As the first official day of summer commenced on Saturday June 21 with cloudy weather, Catholic Charities Dallas kicked off the new season by celebrating World Refugee Day at St. Patrick’s School and Church in Lake Highlands.  

The United Nations dedicated June 20 to “honor the courage, strength and determination of women, men and children who are forced to flee their homes under threat of persecution, conflict and violence,” notes the UN’s Refugee Agency website. 

Walking inside the main lobby of the school, a variety of booths featuring both national and local charities and non-profit organizations lined the outer walls. A stage with wooden floors and red balloons draped across sat, tucked away in the westernmost wall. People scattered about here and there sat in the rows of fold-up chairs, casually talking with other family members while listening to the cultural music that played in the background, waiting for the ethnic performances to begin. 

Among the booths in the main lobby were Catholic Charities Dallas and Fort Worth, members from the United Nations Refugee Agency, World Vision, the American Red Cross, as well as a few other government-oriented groups. World Vision is a youth empowerment program that sends its volunteers and members to the crisis areas to set up housing and mechanisms to get clean water. In addition, World Vision and its partners create child friendly spaces to help refugee children in the transition from living in the homes to having to live in camps.

Ruth Brasier, one of the booth attendants with Catholic Charities Fort Worth, said that they “provide foster care to refugee youth in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.” The American Red Cross “help[s] families locate missing relatives,” according to the flier handed out at the event. 

In addition, a few local organizations were present at the gala such as Raja Yoga Meditation, Richland College, and the Young Women Christian Association, which focuses on empowering women in the Dallas area. These local groups help refugees in the DFW metroplex by settling in to their new homes. 

Around noon, many of the families migrated to the cafeteria. There, student and parent volunteers served foods native to the countries of the refugees. Some of the mealtime foods included lentils, corn, rice, bread, and many other staple foods. 

Out on the playground, there was a wide assortment of colorful booths deemed the Cultural Bazaar. When walking around outside, one could hear a cacophony of languages being spoken. While parents grazed for homemade knick-knacks and clothing, their kids swung high on the swings, passed a ball on the soccer field, and beat out some rhythms on a set of African drums. 

The booths featured artisan objects from Egypt, Tanzania, Nepal, Mexico, Iraq, Cameroon, Sudan, Ghana, Togo, among other countries as well. Each vendor carefully displayed his/her objects ranging from dresses, jewelry, to cultural items such as Iraqi flowers crafted from rice paper and Egyptians paintings depicting animals once revered in ancient times with a modern twist. 

Although we may have to wait another year to celebrate World Refugee Day with Catholic Charities Dallas, there are still a myriad of ways that we can make every day a refugee day. 

Cyclists 18 or over need no longer wear bicycle helmets.

On Wednesday, June 11, Dallas City Council voted to repeal parts of a law that required cyclists, regardless of age, to wear a bicycle helmet. Beginning in early spring, council members have considered making this change in hopes of encouraging more of the public to take part in bicycling.

There was much disagreement amongst the council members. Phillip Kingston sought total abolishment of the helmet law; whereas Vonceil Jones Hill urged that the law be kept as is. Even Mayor Mike Rawlings agreed that the law was too restricting for his taste. 

The original ruling passed in 1996 to improve bicyclist safety. Eighteen years later, City Council loosened the laws to the extent that only people 17 years and younger are required to wear helmets. However, members still wish to emphasize that everyone, despite age, should take safety precautions.

Throughout its history, the law has maintained its focus on the safety of public youth. In their hopes to preserve the law prior to its changes last week, child-safety groups argued that the helmet regulations do indeed prevent injuries. On the other hand, avid cyclists claim that the original rulings failed to enforce the helmet requirements.  

A recent study done by the Dallas Morning News shows that enforcement of the law is lacking in areas with hordes of cyclists such as in and around White Rock Lake and the Katy Trail. Instead, law enforcement has shifted its focus to minority groups.

In addition, the loosening of the helmet law aims to encourage a bike rental program that is reported to launch in Fair Park this summer. Users of the possible program probably would not carry a helmet with them. As a result, vendors may set up shop to rent helmets. However, some say that there exist health concerns in sharing a sweaty helmet with that of the previous user. The details have yet to be smoothed out as the project is still in its planning stages. 

Although the law has gone into effect immediately after the ruling, there are still some issues left unresolved. Many are asking how police will distinguish between kids ages 17 and 18 when enforcing the new law. 

In addition to the age change, Dallas City Council changed some other provisions in the law, now allowing cyclists to bring their bicycles inside public buildings. 

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/metro/20140611-bicycle-helmet-rules-are-loosened.ece