval has not been rescinded. But if her case had been decided just a few weeks later, her application may have been denied, and she would have been forced to return to danger. For countless survivors of domestic violence whose asylum applications are still pending, the door to safety has likely been shut abruptly by these rulings. This is another example of the many ways the current administration is rewriting immigration law, creating incredible volatility and rapidly denying people their rights and protections.

At AWE, we will continue to fight for survivors like Ana — and for every person’s right to safety, dignity, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.

More Than A Race

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 15:42:32 GMT

This October 11th, we will gather for AWE’s Annual 5K Run & Walk—our biggest fundraiser and one of

our favorite traditions. Now in its 12th year, the race has grown from a small neighborhood run to an

event that brings close to 200 runners and walkers to Herring Run Park each fall.

The 5K helps us raise critical funds to support Baltimore’s immigrant community, especially as our clients

face growing challenges. Many are struggling to cover legal fees, government application costs, rent,

and medical bills, all while living with the constant fear of increased ICE enforcement. Even a simple trip

to the grocery store or a doctor’s appointment can feel dangerous. In 2025 alone, we’ve distributed

more than $200,000 in emergency financial assistance to hundreds of asylum seekers and immigrant

trafficking survivors—and the need continues to grow.

The 5K helps us meet these urgent needs, but it’s also about more than fundraising. It’s a chance for

clients, staff, volunteers, and supporters to come together, to connect, and to remind one another that

we are not facing this fight alone.

As the world grows darker and more frightening, I find myself needing these shared spaces more than

ever —whether it’s the joy and fun of the 5K, community meals shared twice a week at AWE, rallies and

protests organized by partners, or a celebration when a client is granted asylum. These moments sustain

me. They matter because they offer what this administration is trying to take away: connection instead

of division, hope instead of despair, resistance instead of conformity. They remind us that even in the

face of so much cruelty, we still have the power—and the responsibility—to resist, to push back, and to

protect and support one another. The 5K is one of those spaces—a moment to come together, to create

joy, and to remind each other that we are not alone.

Whether or not you join us on October 11th, I hope you will keep seeking out and building these spaces

of connection and resistance—by volunteering, donating, sharing stories, and standing beside our

neighbors in times of need. However we choose to take part, every act of showing up is a refusal of

cruelty and an affirmation of each other’s humanity and dignity.

This Country Was Built By and For all of Us

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 16:17:00 GMT

Rasha, AWE’s Policy, Advocacy, and Health Specialist, in front of an AWE housing unit

As a Black, Muslim woman originally from Sudan who came to this country 16 years ago – and now raising a 15-year-old son in today’s America – I live with a fear that never fully goes away.

The fear of not being safe. The fear of being judged. The fear that no matter how hard I work or how long I’ve lived here, I will never fully belong.

I came to this country seeking safety and a future for me and my child. I believed in the promise of America – that if you contribute and follow the rules, you can live in peace and build a life. But that promise feels increasingly fragile.

What do I tell my son when he asks me why I always carry my naturalization certificate in my purse? How do I explain that even though I’ve been a US citizen for seven years, I still need to be ready to prove it anytime, every day, just in case?

I earned two degrees in the US, and I’m raising a smart, gifted son - an engineer in the making - who was born here. Yet we still face the heavy burden of being seen as outsiders.

That’s a privilege many Americans don’t even realize they have - walking freely without thinking twice about proof of immigration status, assuming safety in encounters with authority, trusting that their rights will be respected. For me and millions of other immigrants, that sense of security has never fully existed. And now it feels further away than ever.

At Asylee Women Enterprise (AWE), I work with families and individuals from all walks of life, who have fled war, persecution, domestic violence, and unimaginable hardships. They arrive thinking they’ve finally found relief, only to be met with more fear, more instability, and a system that seems designed to exhaust and exclude them.

Recently, a client asked if it was safe for her to join a peaceful protest in Washington, DC. She wanted to raise her voice for her rights. But we warned her not to, because if she were stopped or detained, she could be deported. That is the painful reality so many immigrants live with today. Even protesting peacefully has become a risk. But she went anyway. Despite everything, she chose courage.

They can scare us. They can try to silence us. They can even deport us. But they will never take away our agency, our dignity, or our will to fight for a better life.

What do I tell my son, when I see doubt in his eyes? When I know that despite being born here and doing everything right, he may still be denied opportunities because of his name, his heritage, or the color of his skin? It breaks my heart, but it also strengthens my resolve.

Because this country was not built by the privileged few who write laws they’ll never have to live under. It was built by workers, by families — by people like me who came here with hope and stayed with determination.

And we will not be silent. We will not be invisible. We will not let fear define our lives or our future.

Because this country was built for all of us. And we’re not going anywhere.

Standing with Our Immigrant Neighbors: A Raffle and Fundraiser for Baltimore’s Immigrant Community

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 15:58:01 GMT

Raffle, Music, and Drinks at Peabody Heights Brewery . Enjoy great music and drinks and win prizes while supporting our work! Join us on April 25, 2025, from 4–9pm. All raffle proceeds and a portion of taproom sales will go toward our programs.

What We Mean When We Say Community

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 18:45:28 GMT

We complete satisfaction surveys with every client throughout their time at AWE. One question we always ask is, “What is the most impactful aspect of our services?” Overwhelmingly, clients mention the sense of community and welcome.

Community is at the heart of our work, and we are committed to creating a warm, welcoming, and supportive space for everyone we serve. Clients, volunteers, staff, donors, and partners are all essential parts of the AWE community.

But what exactly do we mean when we talk about the AWE community?

A volunteer and a child play together while the child’s mother participates in group therapy through Steps2Success

The AWE community is a teenage client supporting another client he met through our youth program when he was having a mental health crisis.

The AWE community is a graduated client who manages a restaurant hiring another client who recently received their work permit.

The AWE community is a client seeing a woman crying outside a social services office and bringing her to AWE for support. It’s these two women now coming to ESL classes together every day and teaching another new client how to take the bus to and from our office.

The AWE community is a former client bringing in a car seat and bassinet her baby has outgrown—on the very same day a new AWE mother gave birth—then tearing up when she learned we would deliver the items to the new mom and baby at the hospital immediately.

The AWE community is a mother and daughter in AWE’s housing offering to share their space with a pregnant mother and her two children who have nowhere else to stay. It’s the children quickly becoming “like sisters, like a family.”

The AWE community is a client holding a baby so a mother can eat her lunch. It’s another mother gently showing a young mother how to comfort her baby during a group event.

The AWE community is a client washing the plates of other clients after community lunch. It’s a client showing a new client around our building. It’s the children of clients becoming friends and playing together, even though they don’t have a shared language.

The AWE community is a volunteer purchasing chargers for a large donation of computers so we can distribute them to clients. It’s teenage trafficking survivors forming friendships through our youth program—going shopping together, offering to babysit each other's children, and showing up to an event in matching outfits.

