Starts with K

“M y Arabic is very remedial.”

It’s a pretty safe bet that those five words have never been uttered in Blooming Prairie – or possibly Steele County – until now.

They came during Christy Anderson’s acceptance speech during the Sept. 20 Blossoms Forever banquet; she was one of eight inductees into the BP Education Foundation’s Hall of Fame.

Now living in Claremont, Calif. – “it’s really different from Claremont, Minnesota” – Anderson is using her small-town upbringing to enrich the lives of others, namely, refugee families.

She looked for volunteer opportunities when the last of her four children started school and met a woman from Syria who also had four children.

“Even now, my Arabic is very remedial,” Anderson told the crowd last week, “but I saw her, and I could just see the fear in her face, and I knew what she had already been through to get to this point.”

Using her connections to nonprofits and other organizations, Anderson founded Claremont Canopy, an organization that supports refugee families through employment, education, health care and empowerment. She partners with community and business leaders and local government to ensure the families are equipped to not only survive, but to thrive.

That was eight years ago. Now, she said, “I help translate – through Google Translate – documents and help them find employment… I also go to a lot of weddings; I go to a lot of baby showers, lots of fun stuff.”

She also works for an organization called “Miry’s List,” which helps families all over the country. One of the programs she spearheads is a model that helps bring communities together over food.

“What’s more universal and unifying than food?” Anderson asked. “So we have a refugee family cook the food in their native cuisine, we sell tickets and then the profits go back to the chef. We’ve been able to distribute about $300,000 worth of those salaries to new-arrival chefs.”

Back in her hometown for the recognition banquet, Anderson said the refugee families were keeping track of all the Blooming Prairie High School homecoming festivities that were part of the celebration.

“They’ve been watching the videos,” she said, “and they were like, ‘You’re in a parade?’ While I’ve been sitting here, a man from Syria texted me, ‘Are you the president now?’”

When the laughter died down, Anderson told the crowd of friends, family and former teachers that the people she helps “know who you are, even though you’ve not met them. So I want to leave you with this.

“One of the families that I serve is from Gaza,” she said. “They moved to Claremont in January, and when Jamal found out I was coming (to BP), he said, ‘Can you please say something from me?’ This is from Jamal to you, and I’m going to read it.”

The packed room was very quiet as Anderson began.

“Hello, my name is Jamal Al Sharif. I came to Claremont from Gaza nine months ago with my family after fleeing the war. Though I cannot be with you tonight, I want to speak to the committee and the amazing people of Blooming Prairie.

“Claremont Canopy serves as the light for those who feel surrounded by darkness,” he wrote. “It is hope for people who have lost hope. It is shelter for those of us who are left behind. This award is not only for Christy, but it’s for us, the families she serves.

“This award tells us that we’re not forgotten; that we are welcome; that even after all we’ve endured, there is still a place for hope. From my heart and from the heart of all of those affected by war, thank you for honoring her for her work, and standing with us.

“May we all see the day when every family in our world can live in safety and with peace.”

May it be so, Jamal. May it be so.