2008 Woodie Awards
Psychologist, author Mary Pipher visits, speaks
Courtney Hunter
Issue date: 11/5/04 Section: News
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She wants Americans to help refugees read and write, be aware of the social nuances that can be confusing to people new to our country and welcome these people who have struggled to get to a safe place.
..Pipher is an award-winning author whose bestselling book, Reviving Ophelia, allowed parents a new understanding into teenage girls' struggles. She has a bachelor's degree in cultural anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley and a doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Nebraska.
Pipher spoke to a full auditorium Oct. 26 as part of the Bryan series lectures, this year's theme being "Challenges facing Democracy." She was a panelist in an Oct. 27 meeting discussing refugee issues as well.
The Middle of Everywhere, a personal account of her experiences being a cultural broker in Lincoln, Nebraska, her hometown, was the topic of the evening. She shared anecdotes surrounding the families she has helped and befriended. One man who had not been in the U.S. long received a flyer in the mail saying he had won 5,000 dollars. He dropped to the floor, shouting, "Thank you Allah, thank you." Pipher helped him off the floor and had to tell this man that it was a trick, he had not won anything.
Five Kurdish sisters without much money shared their homemade native food with Pipher. The same family showed up at Pipher's Fourth of July barbecue waving American flags. To these women, a party where they could wear shorts and celebrate freedom with hamburgers was remarkable.
The audience laughed, delighting in the fact that such innocence still exists.
Pipher told the story of how she became involved with the refugees in her community. She noticed the differently dressed women on the streets and the new restaurants serving exotic food. That piqued her interest and led to a phone call to a local organization that helped refugees. She signed herself up to help. "I started calling people who worked with refugees and
volunteered my services. I went to the impoverished areas of Lincoln and started my work there."
One thing from which refugees can greatly benefit is help with education according to Pipher. "Anybody can volunteer to go to a school, sit in a study hall and help a refugee read. Another thing people can do is volunteer to be a tutor to adults and help them with English." Pipher said.
