Q&A with Basma Alawee

🟢 Name: Basma Alawee

🟢 Role & organization: Deputy executive director at the Community Sponsorship Hub . I lead public engagement for Welcome Corps which paves the way for diaspora communities and new actors to embrace freedom and opportunity by welcoming refugee families to #America.

🟢 Where do you live? Jacksonville, #FL

🟢 And where do you call home? Baghdad, #Iraq

🟢 How did the experiences of people who have been forcibly displaced first become important to you? I always had a positive impression of immigration, inspired by Quranic stories of prophets who left home for various reasons, both forcibly and voluntarily. Growing up in #Baghdad, I learned about our neighbors who were refugees and immigrants. Baghdad became their refuge, and despite speaking different Arabic dialects, I never felt they were different from us. On the contrary, I felt we were special to have an international experience at home because of the rich diversity our new neighbors brought.

I never imagined that I would one day become a forcibly displaced person. It wasn't until I experienced it myself that I truly understood how immigrants and refugees are often treated, sometimes facing discrimination and not always receiving the best treatment. This personal experience opened my eyes to what it feels like to be unwelcome.

🟢 My professional journey: I am Basma Alawee, dedicated to refugee and immigrant rights. As deputy executive director at the Community Sponsorship Hub , I lead the Welcome Corps , helping communities welcome refugee families to #America. I was the first refugee advisor on the U.S. delegation to the Executive Committee of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency . My advocacy stems from my experience as a former Iraqi refugee. I serve on the The Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative (GRSI) 's advisory board and previously led national campaigns for We Are All America . In 2019, I founded WeaveTales , empowering over 500 refugees through storytelling.

My work has been recognized with awards such as Arab Americans 40 Under 40 in 2023, Leadership Jacksonville in 2022, and the Jacksonville EVE Award in 2020.

🟢 What's your superpower, either real or desired? If I were to describe my superpower, it would be the ability to adapt effortlessly to any situation and to think creatively in the face of challenges. This adaptability, born from personal experiences, has made me flexible and open to change. Coupled with my knack for creative thinking, I can navigate and thrive in diverse environments and circumstances.

🟢 Tell us your fantasy dinner party guests! If I could invite anyone to my fantasy dinner party, it would undoubtedly be my family, whom I was separated from 15 years ago. Every opportunity to be with them is precious to me. Our chef would be my mom, who has always been the best at creating delicious meals that bring us together.