The AWE community is a client helping staff take trash to the dumpster on a day we are short-staffed, a volunteer staying late to clean up after a hectic afternoon, a partner stepping in at the last minute to interpret at a community meeting. It’s a staff member playing with the children of a young trafficking survivor so she can attend group therapy, a community member donating money to pay for a client’s medication or legal fees, a volunteer group installing new locks and security lights at our building to help our clients feel safer, a board member accompanying a client who’s afraid to leave her home to an appointment in the community.

It’s clients supporting one another. It’s volunteers doing often invisible work to keep the building functioning. It’s staff showing up day after day. It’s our board advocating for our work in the community, and our partners working alongside us to ensure our clients receive the support they need to heal.

AWE community is all of this and so much more. But at its core, it’s a group of people who believe seeking safety is a human right—and who know that together we can achieve far more than we ever could alone.

Supporting Forced Migrants in Uncertain Times: What to Know and How to Help

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 23:06:15 GMT

Human Trafficking Awareness Month: Maria’s Journey and a Call to Action

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 00:02:19 GMT

Maria fled violence in Central America with her two small children and came to the US seeking safety. Soon after she arrived, an acquaintance in Maryland offered her a place to live and help finding a job. But once here, Maria and her daughters were locked in a room, and she was only allowed to leave to work. Her traffickers forced her to use fake identity documents and hand over all the money she earned. They threatened to deport her and hurt her family back home if she tried to escape.

Maria and her daughters eventually escaped, and a few weeks later, she showed up at AWE asking for help. We quickly enrolled her and began providing wraparound support for the family. Maria is now working with a lawyer to apply for a T Visa—a form of immigration relief available to trafficking survivors who cooperate with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute their traffickers.

Maria is one of thousands of immigrant adults and children who are trafficked in the US each year. Without permanent immigration status and often unfamiliar with the language, culture, and laws of their new country, immigrants are especially vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.

There are a lot of misconceptions about human trafficking. In contrast to common media narratives, most survivors are trafficked by friends or relatives rather than strangers, and many endure labor trafficking instead of sex trafficking—yet all forms are equally destructive and destabilizing. Moreover, the link between immigration status and trafficking is often overlooked, and services tailored to the unique needs and vulnerabilities of immigrant survivors remain scarce.

AWE began serving trafficking survivors in 2018, and our program has grown significantly since then. Last year, we served over 125 survivors, making us one of the largest service providers in the region.

Under the new presidential administration, however, our ability to serve survivors like Maria is threatened.

Funding for two of our federal grants dedicated to serving trafficking survivors has been frozen. We have not yet been reimbursed for work completed in December or January, and the future of these grants remains uncertain.

This financial strain comes at a time when resources are needed more than ever.

In addition to cutting funds for organizations serving immigrant survivors, the Trump administration is removing critical protections. Proposed policies will make it harder—if not impossible—for survivors to obtain work authorization or legal employment, leaving them more vulnerable to re-exploitation. The administration has also threatened to end the T Visa process, which would bar survivors from obtaining permanent status and prevent them from helping law enforcement prosecute their traffickers. These policies will make survivors more vulnerable, increase the risk of further abuse, and allow traffickers to act without consequence. Meanwhile, fear of deportation will discourage victims from reporting crimes or seeking help.

Despite financial uncertainties, AWE remains committed to serving immigrant trafficking survivors—especially now, when they need our support more than ever. We will continue to create safe, welcoming spaces; provide financial assistance to meet basic needs; lead Know Your Rights trainings to help them understand their rights; offer immigration legal services to help them secure protections; and foster healing through therapy and peer support groups.

No matter what the future holds, we’ll continue to fight for their rights and well-being, and advocate for the critical resources, protections, and opportunities they need to rebuild their lives.

As we face a challenging next four years and enormous budget gaps, we hope you’ll consider supporting our work . Every donation directly helps survivors by funding essential services like emergency rental assistance, legal support, therapy, and community care for those who might otherwise go unsupported.

A Safe Space

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 18:21:07 GMT

On the morning of November 6, AWE staff gathered to discuss the outcome of the election and

begin to process the impact of the results on our organization and our clients. The room was

heavy with shock and sadness, but also a resolute, quiet tenacity.

We didn’t know if our clients would feel safe coming to class, but we were grateful that almost

twenty clients did.

Before lunch, clients, staff, and volunteers gathered in our community room. French-speaking

clients sat in the front of the room on the left, Arabic-speakers on the right, and Spanish

speakers in the middle. Staff members fluent in these languages sat within each group to

interpret. English speaking clients, volunteers, and staff were sprinkled across the rest of the

room.

AWE’s executive director addressed the group, pausing for interpretation as she spoke. She

shared our sadness about the news and assured clients that AWE is not going anywhere. She

promised that AWE will continue to provide clients with accurate information about their rights

and changes under the new administration that may impact them. She also promised that AWE

will continue to be a safe space for our clients, and that we will keep advocating for a world

where they are welcome and safe.

When she asked if anyone had questions, multiple hands shot up.

“Is it safe to leave my home?” a client asked.

“Will they take my asylum?” someone else asked.

“What will happen to AWE?” multiple people questioned.

We don’t have all the answers, and we have fewer assurances than we’d like. Trump has vowed

to implement sweeping inhumane and unjust policies that would profoundly threaten the lives

and safety of forced migrants everywhere, but a lot of details are still unclear.

We do know, however, that we will continue to gather in the community room every few weeks

to listen, answer questions, and provide accurate information. In the coming weeks, we will also

help clients submit applications for asylum and other forms of immigration relief, help clients

develop safety plans, provide Know Your Rights Trainings, and seek out additional funding to

ensure our services remain sustainable and responsive to changing needs of the communities

we serve.

We will also continue to create spaces where our clients feel seen, heard, and safe. Where they

can express their anger, fears, and hopes. Where they know that they aren’t alone.

We will do everything we can to a place where people feel safe, and where immigrants are

welcomed with dignity.

We hope you’ll join us.

A Safe Space for Healing: Mental Health Services at AWE

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 19:01:04 GMT

AWE welcomes dozens of asylum seekers and trafficking survivors through our doors each week. Clients attend classes, share meals, meet with their case manager, and fill bags with groceries, diapers, and clothing to take home.

Many clients also access mental health services, including individual counseling, group therapy, and other therapeutic activities like acupuncture, gardening, and yoga.

Our clients arrive in Maryland after protracted periods of trauma. Many fled war, persecution, forced displacement, and human rights violations. They often experience additional violence on their journey to the US. In 2020, Doctors Without Borders reported that 48% of forced migrants experienced sexual violence on their way to the US and nearly a third were kidnapped at some point during their journey.

But once in Maryland, clients face many barriers to healing. Accessing interpretation for therapy can be challenging, and many providers don’t have experience working with forced migrants. Meanwhile, most clients are ineligible for Medicaid and without work authorization they can’t afford private care.

But without treatment and support, trauma can have long term consequences and symptoms can get worse. PTSD and depression can make it difficult to focus on finding housing, securing employment, and navigating the immigration process.

