fbpx
Panel discussion provides a personal look at legal immigration in Charleston

Charleston, S.C. — What leads refugees to flee their homeland? How do legal immigrants get to the United States, and what happens after they arrive?

Several dozen community members learned the answers to these questions and more at an October 1 luncheon and panel discussion presented by Lutheran Services Carolinas’ (LSC’s) New Americans Program at The Hub at Centerpoint in North Charleston.

Since last October, 244 refugees and other legal immigrants have become productive members of the greater Charleston community with help from LSC’s New Americans Program. Each new arrival works with professional staff and a close-knit group of volunteers called a Circle of Welcome to navigate everything from the bureaucracy of immigration to the adventures of daily life in a new country.

Boutros, a recent arrival from South Africa, discussed the joys and challenges of New Americans who settle in the Charleston area.

“For many of my fellow New Americans, the biggest challenge is the language barrier,” he said. “Coming from South Africa gave our family a big advantage. We could already speak English, and we are used to American style appliances. The most challenging thing for us has been transportation – and the volunteers at LSC have been so helpful in that regard. Immigration has been a great, great experience.”

Other panel participants included Bedrija Jazic, Charleston regional director for LSC’s New Americans Program; Landon Taylor, outreach coordinator with LSC’s Charleston New Americans Program; and Summer Coish, a local volunteer. The panel was moderated by Craig Tuck, executive director of Mission Charleston and the Charleston Baptist Association and an elder at Centerpoint Church.

To learn more about the work of welcome in Charleston, contact Emily Rundall-Evans, LSC’s South Carolina Circle of Welcome program developer, at erundall@lscarolinas.net.

Photo caption: Boutros, a client of LSC’s New Americans Program in Charleston, recalls leaving his country of origin and arriving in the United States.