In this episode recorded on International Women’s Day, we spoke with some special guests from Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston about their Women Refugee Art Program (WRAP), and the Women’s Empowerment Group (WEG). We spoke with Narelle Sissons, a visual artist, theatre designer, professor, and art instructor who teaches and empowers the women of WRAP to use art concepts to express themselves and their stories. We also spoke with Chloe Krane, a former TV producer for Associated Press, Al Jazeera, and BBC, who is now the Interfaith Ministries’ Women’s Empowerment Liaison and leader of the Women’s Empowerment Group, and Sucre Woodley, Director of Marketing & Communications at Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston.

We explore the complex, and often traumatic journeys of rebuilding one’s life in a new place, and how creating safe places and brave spaces for expression and education are crucial, liberating opportunities for women refugees, asylees, and parolees as they go through often lengthy, strenuous resettlement processes.

Our Neighbor to Neighbor program is an official Sponsor Circle Umbrella under the Sponsor Circle Program for Afghans! **We are in urgent need of sponsor circles to support the move of Afghan newcomers into welcoming communities. You can play a critical role. To learn how you can be a community sponsor, visit: https://dfms.formstack.com/forms/initial_congregation_interest_form

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram where we are @emmrefugees. To stay up to date on all new episodes, make sure to follow us wherever you get your podcasts on Spotify, iTunes, stitcher, Google play, or SoundCloud.

To support the ministry of welcome, make a gift to Episcopal Migration Ministries. With your help, we will continue to welcome and resettle refugees in communities across the country, offer support to asylum seekers, and create beloved community for all of our immigrant siblings. Visit episcopalmigrationministries.org/give or text HOMETOWN to 91999.

Our theme song composer is Abraham Mwinda Ikando. Find his music at abrahammwinda.bandcamp.com

About our Guests

Narelle Sissons is a visual artist and theatre designer. She has designed for the stage in the USA and Internationally. Her artwork has been exhibited in the USA recently at: O’Hanlon Center For The Arts, group show “PANIC” in 2020.  DAB Art Gallery, “Art in The Time of Corona” in 2020, Gallery 114 “These Truths” in 2020 and The Royal College of Art Summer Group Show, Dyson Gallery in London. She teaches design and drawing at Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama.

Chloe Krane is Interfaith Ministries Women’s Empowerment Liaison. She’s been running the Women’s Empowerment Group (WEG) Program since 2016, supporting refugee women from Arabic speaking nations and Afghanistan as they rebuild their lives in USA. Prior to her current role, Chloe was a TV producer for 10 years working for Associated Press (AP), Al Jazeera and BBC among others. Based mainly in the Middle East, she worked on hard news, documentaries and investigative programs, witnessing firsthand the plight that creates refugees. She has a degree in Arabic Studies.

Sucre Woodley is the director of marketing and communications for Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston. Sucre is skilled in marketing strategies for growth, multi-channel advertising, executive and internal communications, media engagement, and community relations. Her strong marketing and communications experience is backed by impressive credentials. Sucre earned a Master of Health Services Administration from The University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University.

EMM’s Neighbor to Neighbor Program
Our Neighbor to Neighbor program is an official Sponsor Circle Umbrella under the Sponsor Circle Program for Afghans! **We are in urgent need of sponsor circles to support the move of Afghan newcomers into welcoming communities. You can play a critical role. To learn how you can be a community sponsor, visit https://dfms.formstack.com/forms/initial_congregation_interest_form

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram where we are @emmrefugees. To stay up to date on all new episodes, make sure to follow us wherever you get your podcasts on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or SoundCloud.

To support the ministry of welcome, you can make a gift to Episcopal Migration Ministries. With your help, we will continue to welcome and resettle refugees in communities across the country, offer support to asylum seekers, and create beloved community for all of our immigrant siblings. Visit episcopalmigrationministries.org/give or text HOMETOWN to 91999.

Our theme song composer is Abraham Mwinda Ikando. Find his music at abrahammwinda.bandcamp.com