February 11, 2010

On Thursday Feburary 4th, MPAC-NYC along with Intersections International and ChangeTheStory sponsored a panel conversation entitled, "ChangingTheStory: Amplifying the Voices of Iraqi Refugees" in Manhattan.

The panel began with a special screening of the Iraqi Voices Amplification Project (IVAP) highlight video, depicting eight artists journey to the Middle East to amplify the stories of Iraqi refugees. The screening was followed by a discussion with four panelists -- Michael Jordon, Advertising Creative Director & Member of IVAP Team; Kim Schultz Actor, Writer, Creative Director for IVAP project; and founder of Kim Schultz Improv, an improvisational school in Manhattan, Charity Tooze,Journalist, Producer and regular contributor of articles on the Iraqi displacement to CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 Blog, PBS and the Huffington Post; and C. Eduardo Vargas, Intersections International IVAP Project Manager.

Panelists discussed the need to enhance understanding amongt Americans of the plight of Iraqi refugees, many of whom were displaced in "Operation Iraqi Freedom" and yet now lack the ability to resettle in any country (including a very strict quota on the number of Iraqis allowed into the U.S. to resettle). The basic inability to attain employment led to a sense of hopelessness and disenfranchisement amongst Iraqi refugees. The panelists emphasized the need for and ability of arts projects like the IVAP to shed light on the plight of Iraqis.

- Dalia Mahmoud
MPAC-NYC Chair