GRMR, community
Chanelle Rahbany
The True Meaning of GRMR

If someone were to ask me on the spot what Gators for Refugee Medical Relief (GRMR) is all about, I'd say we support refugee families through donations, tutoring, workshops, and by making a difference in Gainesville and beyond. But if you were to ask me what GRMR truly means to me, it would go much deeper—it's a community, a family. Joining GRMR as a freshman was more than just a step toward helping refugee families; it was becoming part of a team where every single person, especially the board of directors, is so genuinely passionate about making an impact. We’re not just volunteers—we're teammates and leaders, all driven by the same mission. 

Current Events, Refugee Issues
Emma Martin
Haitian Refugees and their Mistreatment in the ...

Haitian refugees have been forced to seek asylum from frequent natural disasters, political insecurity and government corruption since the 1960s. There is little financial and medical support for earthquake victims, furthermore, the nation fails to enforce proper safety standards on buildings. The US is home to “852,000 Haitian immigrants…more than triple [the amount from] 1990 and double the number in 2000,” (Carabota, Feb. 2024). Since the assassination of President Jovenal Moise in 2021, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has placed Haiti on a high-risk emergency watchlist (2024). Half the population has since required severe humanitarian aid, with 90% impoverished from sudden earthquakes (IRC, 2024). Despite international support efforts, namely UNICEF and the UN, many of these agencies fail to raise appropriate funds for disaster relief. Haiti’s government is influenced majorly by gang authority/affiliation, but not in the way that Latin American countries are subject to cartel influence.

Education, Refugee Issues, Healthcare
Krishna Kakani
Refugees and Disease: Forced Displacement and ...

Access to proper healthcare and medical treatment has become a hot topic in the past few years. Prices to visit a doctor have skyrocketed, certain medical procedures and become politicized, and the Covid-19 pandemic has many in fear about future outbreaks and what that could mean for the healthcare system. According to the UNHRC, the top three leading causes of morbidity among refugees are malaria, upper, and lower respiratory tract infections (Rabat). The importance of healthcare in forcefully displaced populations must become a higher priority as they not only impact communities of refugees but can also have lasting global impacts.

Refugee Issues, Education, Music
Katie Natour
Seeking Refuge in Music

For people all over the world, music is a commonality that brings comfort, unites communities, helps keep cultural identities alive, and promotes advocacy. In the midst of turmoil and uncertainty, music can serve as a constant source of hope and familiarity for displaced people.

Current Events, Refugee Issues
Chanelle Rahbany
Tragedy in Gaza: Advocacy and Aid for ...

Gators for Refugee Medical Relief (GRMR) aims to inform and educate its members, the University of Florida, and the greater community concerning refugees and advocacy for their struggles and hardships. With the looming conflict and war in the Gaza Strip, we aim to detail the number of Palestinian refugees in the area, the many difficulties they face, and ways for others to assist.

Ethics

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Hosting Refugees: How Nations Can Help Mitigate the Effects of Forced Displacement

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Hosting Refugees: How Nations Can Help Mitigate the Effects of Forced Displacement

With the outbreak of the war in Ukraine contributing to the ever-growing refugee crisis around the world, it is important to shine a light on the many reasons why hosting refugees is beneficial, not only to the refugees themselves, but also to the countries that host them.

Dr. Craig Loschmann, a research fellow at UNU-MERIT focusing on analyzing conflict-related migration, argues that the mere economic benefits of hosting refugees outweigh the possible associated risks. His experience participating in different UNHCR-funded projects in refugee camps in Burundi and Rwanda led him to conclude that hosting refugees can help…

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High-Income Country Privilege and How it Affects Refugees

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High-Income Country Privilege and How it Affects Refugees

The refugee crisis is one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world. That being said, before discussing how people who live in the high-income countries (HICs) (Europe and America are the main ones to note) have imposed a superiority complex disguised as heroism, it is essential to note a few things. This is a very sensitive issue and should be treated as such. Additionally, this post is a glimpse into many nations’ shortcomings in regards to the refugee crisis, so in no way is this a localized issue. This post will highlight some of the many ways people who live in high income countries have imposed a superiority complex and how it has harmed refugees and their communities, with sources all being from a refugee’s perspective….

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A Grim History that Repeats Itself: A Reflection on Bioethics and How It Applies to Immigrants and Refugees

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A Grim History that Repeats Itself: A Reflection on Bioethics and How It Applies to Immigrants and Refugees

As far as I can remember, my educators have always instilled in me the importance of learning history in order to redress the mistakes of the past for a better future. But being constantly bombarded by atrocious news recently made me question whether my instructors were merely being idealistic. As an immigrant myself, one particular controversy hit too close to home: inhuman treatment of immigrants and refugees alike.

In September of last year, the New York Times reported a story of Dr. Mahendra Amin, a physician who unethically performed invasive gynecological procedures on several female immigrants detained at an ICE facility in Georgia without informed consent [1]. According to the article, health providers from various medical institutions who assessed the procedures Dr. Amin had performed on his female immigrant patients in the past believe that many of his…