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OPIOIDS: A Breakdown of the Invisible Overdose Crisis in the Black Community
CLICK TO VIEW TRAILER ON VIMEOLive Watch Party and Discussion
A DBHIDS watch party and discussion with the filmmakers of this powerful short production took place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 31 — International Overdose Awareness Day.
Special remarks by:
- DBHIDS Commissioner Jill Bowen, Ph.D., and Tumar Alexander, City of Philadelphia Managing Director
Guest speakers include:
- Richard Patterson Jr., Artist, and Filmmaker @whatshisnameson
- James Rivers, cast and family member
- Brandon Chastang, Sober Messenger, and Motivator @bmcfly_
- Pamela McClenton, Sr. Director of DBHIDS Diversity, Equity & Inclusion @DBHIDS
- Gabriel Bryant, event moderator and Engaging Males of Color Coordinator @EMOCPhilly
The Crisis in Philadelphia
The Crisis in Philadelphia
Philadelphia is facing the greatest public health crisis in a century. Every neighborhood in the city is being hit hard by an epidemic of opioid use and overdose. Across all racial and ethnic groups, the number of deaths from drug overdose is catastophic.
The City is working to save lives, improve access to help, and reverse the negative effects opioids have had on our communities. Learn more: Combating the Opioid Epidemic: Fighting back agains the crisis in Philadelphia
About the film
About the film: How the short documentary film came to be
So, what are opioids?
That’s what Richard Patterson Jr. asked his mentors, El Sawyer and Jon Kaufman, after leaving the Pennsylvania Reentry Coalition at the State Capitol building in Harrisburg.
Rich, who finished a three-year prison sentence in 2013, took part in the SHOOTERS program: a media development program for formerly incarcerated individuals. Working with Sawyer and Kaufman at SHOOTERS introduced him to digital media and fueled an aspiration for filmmaking. Hungry for his first project, Rich explored issues plaguing his own neighborhood. When he learned opioids are found in prescription medications such as Percocet, or “Percs” as he calls them, he knew there was an opportunity for a bigger story. He figured most people he grew up with probably never heard the word opioid, thus the idea for the film was conceptualized.
”It’s confusing to me because the way the news media shows it, all you see is white people living in tents under train stations. At the time, it didn’t seem like a Black issue at all!”
Rich soon learned there was a lack of awareness within his own community around the language of the opioid crisis. If the messaging around the drug isn’t clear to the people in his community, the understanding of getting help isn’t either. From his research, he founds the biggest issue is that counterfeit pills look exactly like prescription “Xanies” (Xanax) and “Percs” but are laced with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid. Fentanyl is like morphine, but the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) warns it’s 50 to 100 times more powerful. Nearly 67 percent of opioid overdose deaths in 2019 included fentanyl. Considering that fentanyl is now found in more and more illicit substances, the number of overdoses is likely to increase.
The goal of this documentary film is to start a national conversation about the language of the opioid crisis and to use it as a tool to spread awareness of the epidemic to Black communities. In collaboration with Seven Halsema, a teacher at SHOOTERS and experienced filmmaker from the Netherlands, Rich engaged in community research and drafted a film script. Not long after, they found themselves interviewing people in Rich’s North Philadelphia neighborhood to gauge the knowledge of opioids among the people he grew up with.
”More people can tell you where to get some ‘Percs’ than where they can get into recovery.”
Upon starting their interviews, they quickly discovered that most people had no clue about the relationship between commonly used pills and opioids. If they did, the stigma around addiction kept them from openly talking about it. A rare case was found in James Rivers, who lost his sister to an opioid-related overdose and included her cause of death in her obituary. Rivers is a vocal advocate in the community and talks about his experience in the film. Through personal stories told by people like Rivers, this short documentary film takes a closer look inside black communities and offers clarity and help for individuals and communities dealing with opioid related addiction. As Rich states: ”It can be the difference in getting help or getting left behind. It can be the difference in life or death.”
Biographies
Biographies
Richard Patterson Jr. — Multi-talented artist
Richard Patterson Jr. grew up in the streets of North Philadelphia. After being incarcerated and then released in 2013, he forged a new path for himself through video and filmmaking. In 2015, he attended a fledgling program named SHOOTERS, headed by his long-time mentors, El Sawyer and Jon Kaufman. During his time in the program, he learned the craft of filmmaking and created his own work. In 2019, he received a grant from the Doc Society to work on decoding the language of the opioid crisis and the cultural differences and inequalities it reveals. As an artist and aspiring documentary filmmaker, Rich seeks to tell stories about human experiences, rarely heard by those outside his community by starting a conversation about issues barely discussed inside his community.