Meeting the mental health needs of our clients is a critical component of our work. We recognize that healing looks different for different people, so we provide many different types of support. We also work to remove the many barriers our clients face to receiving the support they need.

Individual therapy is a big part of what we do. In 2013 we began partnering with the Intercultural Counseling Connection (the Connection). The Connection, which is collocated with AWE, is a referral network of pro bono mental health professionals that connects our clients to individual counseling. In 2022, we started partnering with HEAL Refugee Health and Asylum Collaborative (HEAL) to provide individual therapy to our minor clients onsite. We also partner with a private, Spanish speaking therapist who provides therapy to youth trafficking survivors. In 2024, 48 clients have accessed individual therapy through our partnerships.

Many clients also participate in group therapy. The Connection leads biweekly group therapy sessions for adults and HEAL leads biweekly group therapy for Spanish-speaking youth. Groups provide safe and inclusive spaces where clients can address concerns and develop interpersonal connections with each other. Meals are provided before all sessions and clients leave with groceries, diapers, and toiletries. So far in 2024, 79 clients have attended group therapy at AWE, including 45 minors and young adults.

Many clients also access alternative forms of therapy. AWE offers bodywork activities like acupuncture, massage therapy, and yoga, to help clients release stored tension, reconnect with their bodies, and process emotions that may be difficult to access through verbal therapy. Community gardening, nature retreats, and music and dance therapy can help clients decompress and connect with each other. More than 70 clients have participated in alternative therapy in 2024.

We make sure that clients can access all these services. We provide bus passes for clients attending daytime group activities and ride shares for evening events. We prioritize working with therapists and group facilitators who share the cultures and languages of our clients, and we always provide interpretation when needed.

We do all of this because we believe our services are most impactful when they’re holistic and client centered. Offering different types of mental health services and making sure they’re accessible, ensures our clients have the resources and support to rebuild their lives with safety, trust, and empowerment.

Leadership Through Experience: How the Youth Advisory Board is Shaping Our Work

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 14:17:15 GMT

It was a busy summer for our youth program Steps to Success! Between June and August, we held biweekly group therapy sessions led by the HEAL Refugee Health and Asylum Collaborative and we arranged field trips to the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Maryland Museum of History and Culture. We also took clients sailing with Pride of Baltimore and held a nature retreat at Bliss Meadows Farm. Thirty-six teenagers and young adults participated in summer activities.

We also continued to develop our Youth Advisory Board. We created the Youth Advisory Board in 2024 to help guide our youth program and make sure it aligns with the needs and interests of our clients. Four trafficking survivor youth agreed to join the board, and we held the first board meeting in April.

Over the next few months, board members established the purpose, rules and responsibilities of the board and began to identify ways to improve and expand Steps to Success. They also expressed interest in giving back to the community. After some brainstorming, they pitched the idea of creating a mural in Baltimore which they hope will reflect the presence and experiences of Latino youth in the city. The board will start working with a local community arts program this fall to design and create the mural.

Youth Advisory Board members are also encouraged to develop professional development goals for themselves. Recently, when the board members asked for education around personal finances, AWE identified a financial coach to provide one-on-one support and help them develop personal budgets and learn about credit.

Board members have also sought out opportunities to share their stories and experiences with the public. One board member participated in a mini documentary about her journey to the US. Another board member was interviewed for an article by the Johns Hopkins Children's Center Magazine.

In May, a board member named Anthony participated on a panel at the Baltimore Immigration Summit with AWE and HEAL. Anthony spoke about Steps to Success and how the program is a safe place for him to process the trauma he’s experienced. He could not imagine his life without the program, he told the panel attendees.

When Anthony joined Steps to Success in 2023, he was skeptical about some parts of the program, especially the biweekly group therapy sessions. Now, however, Anthony attends almost every Steps to Success event, sits on the Youth Advisory Board, and provides guidance and support to newer program participants. He has quickly become a leader in the program and within the wider, Baltimore Spanish-speaking immigrant community.

Steps to Success has grown rapidly since its creation in 2023. Fifty-nine immigrant, Spanish-speaking youth are currently enrolled in the program, including 37 trafficking survivors. The program has organized over 50 activities in 2024 alone.

The Youth Advisory Board is a critical part of the program’s success. Board members, who commit to a year of board service, take their responsibility very seriously. We originally planned for the board to meet bimonthly, but members quickly asked to meet every month instead. Members never miss a meeting, and everyone arrives with thoughts on how the program can improve. Outside of meetings, board members interact over an AWE-monitored WhatsApp chat – sharing resources and ideas with each other.

The success of the Youth Advisory Board highlights the importance of safe, inclusive spaces where immigrant youth can share their experiences and expertise, develop new skills, and engage as equal partners in the creation and implementation of services. It also speaks to the talent and creativity of the board members, and their dedication to creating a stronger, supportive, and more welcoming city.

AWE’s Strategic Action Plan 2024-2027

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 16:20:06 GMT

Dear friends,

Displaced by violence and hardship, an unprecedented number of people are forced to leave their homes each day and seek protection in the United States. Asylee Women Enterprise (AWE) is committed to serving forced migrants, offering them essential support and advocating for their rights and dignity.

This three-year strategic action plan (2024-2027) outlines our roadmap for navigating the complexities of forced migration and amplifying the voices of those we serve. It reflects our understanding of the obstacles forced migrants face, their endurance and strength, and our shared hope for a better future.

Over the next three years, we aim not only to continue providing essential services to forced migrants, but also to enhance our capacity, expand our reach, and advocate for changes that protect the rights and dignity of those we serve.

As we begin this three-year journey, we hope you will partner with us, give your voice to our cause, and support our efforts to create a more compassionate and welcoming world where everyone can live in safety and with dignity.

Together, we can make a difference. Together, we can welcome Maryland's newest neighbors home.

Our 2023 Annual Report

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 12:01:27 GMT

It was a busy year! In 2023, AWE welcomed asylum seekers and foreign-born trafficking survivors from 40 different countries through our doors. Read about our work with asylum seekers and foreign-born trafficking survivors in our 2023 Annual Report.

Navigating new systems: Building a responsive financial education curriculum with a Johns Hopkins’ Source Service Scholar

Fri, 03 May 2024 17:34:52 GMT

Do you remember when you learned about credit scores? What about interest rates or the difference between state and federal income taxes? Many of us reach adulthood with little to no financial education, and quite a few unanswered questions. While everyone’s financial goals look a little different, we all want to manage our money effectively, so we can be financially stable and self-sufficient. This is difficult for many English-speaking Americans, but what if you don’t speak English, or grew up in a different economic system, or have no idea how to count American money?

Most of the asylum seekers and foreign-born trafficking survivors we serve come from countries with vastly different financial systems. Understanding and navigating the complex financial landscape in the US can be challenging, and clients often mention wanting more financial education. So last year, in response to client feedback, we decided to create a financial education program. We knew that most generic financial education curricula wouldn’t work for our clients, who usually don't have a stable income, a Social Security Number, or work authorization. But we weren’t sure how to design a program tailored to their circumstances and needs.

