by Alyssa Olvera
Twice a week, a group of young Yazidi girls gather in a room at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church to express themselves through dance.
One week, they might practice hip hop. Another week, it might be a traditional Mexican dance.
The type of dance doesn’t really matter – it’s the self-expression and the empowerment that are important, says instructor Adoul Khalaf, who runs the weekly program called “Dance Away.”
“I try and show these girls women empowerment, and I want them to know that they are strong girls and that they have each other,” Khalaf said.
The girls, ranging in age from five to 12, were born in Lincoln, but their parents came as refugees.
Khalaf knows the struggle of fitting in to a new culture and being different from than those around her. She emigrated from Iraq to the United States 19 years ago, when her family left Iraq because of genocide and war. She’s found it to be a life-long challenge to fit in.
“Although I have been here most of my life, I am still adjusting to life here in the U.S.,” she said.
That’s why she wants to help the young dancers.
*This story is the first part of a multimedia project led by CoJMC students in the Nebraska Mosaic class. To view the complete story, photos and videos, visit https://nebraskamosaic.atavist.com/painting-a-new-picture.