Seven Halsema — Accomplished filmmaker
Seven Halsema was born and raised in Amsterdam. He studied educational science and successfully graduated from the School of Audio Engineering. He worked for some of the biggest post-production companies in the Netherlands on productions such as ‘The Voice.’’ He made his transition to the United States in 2012 to pursue documentary filmmaking. Much of his work was alongside co-founders El Sawyer and Jon Kaufman focusing on social justice related issues. Their first release was the successfully acclaimed documentary “Pull of Gravity,” which focuses on mass incarceration and recidivism. It received critical acclaim by President Barack Obama during his televised NAACP speech in 2015.
Since that time, Seven produced a variety of projects, throughout the United States and Europe, and mentored previously incarcerated individuals in filmmaking and journalism.
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Camp Program Benefits Kids with Behavioral Disabilities
Hannah Anolik, DBHIDS Summer 2019 Intern
Between the ages of 7 and 11, I “lived 10 months for two” – meaning I was obsessed with summer camp. I lived the other 10 months of the year just for those two months at camp.
Seeing my summertime best friends every day and having (what we thought of as) no rules and pure fun always felt like an escape from reality. Now, a decade or so later, I realize it was during those carefree, hot, summer days that I developed into who I am today and learning about myself.
Summer camp may just seem like a way to get kids out of the house, but it is much more than that.
‘I AM …’: Speaker works to empower Philly preteens, July 2019
Donovan Forrest, DBHIDS Summer 2019 Intern
Young Philadelphia boys and girls screamed their positive messages about themselves for all to hear when Donovan Forrest brought his message to them this month at Ace Camp in West Philadelphia. Ace Camp participates with the Madeline Moore Summer Camp Grant program offered by DBHIDS.
Forrest, executive director of DonCARES of Philadelphia, worked with DBHIDS Operations/Fiscal (OpsFis) unit this summer through the Mayor’s Internship Program. His activities included visits to local area summer camps that partner with the grant program.
Forrest was asked to speak to 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds July 1 at the summer program hosted at Martha Washington Elementary School, 766 N. 44th St. in the Belmont neighborhood of West Philadelphia.
Essay: A Tangled Path from Khmer Rouge Refugee to Community Healer
Imagine for a moment your childhood memories included living in a bomb shelter for years, watching your 2-year-old sister die in your arms.Imagine being separated from your parents and put in a children’s camp where there was little food and water, and where you were forced to work long hours in the sun.
Imagine spending nights sleeping on a hard bamboo bed with bed bugs and no pillow or blanket in a one-room house with no walls.
Imagine that at the age of 10 you have to run for your life through the jungle, dodging bullets and mines daily and sleeping wherever, eating and drinking anything just to get basic nourishment, sometimes even having to drink water from a pond with dead bodies floating in it.
These childhood memories are not fiction but my own true story as a refugee.
Surviving the war; surviving after the war
I was born in Cambodia during the Vietnam War. A four-year-long carpet-bombing campaign in the skies of Cambodia devastated the country and eventually led to the installation of the Khmer Rouge regime. The war took away my childhood and killed about half a million people and displaced a few million others. The Khmer Rouge starved and killed about 1.7 million people, approximately 21 percent of Cambodia’s entire population.
At just 8 years old I was given the responsibility of taking care of my 2-year-old sister while my parents were sent away to work in their labor camp. My sister got very sick. We had no access to medical care, and she died in my arms. I was so devastated I couldn’t even cry.
After my sister died, I was taken away against my will to a children’s labor camp with hundreds of other children and forced to work long hours with little food and water. The living conditions were so bad that the entire camp was infested with bed bugs, body bugs, and head lice. With no shoes or proper clothing, my body and feet were infected with wounds, and I was unable to see my parents. Sometimes I took huge risks and snuck out of the camp at night, walking miles just to be able to see my mom for a few hours.
The journey of a refugee
When the Vietcong invaded Cambodia in 1979, war broke out again. That’s when my family decided our best chance of surviving was to flee the country. My dad came for me and my other siblings, and we risked our lives crossing the country by foot, running through battle zones, dodging bullets, bombs, and hidden landmines, and trekking through the dense jungles of Cambodia with little food or water. I witnessed hundreds of people die along that traumatic journey. Many people were left behind to die, because we were too weak to carry the loved ones who were too weak to walk.
