Commemorating World Refugee Day 2022

June 23, 2022 - Message from Malaak Malikyar Sills, RIT Board Chair:

This month, we commemorate Juneteenth, Pride, and World Refugee Day. These events highlight the strife and fundamental dignity of humanity.

The United Nations Refugee Agency has shared that over 100 million people are forcibly displaced right now. This devastating record is driven by the invasion of Ukraine and other displacement crises, such as those in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and Guatemala.

Refugees are more than numbers. They are people seeking safety for themselves and their loved ones.

If you are reading this, it is because you have chosen to care and be moved to action. To volunteer. To give. To advocate. We thank YOU.

With your support, RIT provides welcome, education, hope, and relief. We came together in Oakland last week, to commemorate World Refugee Day with our East Bay Refugee & Immigrant Forum partners. It was a soulful family-friendly event with food, kids’ activities and traditional dances. It reminded me that even in dark and turbulent times, we have the power to bring each other warmth and joy.

Check out the event pictures below:

Pictured: RIT Board Chair, Malaak Malikyar Sills (second from left) with colleagues

Pictured: Afghan dance performance

In Solidarity,
Malaak Malikyar Sills
Refugee & Immigrant Transitions, Board Chair
Refugee & Immigrant Advocate

Ukraine Crisis Resources

PLEASE NOTE: The situation in Ukraine continues to be very fluid. While we are doing our best to update this page with resources shared by partner organizations and community members, this is NOT an exhaustive list. This is for information purposes only and we cannot guarantee any outcomes from the use of these links.

Last updated on June 15, 2022:

Statements from RIT:

February 24, 2022: RIT stands with all victims of war & forced migrants

March 25, 2022: Letter from RIT Board Chair: Please Support People Seeking Refuge from Ukraine

Government Officials Announcements:

March 3, 2022: Homeland Security: Secretary Mayorkas Designates Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status for 18 Months

March 24, 2022: The White House: The Biden Administration Announces New Humanitarian, Development, and Democracy Assistance to Ukraine and the Surrounding Region (Fact Sheet)

Data:

UNHCR: Refugees fleeing Ukraine

Resources for family and loved ones locally:

Office of Refugee Resettlement: Benefits for Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees, Factsheet

Red Cross Updates:

March 2 update link
March 17 update link

• Tracking missing person

• Family reunification inquiries:

  • Contact your local Red Cross, or call the national RFL Hotline at 1-844-782-9441.

  • Online link: redcross.org/reconnectingfamilies

  • ACCEPTED: requests regarding persons believed to be in Ukraine or Russia

  • NOT ACCEPTED: requests for persons on the move to other locations

  • Only cases related to separation due to the current and recent situation are being accepted.

  • Inquiries concerning U.S. citizens should call the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747 (from US or Canada) or +1-202-501-4444 (from overseas). More information can be found at http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/emergencies.html

USCIS: Emergency assistance for the US citizen and their families in Ukraine

Donate:

Voices of Children: Psychological and psychosocial support to children

Choose love: Ukraine Crisis Fundraiser

International Rescue Committee: Crisis in Ukraine

Nova Ukraine: Their donation page

Welcome.US: Welcome Fund, Airbnb, and Donate Airline miles

UNICEF: Health, education, protection, water and sanitation supplies

Letter from RIT Board Chair: Please Support People Seeking Refuge from Ukraine

March 25, 2022 - Message from Malaak Malikyar Sills, RIT Board Chair

Dear Community,

The world is four weeks into the relentless invasion of Ukraine. Each day of destruction and human suffering makes me recall my own experience of fleeing war, running on foot for days to seek refuge in another country. We must stand up for Ukraine and the 10,000,000 Ukrainians and others in the region who have been forced to flee their homes, either across national borders or within their own country.

Yesterday, the Biden administration announced that the U.S. would accept “100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russia’s aggression”. In addition, thousands of Ukrainian people at the Mexico border are seeking pathways into the U.S. Not all Ukrainians will come through the U.S. refugee program; additional people will arrive on family-based visas or humanitarian parole, as thousands of Afghans did.

Please consider giving to our partners at Choose Love campaign who are supporting displaced populations now in Ukraine and surrounding countries.

