Adult Ed & Spiritual Formation – The Afghan Refugee Crisis – An Update & How You Can Help

The Afghan Refugee Crisis – An Update & How You Can Help

In August 2021, the final US troops withdrew from Afghanistan returning control to the Taliban. Join us for a discussion on Sunday, November 7th at 11:30 am with Dr. Valerie Smith on the Afghan refugee crisis. Dr. Smith will present on the current situation and share ways we can take action to help. Dr. Smith has played a leading role in convening Afghan focused coalition and health support in Fremont, CA, which is home to the largest Afghan population in the United States.

About Valerie Smith, PhD, MPH, CHES: As a refugee health studies scholar and advocate, Dr. Valerie Smith focuses on the migration, resettlement, and adjustment of refugees. Dr. Smith earned a PhD in Communication Studies from Regent University and a Master of Public Health from UC Berkeley. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES).

Valerie completed Afghan refugee community research on The Information Needs and Associated Communicative Behaviors of Afghan Female Refugees in the San Francisco Bay Area and served as Co-PI for an Afghan refugee community health and mental health needs assessment survey. In 2019 she was awarded the “Ulysses Medal for Leadership in Refugee Health” by UC Davis School of Medicine.

Dr. Smith is an award-winning Public Health and Communication faculty member at California State University, East Bay. Through the Afghan Coalition she oversees the Afghan Health Leadership Consortium, a consortium of health, social, and human service providers throughout the greater region to partner for the health and wellbeing of refugees in our community with cultural humility and sensitivity.

The Adult Education & Spiritual Formation event will be livestreamed for those that will not be at Calvary in-person. You can watch here on this page, Calvary’s Facebook page or YouTube channel.