When Basel Abou Hamrah came to Edmonton from Syria in 2015, he struggled as a refugee and member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community who had not yet come out to his family, and felt lost. When he started taking English classes at the Newcomer Centre, he noticed someone had a rainbow flag in their office and knew he needed to talk to them. As he met more 2SLGBTQ+ refugees, he realized he wasn’t alone in his struggle.
To ensure no one in his community had to go through the same experiences he did with accessing services, Abou Hamrah founded the Rainbow Refuge program at the Newcomer Centre. The program, which includes an 800-person strong social support group, has been a huge success, providing more than 300 people per year with services like housing support, legal support and mental-health services.
“I think the Rainbow Refuge program put Edmonton on the map as a safe and welcoming city for 2SLGBTQ+ refugees,” Abou Hamrah says. “Lots of people are coming to Edmonton now knowing that there is a space for them, there are programs to support them. They can be safe here, and they are welcome here. I want people to know that my experience is a testament for the resilience of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and the power of collective action.”
This article appears in the Nov/Dec 2024 issue of Edify