Many have been asking what RIT’s role has been. At the moment we are not yet serving people who’ve sought refuge from Ukraine, but we expect to as arrivals ramp up. The work we are doing now with Afghans and many other newcomer communities helps to strengthen our collective community, so that we can continue to welcome and support all who seek refuge in the Bay Area today and into the future. And we are ready.

At RIT, we represent and partner with people who have sought refuge from 50 countries. Every immigrant, refugee, and asylum seeker is equally welcomed into our beloved community, regardless of their race, nationality, identity, or religion. Please help us reinforce and expand our programs in whatever way you can, as RIT serves as a bridge during a critical time of transition.

In Solidarity,
Malaak Malikyar Sills
Refugee & Immigrant Transitions, Board Chair
Welcome.US, Advisor

RIT stands with all victims of war & forced migrants

February 24, 2022 - Like the whole world, we at Refugee & Immigrant Transitions are horrified at the unfolding Russian invasion of Ukraine. We stand against war, and are hoping for the swift de-escalation of this conflict.

All wars create death and violence, destroy families and communities, and uproot people forever from their homes. Many of us at RIT, whether program participants or team members, have come from families who have fled war, or have even experienced war first-hand. The heartbreak is incalculable and lasts generations.

We send our love, solidarity, and concern to all who are fleeing war, or worrying for their loved ones right now.

For the past 40 years, RIT has been helping war survivors from all over the world adjust to their new home in the Bay Area and find community. Refugee resettlement is a long process, but we expect that some of the people fleeing Ukraine, might eventually arrive to the Bay Area. They will find a welcoming community here at RIT.

Over the years, RIT has been adapting our services to the needs of our neighbors from all over the world. Last year, the tragedy in Afghanistan informed many of our service offerings, and these efforts are continuing. We work with communities long-term, as we also stand ready to welcome others.

It's an extremely scary time right now. We know that our community will come together, as it always has, to get through this. Thank you for supporting each other.

Letter from RIT Board Chair: Please Help sustain programs for Afghans and others who've sought refuge!

December 22, 2021 - Message from RIT Board Chair, Malaak Malikyar Sills

It is difficult to put into words what the last 4 months have been like since the Taliban took over Afghanistan.

What I can say is this: it has been awe inspiring to see our community rise to the occasion to support new Afghan neighbors.

Picture: two Afghan children going to school for the first time in America

Together with volunteers, supporters, and partners, RIT ramped up operations and filled critical service gaps. Some of the major things we’ve been doing:

• Supporting newly arrived Afghan families, enrolling children in schools.

• Providing school supplies (thanks to our supporters).

• Partnering with local agencies to supplement resettlement services.

• Expanding our multi-language case management. (We’ve hired a full-time case worker who speaks Dari and Pashto!)

• Increasing enrollment of Afghan women in Wellness groups and English classes.

Plus, in partnership with Oakland Bloom, our first cohort of eight women has received food handler certifications! The women held an event at RIT’s community hub where they cooked meals for 40-50 newly arrived Afghans. Our amazing volunteers delivered these meals to families (with goodie bags for kids!)

Picture: Afghan women’s cooking event

All of these programs are continuing and responding to increased numbers of arrivals. We need your support. Please remember that many are still seeking refuge.

In addition to Afghans, RIT works with people who’ve sought refuge from 50 countries - such as Burma, which has experienced a brutal military coup, and Guatemala, where many have been dispossessed of their land’s resources. Many are still in transition, navigating a new land.

RIT’s education, family engagement, and community leadership programs support newcomers long-term in their transitions to a new society. Our vision is to see all newcomers thrive and become full participating members of our shared communities.

Thank you for your support!

You can use the form below to make a gift to RIT.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish you a happy holiday season.

In solidarity,

Malaak Malikyar Sills
Refugee & Immigrant Transitions, Board Chair
Welcome.US, Advisor

P.S. Our Afghan women’s cooking event has been highlighted by KQED - click here to see!

Global & Local Neighbors: Join us for a virtual community gathering and fundraiser on Nov. 10

On Wednesday, November 10, 2021, 7 to 7:45 pm, we invite you to join Refugee & Immigrant Transitions’ virtual community gathering: “Global & Local Neighbors.” Register today, and scroll down to learn more!

This past year has underscored both the global and local dimensions of our work. RIT’s community members come from 50 countries. Many still have families and friends in those places, including Afghanistan, where the Taliban took over after a multi-generation war that started in 1973, and Burma, which is experiencing enduring effects from a military coup.

