Upwardly Global Hosted Iraqi Panel Discussion at Betrayed

George Packer's play, Betrayed, is based on an article he wrote for The New Yorker magazine, detailing the plight of Iraqi interpreters and translators who risked their lives working for the US embassy and military in Iraq. The play premiered on the West Coast at the Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley in February and played to full houses during an extended 5 week run.

As a collaborative project with the Aurora Theatre, Upwardly Global hosted a post-performance panel discussion last Friday, March 6 to raise awareness about the challenges Iraqis continue to face after fleeing Iraq and coming to the US as refugees or special immigrant visa holders (SIVs). The panel featured Jane Leu, our executive director, and two Iraqi professionals, Hana and Yaser, who are currently rebuilding their lives and careers in the Bay Area. It was moderated by Helen Chandra, an UpGlo jobseeker, who is an accomplished broadcast journalist from Fiji.

Hana and Yaser shared their stories of wartime Iraq and their resettlement in the United States. Since attending Upwardly Global's San Jose Career Summit in December 2008, Hana has secured a job as a refugee resettlement counselor with Catholic Charities of the East Bay. Yaser is an engineer, who is currently looking for a professional position.