Sherman Oaks Chapter
Founder: Chloe Jiang
Operations Manager: Miles Aguilar
Los Angeles has a rich history as a haven for refugees and immigrants. With several ongoing conflicts worldwide, the city has seen significant arrivals of refugees from countries such as Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Iran due to political and economic challenges. Many of these individuals have faced forced displacement. Our mission is to connect with teenage refugees through fostering long-lasting connections and friendships. As teens ourselves, our goal is to create a welcoming environment where they feel comfortable, supported, and encouraged to explore their new home.
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Mother's Day 2024:
First Workshop
Our first workshop! We hosted this with IILA. 💐
Clay Between the Fingers
How imperfection makes a handmade piece speak more deeply.
Calligraphy and the Quiet Mind
Brush strokes that slow the day and sharpen focus.
Calligraphy and the Quiet Mind
Brush strokes that slow the day and sharpen focus.
Welcome to our Journal ✨
Please select "read more" on a card to explore the story behind it.
May 2024 - Update 1
We recently hosted our first workshop with Ukrainian refugees in Glendale, in collaboration with the International Institute of Los Angeles (IILA). The workshop was a success! We started with a musical icebreaker, building a shared playlist with our favorite song picks and incorporating physical activities for introductions. Since we met on Mother’s Day, we held an arts and crafts session to create Mother’s Day cards with water marbling, introducing the teenagers to the holiday. Additionally, we organized a mini-potluck to share our cultures through food. We are now working on planning our next workshop.
Clay Between the Fingers
The weight of clay in your palm, the collapsing of a form — these are not mistakes but stories being shaped. In the kiln, it all transforms.
Calligraphy and the Quiet Mind
Ink flowing on textured paper slows time, inviting meditation through hand and brush. Calligraphy becomes a sacred practice and creative outlet.
Filler
Ink flowing on textured paper slows time, inviting meditation through hand and brush. Calligraphy becomes a sacred practice and creative outlet.
Related images will appear here.
Clay Between the Fingers
The weight of clay in your palm, the collapsing of a form — these are not mistakes but stories being shaped. In the kiln, it all transforms.
Calligraphy and the Quiet Mind
Ink flowing on textured paper slows time, inviting meditation through hand and brush. Calligraphy becomes a sacred practice and creative outlet.
Calligraphy and the Quiet Mind
Ink flowing on textured paper slows time, inviting meditation through hand and brush. Calligraphy becomes a sacred practice and creative outlet.
Update 1 (May 2024):
We recently hosted our first workshop with Ukrainian refugees in Glendale, in collaboration with the International Institute of Los Angeles (IILA). The workshop was a success! We started with a musical icebreaker, building a shared playlist with our favorite song picks and incorporating physical activities for introductions. Since we met on Mother’s Day, we held an arts and crafts session to create Mother’s Day cards with water marbling, introducing the teenagers to the holiday. Additionally, we organized a mini-potluck to share our cultures through food. We are now working on planning our next workshop.
Hey! I’m Chloe, a junior at Harvard-Westlake. While science and music are my forte, I was struck by the struggles faced by refugees around the globe. I’m incredibly lucky to have grown up in a world of privilege, yet there are countless teens who do not share the experience. Inspired by the opportunity to aid refugee teenagers firsthand, I reached out to TATD to start a chapter in my community. In my free time I enjoy listening to music, reading, or playing golf. I love my cat to the moon and back. You can reach me individually at cloelax@gmail.com.
Hello! I’m Miles Aguilar, a senior at Harvard-Westlake. Helping people out and making new friends has always been what I’m all about. By bringing my enthusiasm and skills to the Sherman Oaks chapter, I hope I can pass on that mentality to the teenagers I’ve talked to. So far, it’s going well! In my free time, I like running, playing basketball with my brother, watching sports games, immersing myself in scientific literature, and listening to music. Favorite song? Now Or Never by Kendrick Lamar ft. Mary J. Blige. If you need me for some reason, you can get ahold of me at miles.s.aguilar@gmail.com and I’ll do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.
Hi! I’m Aylin (pronounced Eileen), and I am a junior at Harvard-Westlake. My greatest joy in life has always been making new friends, and I am a very talkative person, so being surrounded by refugees in the Sherman Oaks chapter has been a dream! My interests include forms of art, public speaking, and biology. My favorite color is pink, and my favorite animal is my cat ! If you would like to reach me individually, my email is emailaylin@gmail.com.