Many of our students, colleagues, and neighbors from these and other countries, are connected to struggles in their places of origin. RIT is part of this ecosystem of shared struggles and communal support.

On November 10, our community members will share about RIT’s response to current events, and the solidarity efforts that are taking place. RIT is continuing our longstanding, impactful programs and expanding them in response to emerging needs. Join us as we mobilize support for RIT’s work and community!

Please consider additional ways to support:

• Invite friends and networks to support RIT! (Using social media or a platform such as gofundme).

• If you’re comfortable, consider gathering your friends to watch the event together and raise funds for RIT.

If you are unable to attend, we hope you will consider supporting RIT today: 

What we do: RIT services during covid

Thank you for the Sponsorship!

Top Tier Sponsorship: “Sequoia”

Sponsorship: “Redwood”

Sponsorship: “Ponderosa Pine”

Sponsorship: “Noble Fir”

Update from Honduras: First-hand account by RIT Board Member, Amy Argenal

Message from RIT Staff: We are grateful to feature this account by Amy Argenal, Board Member at RIT and Assistant Professor at University of San Francisco. As those who work with immigrants (and most of us are immigrants ourselves), it is our honor to study and share the deeper stories related to migration and the communities we serve, stories that go beyond mainstream narratives. The situation that Amy and her colleagues bear witness to in Honduras - communities fighting for sustainable environment and against intolerable oppressive conditions - resonates far beyond Latin America. 

From Amy Argenal, Board Member at RIT and Assistant Professor at University of San Francisco:

In July 2021, 24 U.S. delegates from the Vamos a la Milpa campaign visited Honduras. 

• Milpa: a traditional food cultivation method where corn, beans, and squash are grown together for sustenance. It is a symbol of resilience and interdependence, especially when it comes to food security and sovereignty.

The goal of the delegation was to walk in solidarity with communities fighting for a new vision. A vision that counters the violence: the physical, environmental, and political violence that communities in Honduras have been facing under the regime of Juan Orlando Hernandez, the impacts of a crippling pandemic, and the two extremely destructive and climate induced hurricanes of Eta and Iota.  

I have been active in the planning committee of the Vamos a la Milpa campaign and had the huge honor to be part of the delegation. As a board member of Refugee & Immigrant Transitions, I feel deeply called to understand what pushes the families that RIT supports here in the U.S. to leave their countries of origin. 

Pictured: some of the delegates and some of the community in Guapinol. 
(Amy is on the lower right, seated.)

The delegation arrived in Honduras in early July. On our first day together, we visited two communities that had lost homes to the devastating hurricanes. We found that they are experiencing more repression as they struggle to find access to land to grow crops and live safely without the fear of further flooding. Those are communities who had been able to grow and surround themselves with abundance, only to be threatened by landlords. 

Some of the people we met were leaders in the Garífuna community, Afro-Indigenous people in Central America, who were still mourning the kidnapping of their five leaders a year ago. The Garífuna people have been defending their right to their territory and land for generations. Per North American Congress on Latin America, “the Garífuna Coast’s vast biodiversity makes the region extremely attractive to destructive foreign investors, who with the help of Honduran elite and corrupt politicians, have for years been appropriating beaches and wetlands for the construction of tourism projects.” Last year, five Garífuna leaders were abducted by people allegedly wearing police uniforms. 

We made a solidarity visit to another community: Guapinol, and witnessed directly the political persecution and criminalization of the water protectors in that area. 

Pictured: Reynaldo Dominguez, a very well-known activist in the Guapinol community. 

Throughout our visit, the constant theme of access to land to sustain communities was so apparent. And yet, these are not the narratives that we hear in our U.S. media outlets on why people are fleeing the United States. We only hear of gang violence and lack of opportunities. However, the lack of opportunities is a state constructed crisis. Honduras is land rich with natural resources, and yet communities struggle to protect and preserve those, while the Honduran government auctions them off to the highest bidder - oftentimes friends and family.

Pictured: the Guapinol river

On Tuesday, July 6th, our delegation stepped foot into the Olanchito jail in the Bajo Aguan region to visit seven members of the Guapinol 8. These men have been in prison for over 500 days for defending the Guapinol river against a mining company that began construction in the Carlos Escaleras National Park. Inside the jail, we were able to hear testimonies from the water defenders on how dangerous the project is to their community. Their prosecution is a clear attack on their activism, and they are innocent.  

