Afghanistan 2021 Evacuation – Afghan American Artists and Writers Association

Last Updated: August 27, 2021

In the wake of the U.S. withdrawal, the Taliban have taken every major city in Afghanistan as of Sunday, August 15, 2021. This is a death spell for many vulnerable communities. While we feel despair, we also recognize the possibilities for mobilization and solidarity in this current moment. And as we navigate to help our friends and family, we have compiled this resource list with a few action items that we urge you to consider and share widely.

Most urgently, we ask that you and us and all of us contact our representatives to ask that the quotas for refugees from Afghanistan to the US be increased to a level that can meet the demand. Many Americans are also offering their houses as safe havens for the refugees. We will update the list below as the situation changes on the ground and as we find new, accurate information.

Note: This is not an exhaustive or complete list of resources but ones that we at AAAWA are familiar with and rely on. However, these are good starting points and we hope to more intentionally amplify the work of diasporic and Afghanistan-based artists, activists, and writers in the coming months.

CONGRESSIONAL CALLS TO ACTION

Call your representatives using the suggested language compiled by Afghans For a Better Tomorrow and Alexandra Millatmal: bit.ly/call4AFG
Sign this petition from Afghans For a Better Tomorrow: https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/president-biden-must-support-the-most-vulnerable-in-afghanistan-as-part-of-the-withdrawal-plan
Sign this petition from Daily Kos, Liberation League, and MPower Change: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-provide-humanitarian-aid-and-ensure-safe-accessible-refuge-for-afghans
Email your representatives using the letter here: mobilize4change.org/HajzrdS

FUNDRAISERS FOR VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES

Emergency Funds for Afghan Artists, organized by AAAWA: https://www.gofundme.com/f/emergency-funds-for-afghan-artists
International Rescue Committee: https://www.rescue.org/country/afghanistan
Emergency Help for LGBTQ Afghans in Afghanistan, organized by Qais Munhazim: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-queer-and-trans-afghans-in-afghanistan
Afghanistan: A call for urgent help, organized by Omar Haidari: https://www.gofundme.com/f/bjben-afghanistan-a-call-for-urgent-help
Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontiers): https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/what-we-do/countries/afghanistan

VISA/IMMIGRATION RELIEF RESOURCES AND INFORMATION

The Artistic Freedom Initiative is currently accepting applications from at-risk artists for assistance with seeking temporary and permanent residence in the United States: https://artisticfreedominitiative.org/apply-for-assistance/

The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) shares a variety of resources regarding evacuation of Afghans from Afghanistan: https://refugees.org/resources-for-afghan-allies/

The Refugee Processing Center (RPC), operated by the U.S Department of State (DOS) Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) in the Rosslyn section of Arlington, Virginia USA, shares information and forms the for P-2 and SIV programs for Afghans: https://www.wrapsnet.org/

Unofficial Wiki page detailing options regarding visas for Afghans: https://visasforafghans.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Immigration Relief for Afghans info sheet (compiled by the Afghan Diaspora for Equality and Progress or ADEP): https://bit.ly/ADEPimmigrationrelief

DIGITAL SECURITY FOR AFGHAN NATIONALS

Afghanistan Digital Security Tips (including a fact sheet by Human Rights First on how to delete your digital history): https://docs.google.com/document/d/14OPib3rPTM41o0_QNo0sA3_-m1ACjWx-8f4m8kyS2aM/edit

Article 26 Backpack Project hosted by the University of California, Davis offers a way to safely upload your academic documents onto cloud servers hosted by UC Davis: https://human-rights.ucdavis.edu/news/afghanistan-emergency-resource-information

VOLUNTEER

Help Afghans who worked with Canadian forces: https://cdainstitute.ca/afghanrefugees/

D.C. Area: Help assist resettled Afghans: https://lssnca.org/take_action/afghan-allies.html

Support incoming Afghan allies: https://lirsconnect.org/get_involved/action_center/siv

Support incoming resettled Afghan families: https://worldrelief.org/triad/get-involved/afghan-allies/

ADVOCACY INFORMATION

Afghan Diaspora for Equality & Progress: https://adeprogress.org/

Afghans For a Better Tomorrow: https://www.weareafghans.org/

Afghan American Foundation: https://www.afghanamericans.org/

Afghan-American Coalition: https://afghanamericancoalition.com/

Afghanistan Needs You linktree: https://linktr.ee/AfghanistanNeedsYou

Afghan Diaspora Hub – for direct actions & donations: https://www.afgdiasporahub.com/

HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS

Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC): https://aihrc.org.af/

United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA): https://unama.unmissions.org/

Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organization (AHRDO): https://ahrdo.org/

AFGHANISTAN-BASED NEWS ORGANIZATIONS

The Killid Group @TheKillidGroup
Pajhwok Afghan News @pajhwok
ATN Ariana News @ArianaTVN
TOLO News @TOLOnews

INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS TO FOLLOW

@adeprogress
@afghansforabettertomorrow
@afghansinsolidarity
@afghanamericanfnd
@afghanamericancoalition
@emran.feroz
@equalitylabs
@swanalosangeles
@wiseafghanistan

TWITTER ACCOUNTS TO FOLLOW

@sahraakarimi
@ShaharzadAkbar
@afghansinsolidarity
@BilalSarwary
@alibomaye
@BBCSanaSafi
@EmrooPhotos
@aaolomi

Category: Afghanistan 2021 Evacuation

2021 Afghanistan Crisis | Resources to Help Afghans