When we reached the Thailand border, we were stuck there and had to survive by eating whatever fruits or animals we could find. Many people died of starvation, malaria, and other infectious diseases. By the time the UN and other organizations came to rescue us, about half the people living around me had died. Many more continued to die in the crowded refugee camp.
Eventually life got better in the refugee camp. We were given basic food, shelter, clothing, medicine, the freedom to play and make friends, and I finally had the chance to attend school — for the first time — at age 11. I absorbed everything like a sponge, so quickly that I was able to read and write half-way through my first grade. Reading to other children gave me so much joy. At 16, after a few years of high school, I finished my nursing certificate program and was able to help take care of other refugees, which brought me tremendous fulfillment and happiness.
After spending eight years in refugee camps, my family of eight was accepted to the United States. We were settled first in a studio apartment in South Philadelphia and then to a three-bedroom house. At 19, I had to be working right away, but because I had such a desire for education, I decided to attend South Philadelphia High School during the day and work in a chicken factory at night to help support my family. With the help of some wonderful teachers, counselors, and my principal, within two years I was able to graduate with honors and get accepted to the Community College of Philadelphia. I soon started my first job as an interpreter and medical clerk at three Philadelphia Health Center locations.
Becoming an asset to the community
Within 10 years, I was able to earn a college degree, begin a rewarding career, get married, give birth to two beautiful children, and purchase my first home. While working at the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia, I was able to help many refugees and immigrants who had been through difficult times like I had. Community members and other stakeholders turned to me for assistance in dealing with complex issues such as runaway children, conflict mediation, and responses to crises in the community. With good connections locally and nationally, I was able to identify and speak on various issues at local, state, and federal levels, and I developed many impactful programs and services for of all ages. I felt like I was on top of the world and truly living the American Dream.
But then the financial crisis hit in 2008. In the next few years many foundations were forced to either cut or freeze their funding to nonprofits, and reimbursements from government agencies were delayed by five or six months. I kept fighting for resources that too often were taken away. I saw the important work of grassroots organizations like the Cambodian Association consistently undervalued. I was forced to cut my employees’ salaries by 50 percent across the board. I cut my own by 75 percent.
At the same time, I was going through a terrible divorce, losing my house, and going broke. It was among the most difficult periods of my life, and I almost reached a breaking point.
I wasn’t comfortable seeking professional help, because I was afraid of being judged. With the help of an elder from my community, I was able to get in touch with my spiritual side and learn Vipassana meditation techniques that remedied my pains — through seeing things as they really are at the moment, understanding what causes misery, and gaining insight into the universal law of impermanence.
Paying it forward
With the support of family and countless others, I survived that difficult period and came out stronger than before. The Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services made miracles happen, releasing emergency funds to help us meet payroll and keep the organization going. Foundations and corporations supported our work helping thousands of people in need in our area. After 14 years, I left the Cambodian Association in 2014 as its executive director having restored 76 percent of our revenue and helping more people than ever before.
I realized I needed to pause and take care of myself, so I returned to Cambodia and traveled in other countries in Southeast Asia. In Cambodia I volunteered at a crisis center, helping battered women and victims of sex and human trafficking get help and find hope. That journey, helping other less fortunate than I am, and reconnecting with my homeland, helped me heal in many ways. I was able to accept the traumatic experiences I had as a child and a refugee as important parts of my story that make me who I am today.
I am stronger, happier, and wiser, and very hopeful that I can help many others who have had similar experiences and struggles and ultimately make our community and world a stronger, healthier, and much better place.
I am the true embodiment of the American dream and my story can give hope to anyone coming to this country that absolutely anything is possible here.
—
Sarorng “Rorng” Sorn is the Director of Immigrant Affairs and Language Access Services at Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual DisAbility Services (BHIDS). The above essay is adapted from her remarks at the Faith and Spiritual Affairs 10th annual conference, New Americans: Healing and Resilience, on April 11.
10th Annual FBI-Strawberry Mansion Softball Game
Strawberry Mansion community members and the Philadelphia division of the FBI sat side by side on Tuesday, August 30, tying their cleats for the 10th annual “Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence” softball game.
Derrick Ford, a social worker from Strawberry Mansion and one of the organizers for the event explained that the game wasn’t about winning, but about bringing the community together.