This is just one of the examples of the many communities in Honduras fighting for the right to remain, fighting for their land and their resources. Two of the community leaders shared that they do not want to have to join a Caravan to migrate to the United States, this is their home, and if they leave, who will defend the river? And those water defenders not in prison are experiencing increased repression, with threatening phone calls and cars driving past their homes. Forced migration - this is what the mining companies, Inversiones los Pinares and EcoTek, want. They want the water protectors to leave the land for mining companies to exploit. (There is a U.S. based company, NuCor Corporation with investments in both of these mining companies.)   

Stories like the resistance of the Guapinol community, and the struggles they are facing are often left out of our discussions of migration. We focus on the caravans, the gang violence and even, sometimes, a little mention of the hurricanes and other climate disasters. However, we need to fully understand the ways in which our government is complicit, the ways in which U.S. companies are complicit in forced migration. We need to stand in solidarity with communities fighting to stay, and protect the land and the natural resources. 

The demands of the Guapinol community are clear. They shared with us that the Guapinol 8 are innocent and the charges must be dropped immediately. They have been criminalized for defending their water and it is time they are allowed to return home.  

The community demands the end to concession of the mining permit, an annulment of the contract granted to the mining corporation, and the cancelation of the environmental licence. All of these, the permits and the licences were obtained through corruption. While we were there, it was discovered that a letter had been submitted that granted permission from the community leaders, however, this letter was forged. We also witnessed the immediate damage of this project in the San Pedro River. 

The community demands that the Honduran government protect the lives of the water defenders and stop the criminalization of environmental activists.

The community recognizes and understands that the violence and repression that Guapinol is experiencing is part of a larger national situation of state violence and corruption by the government of Juan Orlando Hernandez.

 The Vamos a la Milpa delegation demands that the United States government respect international laws in relationship with Honduras, and honor the process of democracy demanded by the people of Honduras. Any relationship with Honduras must be dependent upon the Honduran government respecting the human rights and the voice of the Honduran people.  

The first time I visited Guapinol, a wonderful leader and activist, and partner of one of the Guapinol 8 in prison, taught me the Environmentalist cumbia, and I share it here now. I share it in honor of the Guapinol Community. 

Esta es la cumbia, la cumbia ambientalista, la que defiende el agua y la vida. 
Esta es la cumbia, la cumbia ambientalista, la que defiende el agua y la vida. 
This is the cumbia, the environmentalist cumbia, those who defend water and life.

Guapinol, Guapinol estamos con vos.  Guapinol Guapinol, estamos con vos.
Guapinol Guapinol we are with you. 

Guapinol, Guapinol, resiste Guapinol !
Guapinol, Guapinol, Resist Guapinol

No son criminales, no son delincuentes
Son defensoras del medio ambiente 

No son criminales, no son delincuentes,
Son defensoras del medio ambiente
They aren’t criminals, they aren't delinquents
They are defenders of the environment 

Guapinol, Guapinol estamos con vos, Guapinol, Guapinol estamos con vos.
Guapinol Guapinol we are with you.

Todos somos Guapinol.
We are all Guapinol!

Learn more:
Freedom for Guapinol - website about the Guapinol 8 water defenders & action items

The Nation: article about the water conflicts in Honduras

NACLA: Garífuna Community Demands Return of Kidnapped Leaders

Stand with the People of Afghanistan

Our mission is to welcome and partner with those who have sought refuge, employing strengths-based educational approaches and community supports so they may thrive in our shared communities.

Statement from RIT Board Chair, Malaak Malikyar Sills:

August 19, 2021 - Dear RIT Community members, I write to you in a difficult time with a message of hope and solidarity.

My family and I fled Afghanistan when I was 5 years old and so my heart weighs heavily as I witness images of people attempting to flee the country right now. Even as an Afghan, it is difficult to comprehend what is happening and what I can and should be doing. Many caring people are reaching out to ask what they can do, and we are all asking one another for direction. As a survivor, the guilt of being on the safety raft while the ship is sinking tears me apart - I tend to see myself on the raft while others are drowning in these situations. I used to see that as a curse, but in doing this work and doing it with you, I am reminded of the collective strength of the Refugee & Immigrant Transitions (RIT) community. I can attest to the hope you have given me as the once helpless voice in my head now tells me that I can and must do something. I am reminded of our commitment to support one another and I feel our power. 

