Give a Tibetan Asylum Seeker a New Start
Tax deductible
Tibetan asylum seeker Sonam won his freedom two weeks ago. Now he needs your help to give his life a fresh start!
Sonam is one of the central characters in my new documentary, "Brightness of Noon: The Intersect of Faith, Immigration and Refugees - Part II," which premieres on ABC stations nationwide on Feb. 17.
A Tibetan monk since he was a boy, Sonam was persecuted by the Chinese military and fled to the United States seeking asylum.
With China cracking down on religious freedom in Tibet and closing Buddhist monasteries, Sonam was forced to flee. Arriving at JFK Airport, he was immediately taken to the for-profit Elizabeth Contract Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey where he was imprisoned for eight months and treated like a criminal.
After meeting him as part of my film research, I and several faith organizations including First Friends of New Jersey and New York, worked tirelessly to win Sonam's freedom. And with the help of great lawyers, he won! An immigration judge granted him asylum on Jan. 7, 2019 and he was released from custody that night, walking out with only $200 and the clothes on his back.
Now here's where I need your help and compassion.
We all know how expensive New York is for us New Yorkers. Now imagine you were just granted asylum - you're in a strange city, barely know the language, or how to navigate the subway system. This is the critical situation in which Sonam now finds himself, hence this emergency appeal.
I'm raising money to provide short-term assistance to Sonam to aid him in his transition until he can get a job and support himself.
Your donations will go towards: food, clothing, subway, English classes, job training, and paying his remaining legal bills.
Please give whatever you can so Sonam can begin his new life with as little worry as possible. (There'll still be worry- I mean he's becoming a New Yorker, but hopefully less!) Not only will every dollar count, but your gift will inspire others to continue aiding vulnerable immigrants and asylum seekers facing deportation.
Note: donations will be managed by the Interfaith Broadcasting Commission, which helped support Sonam's asylum case.
The IBC [a 501(c)(3)] is a cooperative venture of faith communities in partnership with ABC, CBS, and NBC, committed to bringing thoughtful, original programming to the broadcast industry and the general public. This programming aims to heightens the awareness of and appreciation for the many ways that faith plays a positive role in American life and addresses the inherent goodness and dignity of all people.
So join us in making a difference.
Love and light,
Debra Gonsher Vinik, Ph.D.
Secretary/Treasurer
Interfaith Broadcasting Commission
Sonam is one of the central characters in my new documentary, "Brightness of Noon: The Intersect of Faith, Immigration and Refugees - Part II," which premieres on ABC stations nationwide on Feb. 17.
A Tibetan monk since he was a boy, Sonam was persecuted by the Chinese military and fled to the United States seeking asylum.
With China cracking down on religious freedom in Tibet and closing Buddhist monasteries, Sonam was forced to flee. Arriving at JFK Airport, he was immediately taken to the for-profit Elizabeth Contract Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey where he was imprisoned for eight months and treated like a criminal.
After meeting him as part of my film research, I and several faith organizations including First Friends of New Jersey and New York, worked tirelessly to win Sonam's freedom. And with the help of great lawyers, he won! An immigration judge granted him asylum on Jan. 7, 2019 and he was released from custody that night, walking out with only $200 and the clothes on his back.
Now here's where I need your help and compassion.
We all know how expensive New York is for us New Yorkers. Now imagine you were just granted asylum - you're in a strange city, barely know the language, or how to navigate the subway system. This is the critical situation in which Sonam now finds himself, hence this emergency appeal.
I'm raising money to provide short-term assistance to Sonam to aid him in his transition until he can get a job and support himself.
Your donations will go towards: food, clothing, subway, English classes, job training, and paying his remaining legal bills.
Please give whatever you can so Sonam can begin his new life with as little worry as possible. (There'll still be worry- I mean he's becoming a New Yorker, but hopefully less!) Not only will every dollar count, but your gift will inspire others to continue aiding vulnerable immigrants and asylum seekers facing deportation.
Note: donations will be managed by the Interfaith Broadcasting Commission, which helped support Sonam's asylum case.
The IBC [a 501(c)(3)] is a cooperative venture of faith communities in partnership with ABC, CBS, and NBC, committed to bringing thoughtful, original programming to the broadcast industry and the general public. This programming aims to heightens the awareness of and appreciation for the many ways that faith plays a positive role in American life and addresses the inherent goodness and dignity of all people.
So join us in making a difference.
Love and light,
Debra Gonsher Vinik, Ph.D.
Secretary/Treasurer
Interfaith Broadcasting Commission
Organizer
Debra Gonsher Vinik
Organizer
New York, NY
Interfaith Broadcasting Commission
Beneficiary