December 20th, 2023
Dear Friends & Supporters,
I remember when my family and I first arrived in the U.S. as refugees from Vietnam in 1979. I was 5 years old but I still remember how dazed everyone in my family looked and felt when we landed at the airport in Cleveland, Ohio, and when we walked into our new house which we now must adopt as our home.
We had been through a full year that involved escaping from our homeland, sailing across the South China Sea, arriving in Hong Kong where the government there refused us entry, spending a month on the boat stubbornly refusing to leave until we were finally admitted into a refugee camp. We spent a year in the camp waiting and hoping that we would be adopted to a new country. When we finally got our wish and landed in the U.S., it wasn’t a feeling of pure joy.
Huey Fong: the ship that Todd's family took
It was a feeling of relief but also fear of how we would survive and build a new life. We had no money, knew no one, did not speak English, and had little idea of how to get the money and support we needed to survive. But when we were in survival mode, the power of the human spirit emerged, and we found a way to not only survive, but to eventually thrive.
Ultimately it is up to the power of that human spirit that propels refugees and immigrants. But not everyone makes it, and the journey involves years and years of intense struggle and perseverance.
As this year comes to a close, it is estimated that 60,000 refugees will have arrived in the U.S. in 2023, only 48% of the annual ceiling set by the President for 2023. In general, the number of people in the U.S. who were born in another country, increased by almost a million last year, reaching 46+ million (a record high). Many are newcomers.
Over the holiday season, every little we can contribute to newcomers will go a long way to helping our new neighbors survive and thrive in our shared communities. In this season of giving, perhaps the most valuable gift is assistance to help a family get through and get a better life.
RIT’s vision is to see all newcomers thrive and become full, participating members of our shared communities. We provide Education, Family Engagement, and Community Leadership programs needed by refugees and immigrants as they settle into their new home.
This holiday season, if you can, please consider supporting RIT. Your contribution will support critical services, from helping build English and other essential skills, to connecting newcomers with healthcare, employment, and other resources.
Thank you and we wish you a warm and happy Holiday Season!
On behalf of the Board and Staff of RIT,
Todd Tran
Refugee & Immigrant Transitions Board Member