2019 is around the corner. As we celebrate another year, we'd like to look back on a poem written by the very talented, prize winning Amineh Abou Kerech, who wrote 'Lament for Syria' at the age of 13, after being forced to flee her homeland. This poem reminds us that life is never promised, never [...]
Happy Saturday, Casa Family! Now might be the perfect weekend to snuggle up with a book. We wanted to share with you 5 interesting books detailing the immigrant experience. As a whole, the immigrant experience is deeply personal and the stories shared by immigrants are incredibly unique - but can also fundamentally be similar when [...]
We carry tears in our eyes: good-bye father, good-bye mother We carry soil in small bags: may home never fade in our hearts We carry names, stories, memories of our villages, fields, boats We carry scars from proxy wars of greed We carry carnage of mining, droughts, floods, genocides We carry dust of our families [...]
We had an incredible time at MIGRANT, a multi-media event that deals with the human migration theme and pays homage to the cultural richness that immigrants have brought to the United States. What a beautiful, peaceful night! What is MIGRANT about? 'MIGRANT’s main focus is to bring about a better understanding and a clearer perception [...]
This week, we're chatting with the kind, smart and always friendly Namitha, a former ESL teacher at Casa Marianella. Namitha is now on her way to becoming a PA, her lifelong dream! Namitha's passion is medicine and helping those in need. We miss Namitha dearly, but we're catching up with her this week to hear [...]
Ten years ago, St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities awarded Casa Marianella its very first grant to provide medical case management, medical care, medical equipment, transportation and housing for 50 sick and injured homeless immigrants living in our shelter as well as health education classes for Casa Marianella residents and members of the immigrant community at-large. [...]
We had a blast at This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, & This Girl Does Nothing, a production of the Performance as Public Practice Student Alliance in collaboration with graduate students in the Drama & Theatre for Youth & Communities (DTYC) MFA program at UT Austin. The actors are on the back row are Lina Chambers & Kriston Woodreaux. In [...]
After fleeing violence and persecution in their home country, thousands of refugees find themselves detained in immigration centers. Due to an array of challenges—including treacherous journeys, language barriers, lack of access to legal services, limited financial resources, and ongoing trauma and health issues—most folks confront incredible obstacles as they attempt to be released from detention, [...]
Allen Schroeder brings delicious food to Casa Marianella every Saturday morning. We are so grateful for his dedication and thoughtfulness. Allen writes about his experiences interacting with residents the process of food recovery: I love bringing recovery food to Casa Marianella on Saturday mornings. There's usually music playing on someone's phone and a nice aroma is [...]
I have been teaching English at Casa for nearly five years. My goal is help my students enjoy the hour and a half they are in class, so that they will stay motivated to continue improving their language skills. Sometimes when I head to Casa, I am mentally and emotionally tired from a long day [...]