Many people in America today are misinformed about where refugees and asylee’s are coming from. The majority of the news circulating portrays all refugees and asylees as terrorists and a threat to our country. When I Googled “refugees” , many articles talking about terrorism and terrorist show up. When actually, these people are ESCAPING terrorism, trying to get away. On AWE’s new website, there should be correct information about these people. Who they are, where they are coming from, and why they are coming here. In a “Get the Facts” or “Explore the Issues” kind of tab.
Not only are people misinformed, but they seem to be ignorant to what is going on in other parts of the world. It’s not happening here, so why should we worry about it? But thing is, we should.
The primary audience of this website is potential donors or volunteers, people here in America. The most important thing we should do is play to their sense of empathy. We can include videos or stories or pictures of what is happening in the middle east, show why these people are fleeing. But the most important would be to highlight the stories of the people who AWE works with. Get as specific as we can be. Show the public that these are people just like us who have been put in a horrible situation and are fighting just to survive.
One thing I want to include media wise, besides the videos or stories of the people AWE works with, would be a map. When looking at refugees.org, I was very intrigued by the map and facts they included that also tell why people are fleeing these countries. This also shows that it’s more than just from the middle east people are fleeing. The map can be seen at this link by scrolling down http://refugees.org/explore-the-issues/refugees-facts/
Empathy plays a huge role in how people feel about a topic, and to experience empathy, you must experience something. Showing a map, videos, sharing stories could really play to a persons senses and they will be more inclined to donate when they feel that connection.
Citations
“Restoring Whats Been Lost.” U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2017.
Very interesting idea you have here. One thing to keep in mind is that you cannot have the information of the Asylee’s and Asylum Seekers on the site. Do you think you could sub this out for maybe stories told by workers about what they have seen or stories they have been told. I feel if you did things this way, it would be very dramatic and cause an immediate connection.
I think a map would definitely be a good addition to the website. Not only would it inform, it would add variety.
Obviously i am going to like your idea as we thought up very similar ideas in this case! I was thinking of this map as being more of a main page interactive use. I think the most important thing is that the reader is drawn in and gets caught up in the information and feels compelled to do more!
The use of a map would be an interesting idea. Combining your idea with Chris’ would be a good place for the website to start.
Adding an interactive map that points to where these asylees come from is a good way to broaden one’s worldview. In making the viewer directly see their origins, you let the viewer learn more about the refugee/asylee crisis by providing context.
I really like your idea of including a map to help put the scope and scale of the refugee crisis into perspective! By focusing the website’s purpose to be the production and growth of empathy I think that many more will identify and support with AWE’s story and cause.
A facts page would totally help to gather interest and support. This page would allow for individuals struggles and reasons to be public knowledge without giving out personal information. This page could also help in individuals learning of the reasons individuals flee.
The idea of a “Get The Facts” page is a good idea. People definitely are misinformed about exactly what refugees/asylum seekeers face, and this would give them a better idea of who exactly they are helping.