After a lot of brainstorming, we decided to partner with the Johns Hopkins’ Source Service Scholars Program (SOURCE). SOURCE pairs Hopkins graduate students with community-based organizations like AWE to complete a yearlong project. We sent SOURCE a detailed description of the program we wanted to create: a research-backed financial education course for asylum seekers and foreign-born trafficking survivors that understood their unique financial needs and constraints. A few months later, SOURCE paired us with Shuait.

Shuait Nair is a second-year medical student at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). Prior to medical school, he studied international affairs at Georgetown University and he has a special interest in the intersections of forced migration and healthcare. When he saw AWE’s financial education project proposal, he was excited by the opportunity to work directly alongside asylum seekers and forced migrants to create a curriculum driven by their feedback and input.

Shuait began working with AWE last fall, bringing an incredible enthusiasm and dedication to the project from the start. First, he hosted a focus group with clients to hear their questions and concerns about financial management in the US. Next, he spent a few months researching financial education best practices and adapting them to the needs our clients had identified. Then he designed a seven-part curriculum with lessons on key topics like budgeting, banks accounts, avoiding scams, and applying for an Individual Tax Identification Number (which is often used as an alternative to a Social Security Number for noncitizens). Finally, he recruited client volunteers to help lead classes and trained them in the curriculum.

Shuait’s classes are led by the clients as much as the curriculum. He begins each class by asking clients to share their experiences managing their finances in their home countries, so that everyone can learn from each other. “The [curriculum] provides a nice framework, but ultimately, the lessons are driven by client questions,” Shuait says. “The conversations are very fluid and whenever somebody has an experience they'd like to share or an answer to a question, whether it be myself, the volunteers, or clients, we just chime in and share our two cents!”

Providing financial education to asylum seekers and trafficking survivors is complicated by the enormous and ubiquitous uncertainty they face. Their immigration statuses vary, and it's difficult to find information about who has what rights and responsibilities at what point in their immigration process. The biggest challenge, according to Shuait, is the disparity between the general knowledge his curriculum teaches and the specifics of what each student needs at the moment. “What I have come to realize is that financial progress in the United States is a very stepwise process,” says Shuait. “You can't move on to the next step without having completed everything before that. For example, to receive a credit card and build credit, clients must have a bank account. To have a bank account, clients must have a social security number or an individual tax identification number [ITIN]. If clients do not yet have a social security number or an ITIN, they can file for an ITIN, but that process requires clients to have detailed identification forms, such as a passport. So, if a client does not have access to their passport, they can be stuck in a situation where making strides in financial progress is challenging.”

Despite these complexities, client feedback about Shuait’s classes is overwhelmingly positive. Clients report that the classes help them make sense of the complicated financial systems in the US and provide them with valuable financial tools and resources as they begin to rebuild their lives in Maryland.

It's More Than A Letter

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 18:46:30 GMT

Nearly half of the clients AWE serves are foreign-born survivors of human trafficking. Immigrants are especially vulnerable to human trafficking, and every year the US government identifies thousands of foreign-born victims.

AWE is the largest provider of services to foreign-born survivors in Maryland. Most of the survivors we serve are children and young adults who urgently need financial support and medical and mental healthcare.

While trafficking survivors are generally eligible for public benefits like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), many survivors are unaware of their eligibility, or have difficulty accessing them due to bureaucratic obstacles and the complexities of their immigration status. Helping survivors navigate the systems is critical component of our work, but also very challenging.

Clients enrolled in AWE’s trafficking program are eligible to receive public benefits using what is known as an Eligibility Letter issued by the Office of Trafficking in Persons (OTIP). The letter certifies that the client is a trafficking survivor and therefore eligible for services like case management and public benefits.

However, to apply for benefits and access medical care, a survivor must also have a non-working Social Security Number (SSN). But to get the Social Security Number, they need to apply for and receive a formal letter from the Department of Social Services explaining why they need the number. They can then use the letter from DSS, along with their Eligibility Letter to apply for the Social Security Number at the Social Security Administration.

While these steps may look straightforward on paper, the process can take a long time.

Alma* is a minor trafficking survivor who lives with her younger sisters and her mom, Iris.* Alma urgently needed a Social Security Number so she could access public benefits and receive medical and mental health care. So, Alma’s mother and I (Alma’s caseworker) began the long and complicated application process.

First, we gathered documents to submit to DSS so that they could write a letter that we could take to the Social Security Administration. To get the letter from DSS, we had to prove that Alma was eligible for a Social Security Number because she’s a trafficking survivor. However, most government agencies haven’t worked with foreign-born trafficking survivors, and they’ve never seen an Eligibility Letter. Without a lot of advocacy efforts on our part, DSS might reject the case and we’d have to start all over.

Alma’s mother and I went to DSS in person to explain the uniqueness of the case. After a lot of back and forth, DSS provided the letter we needed, and we headed to the Social Security Administration. We’d already jumped through many hurdles, but we were prepared to advocate all over again. However, this time, the Social Security Officer took the letter, typed a few notes, and handed us a receipt. “Your card will arrive in two weeks,” she said. Alma’s Social Security Number application took less than 15 minutes.

Iris and I were so surprised and started crying from excitement. We’d finally experienced a small win. Afterwards, Alma, Iris, and I celebrated over dinner.

A week later, Iris texted to tell me that the Social Security card had arrived in the mail. With her Social Security number, Alma’s benefits application was approved. Additionally, she was enrolled in the Maryland Child Care Scholarship Program, which allows her to access before and after school programming.

As small as the non-working Social Security Number may seem, it holds so much relief for survivors and families like Alma’s, and allows them to begin rebuilding their lives.

Full Circle, Small World

Sun, 11 Feb 2024 10:47:22 GMT

One chilly morning in November, Rosaline* came to AWE’s office. She was seven months pregnant, recently arrived in the US, and sleeping on a sofa at the small home of a relative of a friend who needed her out immediately. She needed healthcare, immigration legal assistance, food, and – very urgently – housing.

AWE enrolled Rosaline as a client and over the next 24 hours we scrambled to find emergency housing for her. We contacted shelters, volunteers and churches trying to find a safe and comfortable place for Rosaline.

We also gave Rosaline a gift card so she could buy food. The next day she called me in the afternoon. She was buying groceries at an African grocery store, and she’d just run into a childhood friend from her home country of Cameroon named Alice*! When Alice learned that Rosaline had recently arrived in the US, she told her, “You need to go to AWE. They will help you.” Rosaline explained that she had in fact gone to AWE the day before, and then asked me, “Do you know Alice?”

“Yes!” I laughed, “I know Alice!” Alice is a former client who came to AWE years ago as a pregnant woman herself. She had lived in AWE housing, participated in AWE’s Day Program and received holistic case management services. Rosaline handed Alice the phone and we spent a few minutes catching up. Then Alice said, “Rosaline can come stay with me in my home.”

I spoke with Rosaline to see if she was okay with this plan, and she said she would be very happy to stay with Alice while we worked on finding other options.

