CORONA, Calif. — This year is an adjustment for Setayesh Qadirian and her family. It’s been about one year since they moved to the United States from Afghanistan.

“I have a language barrier. I don’t speak English very well. So, it has been difficult to communicate,” Setayesh said in Farsi.

She’s already liking her new school, but the language barrier is a bit challenging.

“I really like my school, my teachers and classmates. I’ve already made some friends,” she said.

Setayesh, her family and some new friends like Mohammad Taza came together for this presentation about bullying by the Afghan American Muslim Outreach organization. The organization provides mentorship, mental health and social services for the Afghan refugees who have arrived in the area. As a student, Mohammad said bullying wasn’t even on his mind.

“How to get a new job for my dad? I was worried about this thing,” he said. “Now, I’m good. I’m worrying about getting good grades at school, to work hard.”

During the presentation, families learned about what bullying is, the challenges it could pose on a child and how, as a family, it can be corrected. Wali Abdul Hanifzai is a board member with AAMO and an associate therapist. He said there’s already been instances of children trying to pull off headscarves.

“Kids are being name called. They get told ‘you have to go back to your country. Why are you here?’ They discriminate against these kids and also make fun of the way they dress,” he said.

A 2016 study found immigrant youth to be more likely to experience bullying compared to those who were born here. Wali hopes the presentation will give families an opportunity to reach out if they are in need.

“What should they do when any incident like this takes place? You know, how to talk to their teachers. How to approach their administration. If that doesn’t work, how do you approach your parents and let them know.”

Since the presentation, Mohammad is determined not to let that happen to him and Setayesh. She’s just focused on learning as much as she can.

“I’m hoping to be successful, complete my education and find a job as a doctor,” she said.

It’s an opportunity for newly arrived refugees to better understand one another and to hopefully make new friends.