Strawberry Mansion All-Star Baseball League huddles together before hitting the field on Tuesday, August 30, 2016./Kaitlyn Moore
“The media perpetuates what is happening with the multitude of cops killing african american kids. And we are trying to the kill the stigma of how these inner-city kids view law enforcement.”
Families and children lined the field, looking on as their coaches, parents, and family friends played with members of the FBI.
Jahmarr Gardner, right, and Naji Reid Lawrence Lewis look on during the softball game in support of their friend Alex, the pitcher on Strawberry Mansion’s team./Kaitlyn Moore
“Its an opportunity for kids to be up close and personal with law enforcement, and realize it’s okay to be an officer,” Ford explained.
The crowd grew heated, cheering and laughing as the plays became more intense. The FBI ended up taking the win 18-11, but Special Agent Bill Sweeney remarked, “If you ask me, it was a win-win on both sides.”
Strawberry Mansion teammate, Brandon Mundy looks on at his hit during the 10th annual Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence softball game. /Kaitlyn Moore
After the game, the two teams lined to shake hands and pose for a photo to commemorate the day. A teammate from the FBI, Daron said, “They get to interact with us and see a different side of us. And sometimes in the job we lose sight of the human aspect of the people we investigate. This helps shed light on that.”
Strawberry Mansion teammate, Ebony Williams, right, shares a laugh with FBI catcher during the 10th annual Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence softball game. /Kaitlyn Moore
Tonetta Graham, steps up to plate in support of Strawberry Mansion on August 30, 2016./Kaitlyn Moore
Philadelphia Division of the FBI player, Janelle Miller, makes a catch during the 10th annual Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence softball game. /Kaitlyn Moore
FBI player, Daron, runs for third base during the 10th annual Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence softball game. /Kaitlyn Moore
Brandon Mundy makes it safely to third base during the 10th annual Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence softball game. /Kaitlyn Moore
Tonetta Graham enjoys the 10th annual Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence softball game./Kaitlyn Moore
Umpire and FBI team player share a moment after the game on August 30, 2016./Kaitlyn Moore
Organizers, players, family members, and both teams pose for a photo after an afternoon of baseball at the 10th annual Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence softball game. /Kaitlyn Moore
Get Creative With Mural Arts!
Join in and paint a project designed by Eric Okdeh in conjunction with participants in workshops at the Kirkbride Center.
The mural describes the process of acknowledging, accepting, and overcoming the hardships and struggles that occur in all our lives, ending in the warm embrace of community. We’re also happy to welcome various community health and wellness organizations who will be tabling and sharing resources with attendees.
This event is free and open to the public of all ages.
Nominations Sought for Points of Transformation Awards
Nominations are now being accepted for the 16th annual Points of Transformation Awards to be held on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016. We welcome nominations of those direct service professionals who have committed their careers to supporting people with intellectual disabilities and exemplify the Philadelphia Intellectual disAbility Services motto, “It’s all about community!” Consider the people you work with who are models of excellence, compassion, commitment, growth, and achievement.
To nominate an individual, simply fill out the nomination form and submit it to the address listed below. All nominations must be received by Friday, Aug. 12, 2016. No extensions will be given.
There will be one winner in each of the following categories:
- Residential: A person who is meets the individual needs of each resident and makes sure safe, healthy choices are provided to attain an “everyday life” in meaningful experiences and loving relationships.
- Employment: A person who assists in matching an individual with a job position that provides fair pay, benefits, positive relationships with co-workers and provisions for a rewarding environment.
- Life Sharing: A person or family who provides a loving home and environment that opens opportunities for life and loving family experiences.
- Support/Service Coordination This person helps identify, locate coordinate and monitor community and system supports of highest possible quality while respecting each person’s right to privacy and personal autonomy.
- Early Intervention: This individual works with families in meeting the developmental needs of their children by assisting them in use of community services, supports and addressing their concerns.
- Treatment Staff: This is a health care professional (nurse, behavior therapist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, nutritionist) who works with individuals and staff around first aid, healthy foods, weight loss, diabetes care, exercise, or behavioral triggers.
- Habilitation: A direct staff professional who supports and works with an individual in day community settings.
- Kathy Sykes “It’s all about community!” Award: This person exemplifies our mission to create, promote and enhance the supports and services available to individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Please return completed nominations to:
Wendy Williams, MSW
Public Awareness Coordinator
701 Market Street, Suite 5200
Philadelphia, PA 19106
For further information, please contact Wendy Williams at wendy.williams@phila.gov or 215-685-4680.
