Somayah Kakar fled Afghanistan when the Taliban came into power in 2021.
First she landed in the United Arab Emirates. Then one year ago she walked through the doors of Catholic Social Services in Scranton as a refugee. Now, the former defense attorney is a case worker for the organization.
"I’m so happy I’m here in Scranton," she said.
Kakar wore traditional Afghan dress to the World Refugee Day celebration at Nay Aug Park in Scranton. It's a day of music, food and community and celebrates the refugees from around the globe who fled war, persecution and violence and now call the city home.
"I really like this day," said Kakar.
Chandra Sitaula Sharma is president of the Bhutanese Cultural Foundation of Scranton.
In the early 90s the Bhutanese government began the ethnic cleansing of more 100,000 people, he said. They fled to refugee camps in Nepal for more than two decades.
"To become a refugee is not an option," he said.
He came to the area in 2010. At first it wasn't easy, he said. But his community, which includes more than 7,000 Bhutanese refugees, now have many opportunities. His daughter works for the city while the other is in college.
He said the mountains and valleys of the Scranton area remind him of Bhutan.
Several community agencies organized Saturday’s event.
Fikile Ryder is director of community for the immigrant and refugee resettlement program for Catholic Social Services.
"We are celebrating the resilience and strength of them coming here and rebuilding their life in this community," she said.
Ryder said the number of refugees is increasing. They come from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria and Venezuela.
Catholic Social Services works with the federal government to help resettle the refugees locally.
"We look for housing for them, we enroll the kids into school, we apply for benefits for them, we help them apply for jobs and take them into places and provide that transportation as well," she said.
After one year refugees can apply for a green card, and after five they can apply for citizenship.
“We want the community to know and recognize that there are refugees in our community. At the same time we want the refugees to feel welcome," she said.
The United Nations celebrates World Refugee Day each year on June 20. The day is meant to give everyone an opportunity to experience, understand and celebrate refugees, and for refugees to be seen and valued by their new communities.
“This is our way of integrating everybody and know that the refugees and U.S. citizens, we’re all one," said Ryder.
