PAGE TITLE But the logjam for services is impacting the everyday lives of Afghan refugees like Siddiqi. Since his wife, Hoira, doesn’t speak English yet, Siddiqi says the family is surviving on federal cash benefits and another “few hundred dollars” of food stamps until he can find employment. And little decisions seem to add up quickly. Siddiqi said that after his daughter spent $40 on books at a recent school fair, he and his wife skipped a meal at the end of the month to balance out the expense. These dilemmas seem to be cropping up more frequently, too, Siddiqi says. Even though the family received a “generous” amount of donation from Broomfield community members upon their arrival, Siddiqi knows it won’t last long once they move out of the home they are currently sharing with a local police officer and his wife. Siddiqi said his family hopes to move out of the house soon but finding a reasonable rental home has been “next to impossible.” Broomfield’s average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is close to $1,800 per month, according to data from real estate website Point2Homes. This means people like Siddiqi need to find a job that pays at least $72,000 annually to not be considered housing burdened or spend more than 30 percent of their monthly income on housing expenses. However, Colorado’s most recent Refugee Integration Survey and Evaluation (RISE) report, found that immigrant and refugee households in the state average between $700 and $999 in weekly earnings during their first four years. If Siddiqi found a job at the high end of the average income range, he would still be paying approximately 45 percent of his monthly income on housing. The mismatch between local wages and housing costs is one of the “structural barriers” identified by researchers at the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2019 that can cause immigrant and refugee families to experience chronic poverty. Siddiqi says he’d like to work in communications, or anywhere where he can make enough money to cover the rent and a few upcoming expenses. He says he wants to become a citizen, but first, he must get over the hurdle of getting a green card, which includes a $1,200 application fee. “It’s one thing to get people out of Afghanistan, but then when you get here, you basically get nothing,” Siddiqi said. “I’m really getting tired of it. I just think to myself, maybe this is all they can do for me?” ■ BEING A CHILDV. beRt All summer, we frolicked in the water sprinklers cooling off from the dry heat, no concern about drinking from the outdoor hose. All summer, we played on lush green lawns, never worried about weed killer on our bare feet. All summer, we had deep brown suntans, not using any sunscreen or fears of exposure to the scorching orb above. All summer, we bounced a tiny red ball playing jacks, shooting marbles on dry dirt, and hopscotch on the colored chalked sidewalk of squares. All summer, we heard the latest Beatles vinyl from our neighbor’s patio on their portable record player. All summer, when the sun had gone down, we waited for the Mister Softee truck, cooling off with their soft serve ice cream, twisted chocolate and vanilla dipped in a rainbow of colored sprinkles on a cake cone. All summer, we never had a care in the world, no planning for the future, just having fun as a child. WRITING THROUGH HARD TIMES COURTESY OF DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY AND LIGHTHOUSE WRITERS WORKSHOP OSHA BEAR A COLORADO CHILDHOOD Always looking Westward “Red” burnt across the valley The Canyon winds through seasons Simple places In a wooded hiding spot The crunch of snow silent in a Mountain Lions cry the scent of juniper and pine Aspen trees glisten in quivering communication journeys through lapping water Nature’s breathe humming quietly The noise of the city still feels foreign unforgiving bumpy Highways wrapping around each other like spider webs Snow caps ascend The boys discuss How much powder there will be to glide down the slopes Night glistens In Moonlight and countless stars Summer fills with soaked tires and flip-flops littering the creek Books calm the restlessness of rainy afternoons In the midst of candle lit evenings Thunder rattles the house. The click of hooves comes with surprise 10 year old excitement in capturing a pair of frightened horses. The smell of roasting chills signals an abundant Saturday morning The bustling of bright baskets filled with farmers delights. Laughter fills the air in the abundance of beautiful food. The Hard Times Writing Workshop is a collaboration between Denver Public Library and Lighthouse Writers Workshop. It’s open to all members of the public, especially those experiencing homelessness. Each month, the Denver VOICE publishes a selection of writing from these workshops. Virtual workshops: lighthousewriters.org/workshop/denver-public-library-hard-times More writing by these featured poets: writedenver.org AN AFGHAN WOMAN SITS OUTSIDE AT A PROCESSING CENTER FOR REFUGEES EVACUATED FROM AFGHANISTAN AT THE DULLES EXPO CENTER NEAR DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN CHANTILLY, VIRGINIA. CREDIT: REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE January 2022 DENVER VOICE 11
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