Showing Compassion on World Refugee Day with Maria Martinez

World Refugee Day, held every year on June 20th, commemorates the strength, courage, and perseverance of millions of refugees. From breakdancing to concerts, football to food festivals, millions of people around the world are attending events and celebrating the strength and resilience of refugees. This year, World Refugee Day also marks a key moment for the public to show support for families forced to flee.

Maria Martinez, Director of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion at Southern Utah University, believes that World Refugee Day is an opportunity to shed light on the critical situation our world is currently facing.

“When we recognize that globally the population of refugees and displaced people has reached an all-time high and that more than half of those displaced are children, we begin to grasp the crucial moment in time we are in.”

Despite our current politically charged climate, Martinez believes it is imperative that we continue to see the humanity and despair in those that are forcibly displaced.

“We cannot lose sight of the fact that nobody chooses to be a refugee, instead individuals are forced to flee their homes due to war, violence, persecution. These are among the most vulnerable people in the world and we must not deny that it is a basic human right to live a life without fear.”

“On this World Refugee Day, we must not remain complicit in the inhumane practices of children being separated from their asylum-seeking parents on our southern border. We must speak out against injustice against our refugee communities and urge our leaders to govern with compassion. Now more than ever, we must stand in solidarity with refugees and those seeking asylum.”

Martinez leads with a passion for college access and success for historically underrepresented and marginalized communities. She oversees Southern Utah University’s multicultural clubs and continually works to create programming to validate the multiple identities of students on campus. She is familiar with the media and available for an interview. Simply visit her profile.

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