STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Four Idahoans who arrived in the Gem State as refugees will tell their stories at 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 29, at The Community Library.

One of them—Chef Shadi Ismail—will then show how to make baba ganoush, hummus and other dishes from his native Syria in a free cooking demonstration Saturday morning at the Sun Valley Culinary Institute. The demonstration will start at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 30. Reservations are available at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/i7d/event/849065/

While there is no fee to attend the cooking demonstration, any donations will support the Idaho Office for Refugees.

Friday’s storytellers, who include Ismail, who fled Syria in 2008 because his sexual orientation placed his life in danger; Salome Mwangi, who moved here from Nairobi, Kenya, 17 years ago; Alejandra Hernandez, who was born and raised in Santiago, Chile, and has been in the United States for 27 years, and Ava Steven, who came to America in 2012 with her family and has attended Boise State University. All are part of the Refugee Speakers Bureau. Their appearance in the Wood River Valley is being hosted by The Advocates in partnership with the library.

The Refugees Speakers Bureau, a program of the Idaho Office for Refugees, was established in 2015. Its goal is to foster public dialogue and connect new Americans with Idaho communities to enrich lives and create belonging.

The Idaho Office for Refugees is the state administrator of the refugee resettlement program.

RSVP for the library talk at https://thecommunitylibrary.libcal.com/event/9026241. Watch it by Vimeo as it happens or later at https://vimeo.com/699623706