The Matheson History Museum will hold an opening reception for the mini-exhibit “Refugee Resettlement in Gainesville” on Wednesday, May 14.
This free event will start at 7 p.m. at the Matheson House (528 SE 1st Ave., Gainesville)
From 2024 right up until presidential inauguration day in 2025, the Greater Gainesville International Center worked with the International Rescue Committee to resettle six refugee families here in Gainesville.
The exhibit is a story of some of these refugees as told through art. The mini exhibition will feature pen and ink drawings by Gainesville artist Terrence Ho.
The Greater Gainesville International Center’s mission is to celebrate, elevate and empower our diverse international community and to better connect Gainesville with the rest of the world.
Where are they from? Can I move to their country and have a museum exhibition about me too?
If you are forced to flee this country because of persecution, war or violence, then I suppose so.
Traditionally, refugee status stems from specific criteria (persecution and temp. natural disaster recoveries).
Lately, American political activists have been converting illegal economic migrants into “refugees”, who can get visas at the U.S. embassies in their home countries. For some reason the same people who advocate big gov’t also excuse those who don’t feel like applying for a visa (or if they choose to stay here after their time limit as tourists and students expire). And even more bizarrely they excuse violent foreign gang members and criminals. I hope the local refugees are fleeing traditional hardships and not just seeking economic status.