JUL 13 2020
— How Governor Hutchinson became an advocate for refugee resettlement.
By Hannah Lee, Director of Community Engagement
Take a moment to step back in time with me. The year is 2015, the height of the national media’s coverage on the Syrian Refugee Crisis. As concern for refugees around the globe grows, many in the United States begin the discussion on how our nation could serve as a haven for those affected by the crisis.
Amongst the voices of the conversation was Arkansas’ very own Governor Hutchinson. In an interview regarding whether the US should allow Syrian refugees through our nation’s resettlement process, Governor Hutchinson was less than enthusiastic about the idea.
In fact, he was explicitly against it.
“I have expressed opposition…as a national issue and a security issue, because, first of all, there’s not any confidence in the vetting process, despite the assurances that are coming from the administration.
He went on to say that ultimately, Syrian refugees are not a burden we should place on the US.
“This is…first a European, Asian, African refugee circumstance that needs to be dealt with there. Until we get the vetting process straightened out and have confidence in that, I don’t think it’s a good policy for our nation.
The hardships facing these refugees and their families are beyond most of our understanding, and my thoughts and prayers are with them, but I will not support a policy that is not the best solution and that poses risk to Arkansans.”
Now, let’s jump to January 2020. Governor Hutchinson is seated before the Arkansas House and Senate, a joint meeting called in response to his consent for Canopy to continue resettling refugees in the state. The question is posed: Why consent to this, when just 5 years ago you were outspokenly against refugees coming to Arkansas?
After a moment, Governor Hutchinson responded:
“When I made those statements, I was not informed on the resettlement process. Since then, I listened. I learned. I educated myself on the process as a whole.”
He went on to say:
“If we say no to [refugees], then we lose the talent, the entrepreneurship, and humanity of those who love America. Yes, they can go elsewhere, but Arkansas will benefit from their presence.
Each of you are leaders in your community. You’ve got a choice to make: You can create fear or you can help resolve fear. I challenge you to help resolve fear, have the facts, and to talk about those.”
— Governor Hutchinson, January 2020
What changed…and how?
The impact of effective Advocacy
At Canopy, we are very intentional that all of our advocacy efforts are rooted in compassion. We believe that advocacy is most impactful when it is rooted in kindness, empathy, and collaboration. Time after time we have learned that often, those who oppose resettlement simply aren’t aware of the facts and are genuinely concerned for the safety of their families and communities.
When we engage and listen from a place of kindness, we have found that we are able to enter into a conversation where we can then inform and educate.
Canopy was established less than a year after Governor Hutchinson publicly vocalized his concern over refugee resettlement in the nation. It would have easy — and even understandable — for the Canopy team to assume that the Governor’s office would never support refugee resettlement in Arkansas. But they didn’t. Instead, they chose to understand his perspective, to step into his shoes and empathize with his position. They chose to listen despite differing perspectives, and over the years, trust and respect slowly developed between Canopy’s office and the Governor’s office.
So, when an Executive Order was issued that gave Governor Hutchinson the authority to discontinue resettlement in the state of Arkansas, we rallied our community to express that we wanted refugees here. We used the relationship we had slowly built with the Governor’s office to explain our perspective and urge him to give his consent for the good of refugees and for the good of our state.
The rest is history: he not only gave his consent for resettlement to continue— he called our office to request a meeting. He wanted to learn more so that he could speak to the Arkansas House and Senate about his decision and defend it.
So, in a small conference room at the Canopy office, I sat around a cramped table with my director, Governor Hutchinson, and a few of his staff members. Together we talked about resettlement; the compelling facts, the benefits that it brings Arkansas, and the moral imperative we have to offer refuge to those who need it most. Governor Hutchinson listened, and took notes; he asked questions and processed a few misconceptions.
A few days later he made national headlines when he stood in the Arkansas capitol building and championed the resettlement process.
To be sure, there are many reasons why Governor Hutchinson gave his consent. But without a doubt, one of those reasons is because Canopy continued to advocate for resettlement in Arkansas —
- With factual information;
- With insights, stories, and compelling data;
- And with compassion, empathy, and kindness.
Advocacy works. Compassion matters.
Together, they can change the world.
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