Later that day, I messaged Alice and thanked her for offering Rosaline emergency housing. “I am honored to do this,” she said. “AWE did this for me, let me do this for AWE.”

During Rosaline’s first week as an AWE client, she attended the first prenatal care and testing appointment of her pregnancy. She also received groceries, diapers, clothing, and items for her coming baby from AWE, and she attended ESL and other classes as a part of AWE’s Day Program.

Over the next few weeks Alice opened her home to Rosaline, gave her bed to sleep in, and welcomed her into her home, while AWE worked with Rosaline to secure long-term housing.

We are so grateful to Alice for her willingness to open her home, and the reminder that our big world is really, sometimes, very small in the most wonderful and surprising ways.

*Names changed to protect client privacy.

Food Access at AWE: Setbacks and Successes

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 07:45:27 GMT

Last spring, the federal government formally brought the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), and all associated programs and exemptions, to an end. Many of the exemptions implemented at the start of the pandemic were put in place to make it easier for people to access public benefits like the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. These benefits became even more critical to low-income individuals and families due to inflation, rising food costs, and employer-tied health insurance.

The expiration of Public Health Emergency resulted in drastic decreases in monthly food and cash benefits, restrictions on Medicaid eligibility for immigrants, and the reinstating of pre-pandemic application requirements such as redeterminations and mandatory eligibility interviews. These factors made benefits access and retainment significantly more difficult for AWE clients, while also further complicating the process for all benefits applicants across the state, regardless of immigration status.

In light of these changes, AWE’s Food Access and Outreach Coordinator spent the second half of 2023 collaborating with other Maryland-based SNAP community-based organizations to advocate for a more equitable benefits application process that is person-centered and straight-forward. AWE also organized meetings with multiple Department of Health Services (DHS) representatives, including Maryland’s new DHS Secretary Rafael Lopez, to discuss the issues that we and our clients experience daily. As a result of these meetings, AWE’s Food Access and Outreach Coordinator was invited to contribute to DHS’s new website dedicated specifically to language access, which is currently under development. She was also asked to lead a presentation on immigrant benefits eligibility to twelve hundred DHS staff members at a DHS statewide training. Additionally, the government recently decided to waive the mandatory interview requirement as part of the application process, removing a significant barrier for those with limited English proficiency and access to technology.

While these accomplishments may seem small, they are already demonstrating a substantial impact on benefits access for our clients. In 2024 we are expanding our Food Access Program to include a Johns Hopkins University Source Scholar and a part time food access and outreach assistant. These changes will allow us to increase our capacity and reach more people.

AWE is committed to advocating for our clients and working to ensure people can access the benefits and nutritious, culturally appropriate food they are entitled to.

Happy Holidays at AWE

Sat, 09 Dec 2023 18:40:43 GMT

‘Tis the season, and at AWE we are busy preparing for our annual holiday event!

For many AWE clients, this will be their first holiday season in the United States. Many are far from family and friends, and they don’t have the resources and support to celebrate. Each year, AWE hosts a holiday party and gift distribution event, in the hopes of creating a sense of community and celebration for our clients.

With the help of volunteers, we turn AWE’s community room into a holiday ‘shopping center’, with gifts lined up along the walls. The event is a potluck, and volunteers, clients, staff, and partners are invited to share a meal, make holiday crafts, play games, and celebrate the holidays together.

Ocan, an AWE client, had only been in the US for a few weeks when he attended our 2022 holiday event. “We were very new [to the country] at that time, and we did not know what to expect at the holidays” he recalls. “The event was a very nice surprise for us.”

This year we hope to provide gifts for every asylum seeker and trafficking survivor enrolled in our services. However, we are serving more clients than ever before, as the need for our services continually grows. This means that we hope to provide gifts to more clients than in previous years.

We rely on generous donations from supporters, partners, and community organizations to provide these gifts. This holiday season, help bring holiday joy to AWE clients by donating gifts or volunteering at our holiday gift event and potluck. Please contact Rachel Braver at rachel@asyleewomen.org for more information about how to donate gifts, or Jane Keller at jane@asyleewomen.org to volunteer with us. You can also shop from our Amazon Holiday Wishlist .

Wishing you a very happy holidays from all of us at AWE!

Running with Ocan: A Client's Contribution to AWE's Annual 5K

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 16:24:59 GMT

By Rachel Braver

AWE has organized a 5K Run and Walk fundraiser every year for the last ten years. Originally part of the Baltimore Running Festival, we began independently hosting the race at the beautiful Herring Run Park during the COVID-19 pandemic. The race is a fun opportunity for clients, staff, and volunteers to come together and support the organization. Historically, however, race turnout has been low. But this year, we’re hoping to change that.

Late last fall, AWE enrolled a client named Ocan in our services. Ocan, who fled political persecution in Uganda, began accessing many of our services, and quickly became a familiar and welcome face at the office. He started attending our Day Program, began receiving medical care through our partnership with the HEAL Refugee Health and Asylum Collaborative , and moved into housing through our partnership with the Asylum Seeker Housing Network .

One day at an AWE community lunch, Ocan sat by Laura, AWE’s Executive Director, and talked about his love of sports. He mentioned that he used to organize races for the Ugandan government and pulled up photos from some of the races he organized. Many of the races were attended by tens of thousands of people from across East Africa. When Laura told him about AWE’s annual 5K, he quickly asked how he could help.

Over the last few months, Ocan has participated in AWE’s 5K Planning Committee. He’s been critical to our race planning efforts - helping AWE identify race sponsors, suggesting pre- and post-race activities, measuring the race path at Herring Run Park, and creating detailed lists of ways we can make the race a success.

Ocan has high hopes for the 5K this year and in coming years. “Maybe this year we can get the mayor to come, then next year the governor, and the year after that the president.” His long-term plan for the race? “My dream is that the AWE 5K will be so big in five years, we will have to shut down a whole street for the race.”

Not a runner? Ocan says it doesn’t matter. “You don’t have to run, just come and be a part of AWE. To me and to AWE, running is not the important thing - the important thing is people coming together. Come support AWE because AWE supports others.”

AWE’s 5K is set for October 21st, and with Ocan’s help, we think it’ll be our biggest race ever.

We hope you’ll join us! Sign up for the race here:

Community, Mi Amigo

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 17:42:21 GMT

By Beth Watkins and Laura Brown

July 10, 2023

“Hola! Mi amigo!”

We hear these words often around AWE, particularly on Day Program mornings as clients arrive for classes or during lunch when staff, clients, and volunteers share a meal together in our community dining room.

But during AWE’s Day Program celebration last month, the words stood out, as Andre,* a client from Central Africa who doesn’t speak Spanish, greeted his Central America classmates with the Spanish phrase, a handshake, and a hug.

Over the last several months, Andre has built relationships with other AWE clients from all over the world through AWE’s Day Program. Despite speaking different languages and coming from different cultures, countries, and backgrounds, they’ve developed friendships and connections, helping one another navigate their new lives in America.

