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Nonprofit Creates Film and Story Project About the Realities of Daily Life for Colorado’s 60,000+ Refugees
Aurora, Colo. — Begun in 2011 by Frank and Carolyn Anello to provide services to the refugee families in their Colorado community, Project Worthmore has grown from offering English courses in a makeshift classroom to serving thousands of refugees clients across six programs. Now, the project will partner with the Colorado Equity Compass (CEC) to educate the public through a documentary film and ongoing art project about the realities of daily life for the 60,000+ refugees living in Colorado today. “[These stories would] help advocate for refugees using their own voice and to educate the welcoming community about the refugee experience. We worked closely with 15-year-old Afsaneh and her mother,” Project Worthmore organizers say. “The family expressed wanting to help people learn about the situation in Afghanistan and what it is like for refugees as we prepare to welcome evacuees from Afghanistan.”
The film was directed and shot by another refugee from Afghanistan. Drawings were done by a local artist who has been contributing artwork to Project Worthmore for several years. The medium of animation was chosen to protect the identities of the families involved in the storytelling amidst growing security concerns from the precarious situation.
“The CEC is pleased that Project Worthmore is one of 20, $2,000 recipients of CEC’s storytelling awards,” said CEC Project Lead Dr. Rachele Espiritu. “This video project and upcoming blogs are excellent stories that showcase how the social determinants of health (SDOH) impact refugees in all aspects of their journey, and including when they reach places like Colorado.”
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About Project Worthmore Project Worthmore is dedicated to providing programs that foster community, self-sufficiency and increase quality of life among Denver-area refugees. It envisions a world in which all people are valued, included, and empowered. “Our aim is to support racial, economic and health equity in the food system, language acquisition, health care system, and employment through capacity building and by providing tools to reduce the differences in outcomes and opportunity based on socio-economic and immiration status, culture and race,” organizers say.
About the Colorado Equity Compass Across Colorado, communities are facing inequities that impact their health and wellbeing. Different factors, including systemic racism, a lack of affordable housing, and environmental concerns, contribute to these inequities. As a project of The Colorado Trust, CEC helps communities — and the organizations that serve them — better understand these issues and advocate for change using data and stories. This work consolidates diverse resources, connects peers, and both aligns and empowers communities and institutions via its Equity Data Navigator. The model showcases inequities and the social determinants of health (SDOH) across communities. CEC also serves as a hub for community storytelling and information-sharing. For more information and to view the Equity Data Navigator, visit coequitycompass.org. For media inquiries, contact the CEC at hello@coequitycompass.org.