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OPIOIDS: A Breakdown of the Invisible Overdose Crisis in the Black Community
CLICK TO VIEW TRAILER ON VIMEOLive Watch Party and Discussion
A DBHIDS watch party and discussion with the filmmakers of this powerful short production took place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 31 — International Overdose Awareness Day.
Special remarks by:
- DBHIDS Commissioner Jill Bowen, Ph.D., and Tumar Alexander, City of Philadelphia Managing Director
Guest speakers include:
- Richard Patterson Jr., Artist, and Filmmaker @whatshisnameson
- James Rivers, cast and family member
- Brandon Chastang, Sober Messenger, and Motivator @bmcfly_
- Pamela McClenton, Sr. Director of DBHIDS Diversity, Equity & Inclusion @DBHIDS
- Gabriel Bryant, event moderator and Engaging Males of Color Coordinator @EMOCPhilly
The Crisis in Philadelphia
The Crisis in Philadelphia
Philadelphia is facing the greatest public health crisis in a century. Every neighborhood in the city is being hit hard by an epidemic of opioid use and overdose. Across all racial and ethnic groups, the number of deaths from drug overdose is catastophic.
The City is working to save lives, improve access to help, and reverse the negative effects opioids have had on our communities. Learn more: Combating the Opioid Epidemic: Fighting back agains the crisis in Philadelphia
About the film
About the film: How the short documentary film came to be
So, what are opioids?
That’s what Richard Patterson Jr. asked his mentors, El Sawyer and Jon Kaufman, after leaving the Pennsylvania Reentry Coalition at the State Capitol building in Harrisburg.
Rich, who finished a three-year prison sentence in 2013, took part in the SHOOTERS program: a media development program for formerly incarcerated individuals. Working with Sawyer and Kaufman at SHOOTERS introduced him to digital media and fueled an aspiration for filmmaking. Hungry for his first project, Rich explored issues plaguing his own neighborhood. When he learned opioids are found in prescription medications such as Percocet, or “Percs” as he calls them, he knew there was an opportunity for a bigger story. He figured most people he grew up with probably never heard the word opioid, thus the idea for the film was conceptualized.
”It’s confusing to me because the way the news media shows it, all you see is white people living in tents under train stations. At the time, it didn’t seem like a Black issue at all!”
Rich soon learned there was a lack of awareness within his own community around the language of the opioid crisis. If the messaging around the drug isn’t clear to the people in his community, the understanding of getting help isn’t either. From his research, he founds the biggest issue is that counterfeit pills look exactly like prescription “Xanies” (Xanax) and “Percs” but are laced with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid. Fentanyl is like morphine, but the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) warns it’s 50 to 100 times more powerful. Nearly 67 percent of opioid overdose deaths in 2019 included fentanyl. Considering that fentanyl is now found in more and more illicit substances, the number of overdoses is likely to increase.
The goal of this documentary film is to start a national conversation about the language of the opioid crisis and to use it as a tool to spread awareness of the epidemic to Black communities. In collaboration with Seven Halsema, a teacher at SHOOTERS and experienced filmmaker from the Netherlands, Rich engaged in community research and drafted a film script. Not long after, they found themselves interviewing people in Rich’s North Philadelphia neighborhood to gauge the knowledge of opioids among the people he grew up with.
”More people can tell you where to get some ‘Percs’ than where they can get into recovery.”
Upon starting their interviews, they quickly discovered that most people had no clue about the relationship between commonly used pills and opioids. If they did, the stigma around addiction kept them from openly talking about it. A rare case was found in James Rivers, who lost his sister to an opioid-related overdose and included her cause of death in her obituary. Rivers is a vocal advocate in the community and talks about his experience in the film. Through personal stories told by people like Rivers, this short documentary film takes a closer look inside black communities and offers clarity and help for individuals and communities dealing with opioid related addiction. As Rich states: ”It can be the difference in getting help or getting left behind. It can be the difference in life or death.”
Biographies
Biographies
Richard Patterson Jr. — Multi-talented artist
Richard Patterson Jr. grew up in the streets of North Philadelphia. After being incarcerated and then released in 2013, he forged a new path for himself through video and filmmaking. In 2015, he attended a fledgling program named SHOOTERS, headed by his long-time mentors, El Sawyer and Jon Kaufman. During his time in the program, he learned the craft of filmmaking and created his own work. In 2019, he received a grant from the Doc Society to work on decoding the language of the opioid crisis and the cultural differences and inequalities it reveals. As an artist and aspiring documentary filmmaker, Rich seeks to tell stories about human experiences, rarely heard by those outside his community by starting a conversation about issues barely discussed inside his community.