AWE’s Day Program runs three days a week and includes a range of classes, activities, and workshops. Classes include ESL, parenting, and digital and financial literacy, and are taught by volunteers, staff, and clients participating in AWE’s client leadership program. Other activities include field trips, public transit orientations, community gardening, therapeutic bodywork, group therapy, community celebrations, and library tours. In between classes, AWE staff, clients, and volunteers share a hot lunch.

At the end of each season, we host a Day Program celebration. Clients receive certificates recording the hours they attended class, and awards for those who attended the most.

This spring celebration was particularly special – clients and their children enjoyed food in our courtyard garden, took pictures together, and congratulated each other on their achievements. Clients didn’t cluster together in language groups. Instead, they intermingled, joked with each other in shared English or the bits of Spanish, French, and other languages they’d picked up from one another. Everyone happily posed for pictures with a client who has hearing and visual impairments, and limited ability to communicate, and whom the AWE community has warmly embraced. When a Cameroonian mother of nine month-year old twins left early to attend a medical appointment, clients took turns holding and feeding the babies in her absence. A male 19-year-old Honduran client pushed one of the twins in a stroller until she fell asleep.

Community is one of AWE’s core values, and something we talk about a lot. We believe that by connecting with one another, we’re able to achieve more than we could alone.

Through our Day Program and other services, we strive to create a safe and welcoming space for people all ages, ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds to create community with each other while accessing the support and resources they need to navigate a new country and culture.

*Name changed to protect the privacy of our client.

Human Connection at Its Heart: Community Mentoring at AWE

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 20:05:38 GMT

June 11, 2023

By Beth Watkins, Program Director

In 2022, as AWE looked for ways to expand our community connection services, the Community Mentor Program was born.

The Community Mentor Program provides AWE clients individualized, ongoing connection and interaction with a member of the larger community and gives them an extra layer of support on their journey to stability and self-sufficiency.

Sibyl Snow, a longtime mentor to refugees and the AWE volunteer who helped kickstart the program, believes that at its heart, mentoring is about human connection – a caring that goes both ways. Mentoring is important, Sibyl says, because “no one should feel alone on their journey.”

Nasreen, an AWE volunteer and community mentor, knows what it’s like to be alone in a new country, and deeply appreciated the people who took her in as family while she was making the US her home. That experience made Nasreen want to be a community mentor at AWE.

Nasreen and her mentee, Alina, have spent a lot of time together over the past few months – picnicking, driving practice, career planning, and exploring Baltimore with Alina’s two children. One of Alina’s favorite experiences with Nasreen was visiting an art museum and getting lunch together. It was a “classy and aristocratic time,” recalls Alina.

Last November, Nasreen invited Alina to her home to experience her first Thanksgiving with Nasreen and her family. Alina describes the experience with emotion: “When you are alone in the US and don’t have your family it is so hard, but [Nasreen] makes me feel I have a family here and I’m not alone.”

Nasreen believes that being a community mentor is about reaching a level of comfort with your mentee, so they feel comfortable reaching out for help. Nasreen enjoys helping Alina understand her new home and navigate a new country and culture. For example, when Alina began driving in the US, she didn’t know how to get gas, as station attendants pump gas for drivers in her home country. So, she called Nasreen, who happily walked her through the process. “I am really so happy to know this amazing woman in my life,” Alina shares.

Another AWE community mentor, Nma Okafor, is an immigrant herself and understands how difficult it is to transition into a new country. She makes it a priority to check in on her mentee often, and when they get together, they spend most of their time talking, practicing English, and connecting.

Margaret Colleluori, a longtime AWE volunteer, mentors a young woman who lives outside AWE’s normal service area and is extremely socially isolated. They spend a lot of time talking about American life – holidays, work culture, and even dating.

Laura Speer was excited for the chance to use her Spanish and help a new member of our community feel welcome. Laura, her mentee, and her mentee’s daughter spend time at her mentee’s home and practice English. The experience has helped Laura better understand what the asylum and immigration process is like for families and why AWE’s work is so important.

While the Community Mentor Program is just beginning, we look forward to expanding it over the coming months and supporting more AWE clients as they acclimate to their new country and rebuild their lives in Maryland.

We’re so grateful for our community mentors, and the many, many others, who help us welcome our newest neighbor's home.

Asylum FAQ

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 14:23:31 GMT

Seeking asylum is a human right. President Biden's asylum ban will have a devastating impact on asylum seekers and prevent people fleeing for their lives from finding safety and protection in the US.

At AWE, we'll never stop advocating for a world where asylum seekers have the support, opportunities, and rights to live with dignity, safety, and hope.

Join us for our 10th Annual AWE-Inspiring 5K on October 21, 2023!

Wed, 31 May 2023 00:31:45 GMT

Help us welcome Baltimore's newest neighbors home and sign up for AWE's 10th Annual 5K Run and Walk! Registration includes an AWE-Inspiring 5K t-shirt and goodies!

Sponsor AWE's 10th Annual AWE-Inspiring 5K!

Wed, 31 May 2023 00:25:38 GMT

Your support and sponsorship provides asylum seekers and foreign-born trafficking survivors housing, food, clothing, counseling, and medical care as they rebuild their lives in Baltimore.

Consider sponsoring our important work and help us welcome Baltimore's newest neighbors home.

For additional details, contact info@asyleewomen.org .

Our 2022 Annual Report

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 18:47:10 GMT

It was a busy year! Read about our work with asylum seekers and foreign-born trafficking survivors in our 2022 Annual Report.

Denials and Delays: AWE Clients and Community Members Struggle to Access Public Benefits

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 16:46:30 GMT

Client picks out food from AWE’s food pantry

November 11, 2022

Story by Mahali Mackintosh; photo by Lea Meija

With inflation and food prices on the rise, consistent access to nutritious, affordable, and culturally appropriate food has become increasingly difficult for Americans across the country. This is especially true for AWE clients, many of whom work informal jobs and are not eligible for public benefits due to their immigration status. Meanwhile, clients who are eligible for public benefits like the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (commonly referred to as “food stamps”) face numerous barriers to accessing them. Language access, technology illiteracy, government administrative issues, and government unfamiliarity with their immigration status and eligibility documents, prevent many clients from getting the support they need.

AWE is authorized by the Maryland Department of Human Services (MDHS) to help eligible individuals apply for Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. In March, we created the AWE Benefits Program which provides SNAP eligibility screenings, information sessions, and application assistance to food insecure individuals in Baltimore. Over the last seven months, the Benefits Program has assisted more than 200 households to apply for SNAP.

Advocating for our clients, and providing them the information and tools they need to advocate for themselves, is critical to the SNAP application process for non-US citizens and US citizens alike. While non-US citizen immigrant clients face many barriers to accessing SNAP benefits, US citizens have their own set of challenges. Physical disabilities, lack of access to transportation and technology, and unawareness of changes to the application process, prevent many US citizens and non US citizens from obtaining and retaining vital food support. AWE staff spend hours each week helping clients whose benefits were erroneously cut off reapply to have their benefits restored.

