Diversity Spotlight: Ikram Adawe

April 25, 2022 - Liz Schondelmayer

Ikram Adawe is an East Lansing-based social worker who uplifts the communities around her through empathy and action. She earned her MSW from the Michigan State University School of Social Work in 2010, and is currently a therapist with both the MSU Center for Survivors and Bridging Communities & Counseling Services, a private group practice Ikram founded to better address the mental health needs of refugees and immigrants in the Lansing area. 

At the Center for Survivors, Ikram takes a trauma-informed approach to help clients build resilience and coping skills to overcome the challenges their trauma has imposed on their lives.  While her job can be heavy at times, for Ikram, seeing her clients' growth as they confront their trauma and start the healing process makes it all worth it for her. 

"When a client comes in for their first appointment, oftentimes you can just see the state of distress they're in. Especially right after an assault, many feel like it's the end of the world and that they are broken without any hope for healing," Ikram reflected.

"However, after working with them for a few weeks and starting to see their evolution, it just shows how much of a difference it can make for someone when they have a space to feel safe, supported and heard. That's the biggest thing for me - seeing that change in my clients. That's what I look forward to every day."

A Somali refugee herself who relocated to the U.S. in 1999, Ikram has stayed engaged with the immigrant and refugee community for her entire life since settling in the United States. Speaking fluent Somali, Arabic and English, her first job was as an interpreter for newcomers to the country. "I came to this country as a refugee 23 years ago, and for my first job, I worked at a refugee resettlement organization as an interpreter to be the voice of the voiceless, because a lot of immigrants and refugees don't speak the language when they first come into the country. Even after leaving that job, I never disconnected from that world, just because it's such an important part of my life," Ikram said. 

Last year, Ikram founded her own private group practice called Bridging Communities & Counseling Services, which focuses on providing care that is uniquely accessible to Mid-Michigan immigrant and refugee communities. The practice is multilingual, culturally-relevant, religiously-informed and tailored to serve the needs of first and second generation newcomers to the United States. 

"We want to bridge the gap between this population and the general community. So, in our practice, we not only provide mental health services, but also address cultural challenges and adjustment issues that immigrants and refugees struggle with," Ikram explained. "I'm really grateful to be able to create something that's so needed in our community, and to provide a space for those who would not usually be able to utilize this type of services."

Relatedly, Ikram shares how each of us in the MSU community can be better allies to the diverse and dynamic immigrant and refugee communities in the mid-Michigan area. "There are a lot of ways to be involved and to be an ally, as long as you are willing to get out of our comfort zone a little bit," Ikram said. "For example, this is the month of Ramadan, which many MSU students and employees are practicing this month. So, check in on your colleagues and peers that are observing this month and see how things are going. Be accommodating if people need flexibility, because this is a very exhausting month!"

"Additionally, Lansing is accepting and settling a lot of refugees right now from Afghanistan, so you can reach out to the agencies that are doing all the hard work of resettlement and offer to help. Those agencies are overwhelmed with the number of people that are being resettled and the needs are high. Whether it's donating financially or giving your time as a mentor for those families, that support will go a long way," Ikram explained. 

Learn more about Ikram and her work with the Center for Survivors and Bridging Communities & Counseling Services here.

 

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