Welcoming Afghan refugees to Middle Tennessee

In August, U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan as the Taliban took over the country. Millions of Afghans were forcibly displaced, and hundreds of thousands fled as refugees. Over 500 Afghans resettled in Nashville. At first, resettlement agencies were overwhelmed. The local community – mosques, teachers, electrical engineers, activists, grocers and more – stepped up to make sure the new arrivals got the help they needed, and more people are still coming.   In this episode, we hear the stories of the people who have been resettled here. Then, we learn about how Tennessee’s refugee resettlement infrastructure works. Finally, we hear how the community came together to fill in the gaps in the system and how listeners can help.  But first, WPLN Enterprise Reporter Damon Mitchell joins in studio with an update on Mason, Tennessee’s fight to stop the state comptroller from taking over the town’s finances. Guests:  Damn Mitchell, WPLN enterprise reporter Louisa Saratora, state refugee coordinator with Catholic Charities’s Tennessee Office for Refugees Sabina Mohyuddin, executive Director of the American Muslim Advisory Council Masood Sidiqyar, senior director of information security for Vanderbilt IT and an Afghan refugee Saleem Tahiri, technical operations manager for Computer & Communications Innovations and cofounder of Tennessee Resettlement Aid