Seven Halsema — Accomplished filmmaker
Seven Halsema was born and raised in Amsterdam. He studied educational science and successfully graduated from the School of Audio Engineering. He worked for some of the biggest post-production companies in the Netherlands on productions such as ‘The Voice.’’ He made his transition to the United States in 2012 to pursue documentary filmmaking. Much of his work was alongside co-founders El Sawyer and Jon Kaufman focusing on social justice related issues. Their first release was the successfully acclaimed documentary “Pull of Gravity,” which focuses on mass incarceration and recidivism. It received critical acclaim by President Barack Obama during his televised NAACP speech in 2015.
Since that time, Seven produced a variety of projects, throughout the United States and Europe, and mentored previously incarcerated individuals in filmmaking and journalism.
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Camp Program Benefits Kids with Behavioral Disabilities
Hannah Anolik, DBHIDS Summer 2019 Intern
Between the ages of 7 and 11, I “lived 10 months for two” – meaning I was obsessed with summer camp. I lived the other 10 months of the year just for those two months at camp.
Seeing my summertime best friends every day and having (what we thought of as) no rules and pure fun always felt like an escape from reality. Now, a decade or so later, I realize it was during those carefree, hot, summer days that I developed into who I am today and learning about myself.
Summer camp may just seem like a way to get kids out of the house, but it is much more than that.
‘I AM …’: Speaker works to empower Philly preteens, July 2019
Donovan Forrest, DBHIDS Summer 2019 Intern
Young Philadelphia boys and girls screamed their positive messages about themselves for all to hear when Donovan Forrest brought his message to them this month at Ace Camp in West Philadelphia. Ace Camp participates with the Madeline Moore Summer Camp Grant program offered by DBHIDS.
Forrest, executive director of DonCARES of Philadelphia, worked with DBHIDS Operations/Fiscal (OpsFis) unit this summer through the Mayor’s Internship Program. His activities included visits to local area summer camps that partner with the grant program.
Forrest was asked to speak to 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds July 1 at the summer program hosted at Martha Washington Elementary School, 766 N. 44th St. in the Belmont neighborhood of West Philadelphia.
Essay: A Tangled Path from Khmer Rouge Refugee to Community Healer
Imagine for a moment your childhood memories included living in a bomb shelter for years, watching your 2-year-old sister die in your arms.Imagine being separated from your parents and put in a children’s camp where there was little food and water, and where you were forced to work long hours in the sun.
Imagine spending nights sleeping on a hard bamboo bed with bed bugs and no pillow or blanket in a one-room house with no walls.
Imagine that at the age of 10 you have to run for your life through the jungle, dodging bullets and mines daily and sleeping wherever, eating and drinking anything just to get basic nourishment, sometimes even having to drink water from a pond with dead bodies floating in it.
These childhood memories are not fiction but my own true story as a refugee.
Surviving the war; surviving after the war
I was born in Cambodia during the Vietnam War. A four-year-long carpet-bombing campaign in the skies of Cambodia devastated the country and eventually led to the installation of the Khmer Rouge regime. The war took away my childhood and killed about half a million people and displaced a few million others. The Khmer Rouge starved and killed about 1.7 million people, approximately 21 percent of Cambodia’s entire population.
At just 8 years old I was given the responsibility of taking care of my 2-year-old sister while my parents were sent away to work in their labor camp. My sister got very sick. We had no access to medical care, and she died in my arms. I was so devastated I couldn’t even cry.
After my sister died, I was taken away against my will to a children’s labor camp with hundreds of other children and forced to work long hours with little food and water. The living conditions were so bad that the entire camp was infested with bed bugs, body bugs, and head lice. With no shoes or proper clothing, my body and feet were infected with wounds, and I was unable to see my parents. Sometimes I took huge risks and snuck out of the camp at night, walking miles just to be able to see my mom for a few hours.
The journey of a refugee
When the Vietcong invaded Cambodia in 1979, war broke out again. That’s when my family decided our best chance of surviving was to flee the country. My dad came for me and my other siblings, and we risked our lives crossing the country by foot, running through battle zones, dodging bullets, bombs, and hidden landmines, and trekking through the dense jungles of Cambodia with little food or water. I witnessed hundreds of people die along that traumatic journey. Many people were left behind to die, because we were too weak to carry the loved ones who were too weak to walk.