As I write this, we are preparing for the arrival of hundreds of vulnerable Afghans as part of an emergency evacuation effort. At this moment, we are being called on to step up quickly at an unprecedented scale for our agency. We have developed strong systems, programs, and partners over the years and with multilingual and multicultural staff, teachers, and volunteers, we are preparing to quickly expand existing capacities. This means that we need to scale our operations in the days and weeks to come, along with our partners and resettlement agencies with whom we are working closely. If you are able, we ask that you consider donating to Refugee & Immigrant Transitions or to one of our partner organizations, such as Burma Refugee Families & Newcomers with whom we co-locate at our Newcomer Hub in Oakland. Your support helps ensure that we are ready to welcome and support newly-arriving Afghans and other newcomers seeking refuge, and continue to support local Afghans as they try to help their families evacuate.

RIT works with refugee and immigrant newcomers from 50 countries around the world. The Afghan community is the second-largest community we serve, the first being from Guatemala (future post about Guatemala forthcoming). One of the beautiful things about RIT is the partnership we form with communities who seek refuge. One of our programs, the Women’s Initiative, was developed in response to the growing number of Afghan women in the Bay Area experiencing language and social isolation. The Women’s Initiative has now grown to include women-only language/literacy classes with simultaneous childcare for young children, family support/case management, and a wellness program for women from a number of places of origin. And we will be ready to receive newly arriving Afghan women in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

The work ahead will be extensive and global. Here are other ways you can help right now:

• If you are trying to get a family member out of Afghanistan, here are some helpful resources. Also, “U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell, who represents parts of the Bay Area, is offering assistance to Afghan families who want to check on their Special Immigrant Visa status” (Kron 4). More information from his office can be found here. Please call his office first to check for available times. Or register here for a virtual Afghan American Townhall with Congressman Eric Swallwell tomorrow, August 19 at 11:00AM.

• Pathways out of Afghanistan currently are limited to a set of priority designations as defined by the U.S. Government. To advocate for more pathways out, especially for women and girls, please contact your members of congress.

• To support women and girls in Afghanistan, consider supporting Afghan Institute of Learning (founded by human rights educator, Dr. Sakena Yacoobi’s), or Women for Afghan Women.

Welcoming and partnering with people seeking refuge is at the heart of what we do at RIT. The pain we feel in this moment is felt by many in our community and we are doing all that we can to support one another and ready ourselves for what is to come. As a former staff member at RIT, a refugee advocate, a former refugee, and now the Board Chair of RIT, I thank you for standing with the people of Afghanistan and ALL people seeking refuge.

In solidarity,
Malaak Malikyar Sills
Board Chair

Exciting changes in RIT leadership: Serving community through collaborative leadership

Message from Laura Vaudreuil, Co-Executive Director:

July 7, 2021 - To all RIT friends and supporters, we are immensely grateful for your ongoing partnership and support, especially given the extraordinary challenges of this past year. I’ve had the honor of serving as RIT’s Executive Director for the last 18+ years, and feel extremely grateful to work with a team committed to welcoming and partnering with those who have sought refuge, employing strengths-based educational approaches and community supports so they may thrive in our shared communities. This past year has emphasized the importance of this mission and the need to invest in collaborative models that serve the collective community.

I am thus thrilled to share that Jane Pak, who has been a part of RIT’s staff and board for 9 years, will be transitioning from her current role as Board Chair to join me in our new roles as Co-Executive Directors! 

Jane returns to our staff team after receiving a doctorate in International & Multicultural Education/Human Rights Education (with a Critical Refugee Studies lens) from the University of San Francisco (USF). In addition to her lived experiences as a child of parents who fled a country (North Korea) when young, her scholarship is informed by her ongoing work as an adjunct professor in the Master in Migration Studies program at USF.

I am excited to continue leading RIT’s education, family engagement and community leadership programming. Jane will grow our community research efforts to inform our community education and solidarity work around refugee and migrant issues. For us, community research means listening deeply to and learning from people with lived experiences related to migration, and ensuring that this learning informs all our work at RIT. As author, adrienne maree brown says: "Those in the center are those whose lead we should be following - they know the truth of oppressive impact and they know the brilliance of survival against numerous odds."* 

To further strengthen our team, I am delighted that Malaak Malikyar Sills will be serving as our new Board Chair.

