USU Museum of Anthropology Features Guest Speaker and Expert at Saturday Activity

An expert discusses a sobering subject at the next activity presented by Utah State University’s Museum of Anthropology. The museum hosts Gerald Brown, director of the Utah Refugee Services Office, Saturday, June 23, as part of its “Saturdays at the Museum” series.
           
Brown’s presentation provides insights into the process of resettling in the United States as a refugee, escaping areas where genocide is taking place. He will discuss the roadblocks encountered in incorporating people into a new culture and the help refugees often need to overcome their traumatic experiences.
           
The presentation begins at 1 p.m. at the museum.
             
Brown has more than 30 years’ experience working with refugees and people displaced as a result of genocide and is an expert in this field. Museum staff warn that the topic of this presentation is adult oriented but, as always, children are welcome in the museum and alternative activities such as mask making and storybooks will be available.
           
“Whenever people hear the word ‘refugee,’ they mostly think of the refugees of the Rwandan genocide, but there have been other countries with this unfortunate situation, and we want people to be knowledgeable about modern genocides,” said Annie Gamez, a Saturdays program worker. “We also want to educate the public about the difficult process of becoming a refugee. We want to answer questions such as: what do organizations do to help refugees, what are the roadblocks they encounter and what are the solutions they find?”
           
In addition to the Saturday activity series, community members and USU students alike can visit the museum during its standard operating hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
           
Funding for the Saturday events is provided by a grant from the United States Institute of Museum and Library Services. More information about the IMLS is available online (www.imls.gov).
           
The USU Museum of Anthropology is on the USU campus in the south turret of the historic Old Main building, Room 252. Admission is free. For Saturday activities, free parking is available in the adjacent lot, south of the building.
           
For more information about museum events, call museum staff at (435) 797-7545 or visit the museum website (anthromuseum.usu.edu).
           
The Museum of Anthropology is part of the Anthropology Program at USU in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.