AWE works closely with other nonprofits including Maryland Hunger Solutions, CASH Campaign of Maryland, and the Maryland Food Bank, to bring these recurring issues to the attention of the government. Additionally, last month, AWE staff submitted written testimony to the Senate Finance Committee Hearing on SNAP Enrollment, Eligibility, and Fraud. We described specific times our clients were prevented from accessing SNAP due to language barriers, government administrative errors, and government unfamiliarity with their immigration status.

According to the Baltimore Banner , issues likes these have led to a sharp decrease in SNAP enrollments in Maryland over the past seven months. Thousands of families, including many AWE clients, have lost their SNAP benefits due to government administrative errors and fluctuating policies. Some people had been SNAP participants for years, before their cases were erroneously closed. Now many are struggling to get their benefits reinstated.

AWE is committed to ensuring that our clients and community members have the tools, education, and support they need to live healthy lives. We will continue to distribute thousands of pounds of food each month to food insecure clients, and we will keep advocating for our clients to have access to SNAP and other vital food benefits.

Want to support AWE’s work with asylum seekers and trafficking survivors?

Leading and Learning from One Another: The AWE Client Ambassador Program

Sat, 01 Oct 2022 22:21:52 GMT

Alina gives a manicure during her class on self-care

October 1, 2022

By Rachel Braver

More than two years after transitioning to virtual services, AWE officially reopened its doors to in-person classes this summer. Every Tuesday and Wednesday we hold a range of in-person classes through the AWE Day Program, including ESL, financial literacy, yoga, and meditation. It is wonderful to have clients back in the office, and we are excited to continue growing the Day Program in the coming months.

We are also excited about our recently launched Client Ambassador Program (CAP). CAP gives current and former AWE clients the opportunity to contribute to the design and content of AWE services through client-developed and led classes and activities. Clients who participate in CAP receive guidance and support from AWE staff and an honorarium to compensate for their time and effort.

Forced migrants come to the US with a multitude of skills and talents. However, without work authorization or permanent immigration status in the US, they often have few opportunities to use them, and remain stuck at home without a source of income. Meanwhile, once granted status, many AWE clients are forced to take entry level jobs outside their former field. CAP serves as an opportunity for clients to share their expertise with others while developing leadership skills and receiving compensation for their work.

CAP kicked off in August with a self-care challenge led by Alina. Alina fled war in Ukraine earlier this year with her two children. She was enrolled in AWE services in the spring and resides in AWE housing while she waits for her asylum application to be adjudicated. A cosmetologist by training, Aline facilitated a discussion on self-care and wellness with other AWE clients. Afterwards, she gave attendees manicures and nail care advice.

In September, Mama Mercy, a graduated client, led a tour of the AWE community garden, which she has planted, lovingly tended, and harvested for years. Mama Mercy shared recipes from her home country of Togo using plants grown in the garden. She also encouraged clients to identify vegetables and fruits from their home countries that they would like to grow in the garden.

The following week AWE client, Marvis, led a cooking class. Marvis worked as a chef in Cameroon until she was forced to flee in 2020 due to the ongoing civil war. Using AWE’s spacious kitchen, she showed clients how to cook a traditional Cameroon meal of fufu and okra fish stew. Marvis speaks some Spanish and explained parts of the recipe in Spanish to her Spanish-speaking fellow clients.

We look forward to many more client-led classes and workshops in the coming months. In October, a graduated AWE client who recently received her work permit and resumed her career as a nurse will lead a class on first aid. Next week an Afghan client who has a background in computer science, will lead a workshop on using apps and sending emails.

Want to support AWE’s work with asylum seekers and trafficking survivors?

Asylee Women Enterprise 9th Annual AWE Inspiring 5K Run & Walk

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 13:56:29 GMT

Home at Last: A vulnerable teenager finds safety and belonging at AWE

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 13:28:36 GMT

September 2, 2022

By Hannah Pursley

At 17, most American teenagers are focused on graduating high school and gearing up for college. They spend their free time studying for final exams, making plans for prom, or hanging out with friends.

Kofi* didn’t have this luxury. As a transgender teenager living in Ghana, Kofi was in constant danger of discrimination and violence. Due to her sexual orientation and gender identity, she was repeatedly threatened and attacked growing up, and eventually expelled from school.

Same-sex sexual acts have been illegal in Ghana since the colonial era. Discrimination and persecution of LGBTQ+ people are common, and often encouraged by the media and religious and political leaders. In 2021, the Ghanian government proposed sweeping new anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. If passed, individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ and individuals who support LGBTQ+ rights, could face up to five years in prison. Meanwhile, anyone who knows someone who is LGBTQ+ and fails to report them to the government, could be prosecuted and jailed.

One day, while attending a small gathering of LGBTQ+ friends, 17-year-old Kofi and the other guests were attacked by men armed with machetes. Kofi was injured but managed to escape. A few weeks later, her brother and mother arranged for her to travel to Ecuador – one of the few countries that doesn’t require a visa for visiting Ghanaians. From Ecuador, Kofi made the arduous journey to the US, traveling alone by foot, boat, and bus, through jungles, rivers, and darkness. Four months after fleeing Ghana, Kofi made it to the US.

Like those of so many asylum seekers, Kofi's journey did not end after she reached the US. People seeking asylum face numerous challenges once they arrive in America, as they navigate a new culture and language, and an increasingly complex immigration system. Unauthorized to work for months and sometimes years after they arrive and barred from accessing public benefits, many asylum seekers struggle to meet their basic needs.

Because she was a minor, Kofi was placed in a juvenile detention center for seven months after she entered the country. Upon release, she traveled to Baltimore and began receiving services from Asylee Women Enterprise (AWE). Over the next few months, Kofi started to adjust to her new life in the US. An immigration attorney helped her apply for asylum, and AWE connected her with secure, transitional housing in partnership with the Asylum Seekers Housing Network (ASHN). She picked out gender-appropriate clothing from AWE’s clothing closet and received regular food deliveries through AWE’s food pantry. She attended virtual AWE Day Program classes, began receiving therapy through AWE’s partnership with the Intercultural Counseling Connection, and started studying for her GED. Eventually she found a job and AWE helped her move into her own apartment.

This August, six months after her twentieth birthday, Kofi was granted asylum. Now she can focus again on what she loves most: running, riding her bike, reading at the park, cooking, and exploring Baltimore. Reflecting on how AWE supported her in her journey, Kofi shares, "When I first came to this great country without any family, friends or hope, AWE helped. They gave me food, clothing, [money], and a place to call home.”

*Name changed to protect the privacy of our client

Interested in supporting AWE’s work with asylum seekers and survivors of trafficking?

The Long Journey to Safety

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 09:40:51 GMT

Diego and family in their new home in Baltimore, MD, March 2022. Photo by Caryn Dayhoff, Trafficking Survivor Advocate

March 25, 2022

By Lauri Richman Hidalgo and Laura Brown

Every year tens of thousands of people, fleeing violence and persecution in their home countries, travel to the US seeking safety and protection. But their journey is often long and dangerous, and many face assault, robbery, and abduction along the way.

