Opening Teen Refugees’ Voices and Worlds

This first of its kind summer camp provides an opportunity for high school college bound refugee youth living in Chicago to work with a professional photographer and a writing mentor as they express their experiences of migration and refuge.  Through autobiography and photography, they will build "Houses of Memories and Expectations" fostering new expressions of their worlds.  Other activities include hands-on writing exercises (including a college essay); mentoring that can enhance college applications; fun-filled activities like field trips; a final camp exhibition of visual ethnographies; and an art & music gala event for participants and their families.

Participants have been carefully selected from a diverse group of high school college bound refugee youth living in Chicago.  They come from Afghanistan, Bosnia, Ethiopia, Kosova, Liberia, Sudan, and other countries experiencing political and social catastrophes

Alexander Hemon, an internationally recognized Bosnian novelist and 
Gina Grillo, a photography professor at Columbia College will serve as guest instructors.

VITAL INFORMATION

The dates: June 21 to July 1, 2004
The place: St. Gertrude's Church, 1420 West Granville Ave.  Take Red Line to Granville stop.  The church is just west of Broadway on Granville.
The times: Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The camp is organized by the UIC ICORC Center and led by Nerina Muzorovic, a fellow of the Center, together with a young team of experienced workers, many of whom have been refugees or who work in the Chicago refugee communities.

CONTACT

For questions or to send applications, contact:
ICORC, 5th floor, 1601 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60612;
Nerina Muzurovic email: nerina@uchicago.edu 
Medha Pandey email: mpandey@psych.uic.edu phone: 312.355.5407
Stevan Weine email: smweine@uic.edu phone: 312.388.8416