\u201cI help write out their claims and help interpret because language is a big barrier. I don\u2019t really go to so many places- I spend most of my time there.\u201d She told me.<\/span><\/p>\n As the interview progressed, she disclosed a few details of her own migration process.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been in Canada for 2 months now; I\u2019m still waiting for my work permit and my hearing.\u201d She detailed.<\/span><\/p>\n She also added that she began attending Friday meetings at the Rainbow Resource Centre\u2014Manitoba\u2019s only LGBT+ resource center. The new social support group, called New Pride of Winnipeg, meets to make connections, practice English, and share different cultural meals. Sharon is fluent in English, but she attends for the community and connections.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou get to meet different people. It\u2019s not very official but it\u2019s a community.\u201d Sharon said.<\/span><\/p>\n This unofficial sense of community makes a difference, especially for those whose gender identity and sexual orientation make them feel at odds with their own ethnic and cultural communities. In Sharon\u2019s case, the illegality of homosexuality in Kenya, paired with strong religious beliefs, makes it \u201creally difficult to connect\u201d with other refugees from a similar cultural background.<\/span><\/p>\n For Sharon, spaces like the New Pride Friday social meetings provide a place \u201cto unwind and meet friends.\u201d She looks forward to attending every week. <\/span><\/p>\n This sense of informal community can also be found in Toronto, within the Newcomer Kitchen. The innovative non-profit allows Syrian refugee women to prepare and sell meals\u2014an act of reclaiming agency for these Syrian women. They had been housed in hotels without kitchens when they first arrived. The Depanneur\u2014 self-described as a \u201cfun, informal venue that celebrates the incredible diversity of Toronto\u2019s culinary talent\u201d\u2014 is home to the Newcomer Kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n While enjoying their delicious cooking, I shared a dish with Len Senater, the founder of the Depanneur. He was proud of the accomplishments and attention that the program has garnered — including a visit by the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau \u2014 since its debut in April 2016.<\/span><\/p>\n While he spoke about the looming difficulties of keeping the location due to rising rents and overall gentrification of Toronto, he remained excited about how the model of Newcomer Kitchen has been able to positively impact the greater newcomer community and expand to other communities in cities across Canada.<\/span><\/p>\n A table in Depanneur, decorated with a flyer for Newcomer Kitchen<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Syrian Chefs at Newcomer Kitchen<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Irma Qavolli Winnipeg, Canada My day began with an interview at Hospitality House, a place that houses and helps newcomers to Canada. In order to accommodate her discomfort with large crowds, I meet Sharon\u2014an LGBT+ asylum claimant from Kenya\u2014in the home she shared with other asylum claimants and refugees going through the asylum hearing processes.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/commons.princeton.edu\/migration-reporting\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/94\/2018\/11\/Screen-Shot-2018-11-01-at-9.25.02-AM-225x300.png\")
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