Marwa Azizi is the Marketing and Outreach Coordinator a CoreCal, a non-profit school for K-12 that serves refugee families. Marwa also migrated to the United States from Afghanistan.

Marwa Azizi, an Afghan immigrant and Marketing and Outreach Coordinator at CoreCal, described the challenges young Afghan female refugees face while resettling in the United States based on both her own migration experience and her work with students at the school. She identified mental health as the most significant challenge amongst refugees, explaining that many girls experience depression, anxiety, and feelings of inadequacy while balancing the new responsibilities of studying, working, and supporting their families. Marwa also noted that language barriers intensify these struggles by limiting confidence and social connections. She also recognized discrimination, cultural changes, and social isolation as other recurring difficulties. Marwa herself experienced insensitivity when one of her professors at community college suggested she get “disability letter” because she asked language support on a complicated assignment. She also observed that aspects of Afghan identity, such as wearing a hijab or traditional Afghan clothing, are also difficult for young Afghan women to navigate in the United States. Finally, Marwa shared that although nonprofit organizations provide valuable resources, many refugee families are unaware of these services, highlighting the need for workshops, job fairs, and overall greater outreach to improve the resettlement process for refugees.