When we reached the Thailand border, we were stuck there and had to survive by eating whatever fruits or animals we could find. Many people died of starvation, malaria, and other infectious diseases. By the time the UN and other organizations came to rescue us, about half the people living around me had died. Many more continued to die in the crowded refugee camp.
Eventually life got better in the refugee camp. We were given basic food, shelter, clothing, medicine, the freedom to play and make friends, and I finally had the chance to attend school — for the first time — at age 11. I absorbed everything like a sponge, so quickly that I was able to read and write half-way through my first grade. Reading to other children gave me so much joy. At 16, after a few years of high school, I finished my nursing certificate program and was able to help take care of other refugees, which brought me tremendous fulfillment and happiness.
After spending eight years in refugee camps, my family of eight was accepted to the United States. We were settled first in a studio apartment in South Philadelphia and then to a three-bedroom house. At 19, I had to be working right away, but because I had such a desire for education, I decided to attend South Philadelphia High School during the day and work in a chicken factory at night to help support my family. With the help of some wonderful teachers, counselors, and my principal, within two years I was able to graduate with honors and get accepted to the Community College of Philadelphia. I soon started my first job as an interpreter and medical clerk at three Philadelphia Health Center locations.
Becoming an asset to the community
Within 10 years, I was able to earn a college degree, begin a rewarding career, get married, give birth to two beautiful children, and purchase my first home. While working at the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia, I was able to help many refugees and immigrants who had been through difficult times like I had. Community members and other stakeholders turned to me for assistance in dealing with complex issues such as runaway children, conflict mediation, and responses to crises in the community. With good connections locally and nationally, I was able to identify and speak on various issues at local, state, and federal levels, and I developed many impactful programs and services for of all ages. I felt like I was on top of the world and truly living the American Dream.
But then the financial crisis hit in 2008. In the next few years many foundations were forced to either cut or freeze their funding to nonprofits, and reimbursements from government agencies were delayed by five or six months. I kept fighting for resources that too often were taken away. I saw the important work of grassroots organizations like the Cambodian Association consistently undervalued. I was forced to cut my employees’ salaries by 50 percent across the board. I cut my own by 75 percent.
At the same time, I was going through a terrible divorce, losing my house, and going broke. It was among the most difficult periods of my life, and I almost reached a breaking point.
I wasn’t comfortable seeking professional help, because I was afraid of being judged. With the help of an elder from my community, I was able to get in touch with my spiritual side and learn Vipassana meditation techniques that remedied my pains — through seeing things as they really are at the moment, understanding what causes misery, and gaining insight into the universal law of impermanence.
Paying it forward
With the support of family and countless others, I survived that difficult period and came out stronger than before. The Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services made miracles happen, releasing emergency funds to help us meet payroll and keep the organization going. Foundations and corporations supported our work helping thousands of people in need in our area. After 14 years, I left the Cambodian Association in 2014 as its executive director having restored 76 percent of our revenue and helping more people than ever before.
I realized I needed to pause and take care of myself, so I returned to Cambodia and traveled in other countries in Southeast Asia. In Cambodia I volunteered at a crisis center, helping battered women and victims of sex and human trafficking get help and find hope. That journey, helping other less fortunate than I am, and reconnecting with my homeland, helped me heal in many ways. I was able to accept the traumatic experiences I had as a child and a refugee as important parts of my story that make me who I am today.
I am stronger, happier, and wiser, and very hopeful that I can help many others who have had similar experiences and struggles and ultimately make our community and world a stronger, healthier, and much better place.
I am the true embodiment of the American dream and my story can give hope to anyone coming to this country that absolutely anything is possible here.
—
Sarorng “Rorng” Sorn is the Director of Immigrant Affairs and Language Access Services at Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual DisAbility Services (BHIDS). The above essay is adapted from her remarks at the Faith and Spiritual Affairs 10th annual conference, New Americans: Healing and Resilience, on April 11.
10th Annual FBI-Strawberry Mansion Softball Game
Strawberry Mansion community members and the Philadelphia division of the FBI sat side by side on Tuesday, August 30, tying their cleats for the 10th annual “Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence” softball game.
Derrick Ford, a social worker from Strawberry Mansion and one of the organizers for the event explained that the game wasn’t about winning, but about bringing the community together.