Diego* grew up in Honduras with his mom and four siblings. Life in Honduras was difficult - the country has the second highest murder rate in the world and suffers from acute poverty and rampant gang violence. After countless threats to their lives, the family decided to leave the country. Together they began the treacherous journey to the US, where they hoped to request asylum. Like most migrants forced to flee their homes, they left most of their belongings behind, taking with them only what they could carry.

During their journey they met a man who claimed to be a religious leader and who offered to help them travel to the US. The man, however, ran a human trafficking ring that targeted vulnerable migrants, and he abducted the family. For the next seven months the family was held in Guatemala and Mexico and forced to work for their captors under threat of violence.

Eventually, after months of abuse and exploitation, the family escaped, and continued their journey north. When they reached the Rio Grande River, which separates Mexico from the US, Diego’s mother opted to stay behind with the two youngest children, wary of risking the perilous river crossing. Diego and the older siblings, Paola and Yanelis, crossed safely and were taken into the custody of US immigration authorities.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) placed Diego, Paola, and Yanelis in immigration detention. After a few months, Diego, who’d just turned 18, was released, on the condition that he report regularly to ICE. He made his way to Baltimore where he was connected with Asylee Women Enterprise (AWE). Diego’s experiences in Mexico and Guatemala qualified him for enrollment in AWE’s Trafficking Victims Assistance Program (TVAP). TVAP is a federally funded program that provides case management serves to individuals who have experienced labor or sex trafficking. Most of the clients served in the program are children or young adults, and many, like Diego, entered the country via the US-Mexico border.

Over the following months, AWE worked closely with Diego. Diego didn’t have close friends or family in the US and was not authorized to work. AWE helped him obtain a social security number and health insurance, enrolled him in ESL classes, accompanied him to ICE appointments, and provided him with financial assistance to cover food, clothing, and rent. Meanwhile, because they were minors, Paola and Yanelis remained in detention.

In February 2022 Diego’s mother and two younger siblings made it safely to the US. After a brief period in detention, the government gave them permission to join Diego in Baltimore. A few weeks later, the government agreed to release Paola and Yanelis, as well. On March 11, an AWE advocate accompanied Diego, his mother, and two younger siblings to the airport, to pick up Paola and Yanelis. The family was overjoyed to be reunited.

The siblings were subsequently all enrolled in TVAP and began receiving case management services from AWE. With AWE’s support, the family can finally begin to rebuild their lives with safety and dignity in Baltimore.

*Names changed to protect the privacy of our clients

Interested in supporting AWE’s work with survivors of trafficking?

Somos Baltimore: Non-Profit for Women Seeking Asylum Helps the Baltimore Immigrant Community

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 09:44:17 GMT

Lesli Ordonez, Food and Education Coordinator, preparing a pop up pantry for the community.

Baltimore’s immigrant families lack a safety net amid the pandemic. This group brings food, supplies and support.

Sun, 19 Jul 2020 09:54:28 GMT

Staff members and volunteers at Asylee Women Enterprise collect food for asylum seekers and other immigrants in the city. From left: Arnobia Bernal, Lynne Cummings, Katie Kriss and Lesli Ordoñez. (Barbara Haddock Taylor / Baltimore Sun)

Many immigrants seeking safety and stability in the United States struggle with policy shifts and tenuous work situations in the best of times. A pandemic that shuts down large parts of the economy and prompts the president to tighten borders makes the situation even harder.

Asylee Women Enterprise, an organization working with asylum seekers and other immigrants in Northeast Baltimore’s Frankford neighborhood, adapted to the times by partnering with other local groups to deliver groceries, diapers and household supplies to immigrant families in need.

“Because of people losing work, many families are needing a lot of help,” the organization’s food and education coordinator, Lesli Ordoñez, said in an email interview. “The most important thing is to try to help anyone who needs our help.”

Per its name, Asylee Women Enterprise primarily serves women and families seeking asylum after escaping violence or persecution in their countries of origin. Clients come from countries as varied as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador and Saudi Arabia.

AWE named in inaugural edition of Baltimore Magazine's Game Changers for work with asylum seekers.

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 10:58:55 GMT

PORT IN A STORM

This year, Asylee, …will provide 30,000 pounds of food and 5,00 hot meals, clothing, counseling and legal help, in addition to housing and other services, to between 350 and 400 asylum-seekers, primarily women and children from countries in Central America, Africa, and the Middle east.

There are cases like Denia (we were asked to use pseudonyms) from Honduras - one of the word’s deadliest places to be a woman - and one of the women in English class. She’s been here a year and has a 10-month-old son, who’s sleeping in the stroller as we talk on the couch. “In this program, I feel safe and happy,” she says. “And every day, I’m learning new things.”

People come from “anywhere there’s a conflict in the world,” Nelms says, which has recently also meant the U.S. In fact, five families in (AWE’s) housing program (it provided shelter to 75 people in 2019, the largest such effort in the Mid-Atlantic) had their children taken form them during the Trump administration’s three-month-long “separation policy” last year along the southern border.

“We’re seeing a continuous increase in people seeking our services as the situation with asylum seekers continues to deteriorate,” Nelms says. “We have a hard time keeping up with the need, but we’re also seeing what people can do if they have a little bit of a support network.” - Corey McLaughlin

'No one can stop me': Afghan artist Sughra Hussainy on women's rights and change through art

Tue, 03 Jul 2018 09:52:53 GMT

Artist Sughra Hussainy, of Afghanistan, poses for a photo near Atwater's at The Shops at Kenilworth in Towson in late June. Some of her traditional Afghan artwork on display at the cafe. (Jen Rynda / BSMG)

For months after Afghan artist Sughra Hussainy settled in the U.S. in October 2016, she could not bring herself to make art.

It was art, Hussainy thought, that drew threats from the Taliban, who did not like that she was a woman with art displayed in the Smithsonian and interviews in the American press.

It was art that forced Hussainy to abandon her home in Kabul, to make a new start in Towson with no English, no family, nothing familiar. It was art, she thought, that had made her life difficult.

But a few months later Hussainy realized she was lucky – she could speak out, she had the freedom to do what other women in her home country could not. She picked up a paintbrush, and thought to herself: “No one can stop me.”

Hussainy, 30, creates small, intricate paintings full of color and ornate detail and overlaid with calligraphy.

She uses traditional Afghan techniques: she makes her own paper, and crushes lapis lazuli into a pigment and mixes it to make paint. She trims fur off the backs of cats to make soft paintbrushes. A single foot-long painting can take six months to complete.

But much of Hussainy’s work incorporates contemporary elements that symbolize women’s empowerment. In many of her works are painted frames that surround women, to represent the “borders” Afghan women are often expected to stay within. Some of these paintings are currently on display at Atwater’s at Kenilworth, where she used to work.

Re-making a life: Molly Corbett at TEDx Baltimore Women

Mon, 23 Dec 2013 10:58:53 GMT

“We know these women are survivors. They came from Afghanistan, Congo and Rwanda. But what do they need from us to thrive?” - AWE Founder, Molly Corbett