Refugee Women Make Fashion And Hope In LOOM

Members of Islamic Foundation listen to Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin address President Donald Trump’s executive order to ban Syrian refugees and visitors from seven Muslim countries in Villa Park, Ill., on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017.
Members of Islamic Foundation listen to Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin address President Donald Trump's executive order to ban Syrian refugees and visitors from seven Muslim countries in Villa Park, Ill., on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Members of Islamic Foundation listen to Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin address President Donald Trump’s executive order to ban Syrian refugees and visitors from seven Muslim countries in Villa Park, Ill., on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017.
Members of Islamic Foundation listen to Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin address President Donald Trump's executive order to ban Syrian refugees and visitors from seven Muslim countries in Villa Park, Ill., on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Refugee Women Make Fashion And Hope In LOOM

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Each year, Catholic Charities helps hundreds of refugees resettle in the Chicago area. One program they’ve developed to help women adjust to their new homes is LOOM.

Dozens of recently resettled refugees create handmade silk scarves, jewelry, bags, knit scarves and hats, beautiful pillows, and wall hangings. You can see the items at www.loomchicago.com, but the program offers more than just a marketplace for their handiwork — it offers community, support, and hope.

For our Global Activism segment, we’ll talk with LOOM program coordinator Neta Levinson and Elmida Kulovic, director of Catholic Charities’ Refugee Resettlement program. They’ll share with us how women from Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Sudan, Uganda, Syria, and Iraq meet regularly to work on projects and learn new skills.