Hilary N. Weaver

'I Shout with Fear at Night' Understanding the Traumatic Experiences of Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Summary: In recent years, the plight of refugees and asylum seekers has garnered significant public attention. Yet many social workers find they have made limited preparations for meeting the needs of refugee clients. This article presents the results of a study conducted at the largest refugee shelter in the US. Fifty-eight adult asylum seekers staying at the shelter were interviewed about their experiences, including trauma and subsequent physical and emotional symptoms. Findings: Most respondents experienced trauma in their home country. Additionally, nightmares were often reported as psychological sequelae attributed to these traumatic events. Applications: Helping professionals can learn from this information and become sensitized to some of the struggles of this population. Understanding that some refugee clients ‘shout with fear at night’ can help us to appreciate the lasting impact trauma can have and can guide our work with this vulnerable yet resilient population. Helping professionals are challenged to become better versed in the at-risk position of asylum seekers and engage in advocacy to encourage greater protection of this population

Social Work with American Indian Youth Using the Orthogonal Model of Cultural Identification

Cultural traditions among American Indians are important strengths that have often been overlooked. This study tested orthogonal cultural-identification theory—the belief that it is possible simultaneously to identify with more than one culture and that identification with any culture has positive implications for health and social issues. Data were collected on the cultural identification and health status of 103 American Indian youth 8 to 12 years of age in the Northeastern United States. The finding that people can and do identify strongly with more than one culture supports the orthogonal model of cultural identification. However, the implications of cultural identification for health were less clear.

Assessing the Needs of Native American Communities: A Northeastern Example.

The article describes a community needs assessment conducted by Native Americans, with Native Americans, for Native Americans in an urban area in the Northeastern United States. Focus groups and interviews were used to gather information on social needs. Several strong themes emerged from the needs assessment, most notably the need to include culture as a foundation for everything in the community. Some community members called for the agency which sponsored the needs assessment to become a cultural center in addition to providing social services. Other community members believed that inclusion of a cultural perspective as an important dynamic in the provision of helping services and in the administration of the agency was needed. Public relations, communication, and outreach were also viewed as important to agency success.

Reexamining What We Think We Know: A Lesson Learned From Tamil Refugees:

This article describes a project designed to create a culturally appropriate tool to assess trauma in Tamil people who have fled civil war in Sri Lanka. In addition to being culturally appropriate, the project sought to determine if the assessment tool would adequately measure trauma experienced by women. Despite concern that Tamil women would be reluctant to discuss sexual assault, in this project women did indeed describe their traumatic experiences and often preferred to do so in the presence of multiple people. Notably, Tamil men also commonly stated that they experienced sexual assault. As social workers, we are reminded that there is a continual need to question assumptions, especially those about what we expect people from a particular culture to think, believe, and do.

Urban and Indigenous: The Challenges of being a Native American in the City

The United States is home to more than 4 million Native Americans, the majority of whom live in urban areas. Urban Native Americans often experience significant social, health, and economic problems while having access to substantially fewer Native-specific resources than their reservation-based counterparts. They also face challenges with access to tribal services and political processes, as well as identity-sustaining cultural resources. This article describes the urban nature of many contemporary Native American communities. Examples from various urban Native American communities highlight the challenges faced by urban Native people, as well as creative initiatives developed to serve this population. This paper draws on and synthesizes the literature on contemporary urban Native communities, thus providing needed information for service providers and researchers working in these communities.

Indigenous people in a landscape of risk: Teaching social work students about socially just social work responses

The need for social justice in social work practice is particularly apparent in work with indigenous populations. In spite of the social work professions commitment to social justice, social workers have often done significant harm in their work with indigenous peoples. Social work educators are ideally positioned to close this gap between social work values and practice by teaching how principles of social justice can be applied with indigenous peoples. This article provides social work educators with background knowledge and specific tools for teaching about indigenous populations from a social justice perspective.

Developing a Culturally Appropriate Assessment Tool: Reflections on Process Considerations

ABSTRACT This article describes the process of modifying an assessment tool in order to make it culturally appropriate for South Asian Tamil refugees and asylum seekers. This was envisioned as an important step in giving practitioners who work with Tamils a useful tool and advancing the knowledge base on cultural competence to make it more inclusive of instrument development. This article provides a detailed description of how the instrument was developed, thus addressing a significant deficiency in the literature.

Intersections of identity and education: The Native American experience

This chapter explores the intersections between Indigenous identity and educational experiences. The material presented draws on research and theory as well as the author’s own experiences as a Lakota woman dealing with various educational institutions. The chapter begins with an examination of some of the facets of, and influences on, contemporary Native American identity. This is followed by reflections on the confluence of education and identity, both for youth and adult learners. The chapter reviews some of the struggles experienced by Native Americans in their educational endeavors and elaborates on what is needed in order for education to be more culturally responsive and respectful. The chapter concludes with reflections on what it is like to be a Native American parent with children in the public school system.

All my relations: understanding the experiences of Native Americans with disabilities.

‘‘All My Relations’’ is an English translation of Mitakuye Oyasin, a common Lakota phrase used to close many statements and prayers. It can also stand alone as an acknowledgment of thanks, balance, and interrelationship. It communicates a recognition of the sacredness of all beings. For this special journal issue, I use this phrase to convey that Native people with disabilities are not somehow separate or apart from who we are as Native people, but very much one of us, one of our relations. Indigenous philosophies and belief systems are typically inclusive and recognize people with disabilities as community members, relations, and people who are part of the balance of all elements of creation. Native American people with disabilities are typically valued for what they bring to their families, communities, and nations. The experiences of Native Americans are varied and some of those experiences are reflected within this issue. Very little has been published in the scholarly literature about Native American experiences with disabilities. Indeed, this issue might be unique in collecting so many essays on various aspects of disability in Native American populations all in one place. Although there are a variety of grassroots programs offered by tribal governments and urban Native American agencies, that work is rarely highlighted in professional journals. Indeed, it is difficult to know the range of grassroots programs or the innovations they might be incorporating in their work with people with disabilities, as their efforts are typically not published or known beyond their own communities. Native Americans are a diverse population. There are more than 560 Native American nations or tribes within the boundaries of the United States. Whereas some Native people continue to live on tribal territories (also known as reservations or reserves), others live in urban, suburban, or rural settings. In spite of this diversity, as a whole, Native people suffer disproportionately from many social and health disparities. High rates of poverty,

Disability through a Native American lens: Examining influences of culture and colonization

Disability is a socially constructed identity. What constitutes a disability and what it means to be a person with a disability can vary across cultures. This article explores meanings of disability within Native American cultures, including how ideas about wellness, balance, roles, and responsibilities influence perceptions of disabilities. This is followed by a review of disability prevalence, discussion of services, and explorations of possible reasons for the disproportionate impact of disabilities in Native American populations. The article concludes with an examination of how the colonial context frames both attitudes about and services for Native Americans with disabilities.