Strawberry Mansion All-Star Baseball League huddles together before hitting the field on Tuesday, August 30, 2016./Kaitlyn Moore
“The media perpetuates what is happening with the multitude of cops killing african american kids. And we are trying to the kill the stigma of how these inner-city kids view law enforcement.”
Families and children lined the field, looking on as their coaches, parents, and family friends played with members of the FBI.
Jahmarr Gardner, right, and Naji Reid Lawrence Lewis look on during the softball game in support of their friend Alex, the pitcher on Strawberry Mansion’s team./Kaitlyn Moore
“Its an opportunity for kids to be up close and personal with law enforcement, and realize it’s okay to be an officer,” Ford explained.
The crowd grew heated, cheering and laughing as the plays became more intense. The FBI ended up taking the win 18-11, but Special Agent Bill Sweeney remarked, “If you ask me, it was a win-win on both sides.”
Strawberry Mansion teammate, Brandon Mundy looks on at his hit during the 10th annual Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence softball game. /Kaitlyn Moore
After the game, the two teams lined to shake hands and pose for a photo to commemorate the day. A teammate from the FBI, Daron said, “They get to interact with us and see a different side of us. And sometimes in the job we lose sight of the human aspect of the people we investigate. This helps shed light on that.”
Strawberry Mansion teammate, Ebony Williams, right, shares a laugh with FBI catcher during the 10th annual Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence softball game. /Kaitlyn Moore
Tonetta Graham, steps up to plate in support of Strawberry Mansion on August 30, 2016./Kaitlyn Moore
Philadelphia Division of the FBI player, Janelle Miller, makes a catch during the 10th annual Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence softball game. /Kaitlyn Moore
FBI player, Daron, runs for third base during the 10th annual Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence softball game. /Kaitlyn Moore
Brandon Mundy makes it safely to third base during the 10th annual Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence softball game. /Kaitlyn Moore
Tonetta Graham enjoys the 10th annual Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence softball game./Kaitlyn Moore
Umpire and FBI team player share a moment after the game on August 30, 2016./Kaitlyn Moore
Organizers, players, family members, and both teams pose for a photo after an afternoon of baseball at the 10th annual Step Up to the Plate: Strike Out Violence softball game. /Kaitlyn Moore
Get Creative With Mural Arts!
Join in and paint a project designed by Eric Okdeh in conjunction with participants in workshops at the Kirkbride Center.
The mural describes the process of acknowledging, accepting, and overcoming the hardships and struggles that occur in all our lives, ending in the warm embrace of community. We’re also happy to welcome various community health and wellness organizations who will be tabling and sharing resources with attendees.
This event is free and open to the public of all ages.
Nominations Sought for Points of Transformation Awards
Nominations are now being accepted for the 16th annual Points of Transformation Awards to be held on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016. We welcome nominations of those direct service professionals who have committed their careers to supporting people with intellectual disabilities and exemplify the Philadelphia Intellectual disAbility Services motto, “It’s all about community!” Consider the people you work with who are models of excellence, compassion, commitment, growth, and achievement.
To nominate an individual, simply fill out the nomination form and submit it to the address listed below. All nominations must be received by Friday, Aug. 12, 2016. No extensions will be given.
There will be one winner in each of the following categories:
- Residential: A person who is meets the individual needs of each resident and makes sure safe, healthy choices are provided to attain an “everyday life” in meaningful experiences and loving relationships.
- Employment: A person who assists in matching an individual with a job position that provides fair pay, benefits, positive relationships with co-workers and provisions for a rewarding environment.
- Life Sharing: A person or family who provides a loving home and environment that opens opportunities for life and loving family experiences.
- Support/Service Coordination This person helps identify, locate coordinate and monitor community and system supports of highest possible quality while respecting each person’s right to privacy and personal autonomy.
- Early Intervention: This individual works with families in meeting the developmental needs of their children by assisting them in use of community services, supports and addressing their concerns.
- Treatment Staff: This is a health care professional (nurse, behavior therapist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, nutritionist) who works with individuals and staff around first aid, healthy foods, weight loss, diabetes care, exercise, or behavioral triggers.
- Habilitation: A direct staff professional who supports and works with an individual in day community settings.
- Kathy Sykes “It’s all about community!” Award: This person exemplifies our mission to create, promote and enhance the supports and services available to individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Please return completed nominations to:
Wendy Williams, MSW
Public Awareness Coordinator
701 Market Street, Suite 5200
Philadelphia, PA 19106
For further information, please contact Wendy Williams at wendy.williams@phila.gov or 215-685-4680.
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