BUSSW Students Learn to Advocate for Queer Immigrants & Refugees from the LGBT Asylum Task Force
In the United States, asylum seekers are often legally unable to work for up to two years after their arrival. This restriction can make an already vulnerable population dependent on limited resources, with many negative effects on their health and wellbeing. Marginalized groups, like LGBTQ+ people, are especially at risk. BU School of Social Work (BUSSW) students in Prof. Luis Alvarez-Hernandez‘s course, “Social Work Theory and Practice with Immigrant and Refugee Populations,” recently met with members of the LGBT Asylum Task Force, who shared insights into their organization’s vital work in supporting queer individuals seeking asylum in the U.S.
In the class, students explore the complexities of immigrant and refugee experiences, using a human rights framework to analyze the challenges and strengths of asylum-seeking communities. Learning from an on-the-ground group like the LGBT Asylum Task Force helped contextualize these methods in the real world. The group is a church ministry that offers essential resources and a comprehensive support system for queer asylum seekers from all faith backgrounds, including housing, food, and access to legal, educational, medical, and mental health resources. Al Green, ministry director of the LGBT Asylum Task Force, and two program participants, shared a presentation that helped students learn about the personal challenges and resilience of queer asylum seekers, the community-focused approach of the organization, and actionable ways students can advocate for human rights.