As an asylee from Afghanistan, and a representative of an underserved refugee community, Malaak has been a part of RIT’s community for 4 years. Malaak’s work focuses on forming community partnerships to spread cultural awareness & build alliances in an effort to end stigma and discrimination, promote wellness, recovery, resiliency and social inclusion. 

Please join me in welcoming Jane and Malaak!

None of this could happen without you, our community. So THANK YOU again for the vital role you play! Whether as a program participant, staff member, volunteer, board member, or donor--you are ALL critical partners in creating this beloved community.

With heartfelt gratitude,
Laura Vaudreuil             
Co-Executive Director   

*Quoted from adrienne maree brown, “Holding Change: The Way of Emergent Strategy Facilitation and Mediation (Emergent Strategy Series)”

Support RIT's Relief Fund on World Refugee Day!

June 20, 2021 - On this day 70 years ago, in Geneva, Switzerland, the United Nations adopted a momentous document: the 1951 Refugee Convention. It was a key legal document that set the global framework for the rights of refugees.

The Refugee Convention’s anniversary is commemorated every year as World Refugee Day. This is the day to take action in solidarity with all people who’ve sought refuge - globally and in our local communities.

At RIT, we see how this legacy of welcoming refugees has manifested in a culturally rich and diverse Bay Area. While honoring the courage and fundamental dignity of all who have sought refuge, we recognize that many have been forced to flee their beloved homes due to extremely painful and unjust circumstances. This includes circumstances not yet recognized by the 1951 Refugee Convention, such as climate change and economic dispossession.

For us, “welcoming” means seeing the full story of seeking refuge, and supporting community members’ safety and wellbeing. Here locally, newcomers continue to face systemic barriers and inequalities as they adjust to life in the Bay Area.

During the covid crisis, people who’ve sought refuge in the U.S. have been on the frontlines. Many are essential workers, preparing food, delivering groceries, taking care of elders, and providing other critical services. That has often entailed increased covid risk, low pay, and uncertainty if the work would be there tomorrow. Some of the essential workers have been school-age refugee and immigrant youth, who have had to prioritize work over school due to covid-related family hardship.

Last year, our community raised $30,000+ for RIT’s Relief Fund. It provided critical financial support to families who were experiencing hardship, and were not eligible for other forms of assistance. RIT’s Relief Fund addresses this systemic gap that persists today.

On World Refugee Day, please consider contributing to RIT’s Relief Fund for refugee and immigrant community members. Please write “Relief fund” in the donation form, so that we know it’s for the relief fund. Thank you!

AMPLIFY ON SOCIAL MEDIA/EMAIL: June 20 is World Refugee Day! Please contribute to Refugee & Immigrant Transitions' Relief Fund for community members who've sought refuge in the U.S. Many in the community, including essential workers, have been struggling during covid, and unable to access financial relief. Join RIT in providing direct financial assistance to families: reftrans.org/give (please write Relief fund in the donation form).

DOWNLOAD FLYER

RIT stands with the Afghan people! Hear from local Afghan neighbors

June 2, 2021 - Our thoughts are with RIT students and colleagues from Afghanistan. RIT has been honored to welcome and partner with hundreds of Afghan community members in the past 10 years. Many of our new neighbors coming to the Bay Area are Afghans who have received Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) for putting their lives at risk to work with the U.S. government. Read on for community testimonials and action items.

The U.S. military is continuing its planned troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, after a devastating war that lasted 20 years for the U.S. and its allies. Afghanistan has been in a multi-generation war since 1973.

People anticipate more events like the recent school bombing that took the lives of 85, mostly schoolgirls from the persecuted Hazara ethnic minority.

“Afghanistan citizens have been suffering from a long unwanted war that took 20 years for NATO and West, and never ended. All tribes from any ethnicity have been targeted tragically and have been killed, from top tribal leader to innocent school students.

Specially in the recent years Hazara students, who are identified as the country’s most hard working, intelligent, and brilliant in different area in Afghan society, starting with sports and being gold medalists to scoring in most high levels educational programs. However, unfortunately they have lost their lives to a crucial and unknown enemy who have held many attacks.

Such as the most recent one happened in west of Kabul, when the Hazara students were let go by the end of their classes, and a targeted bomb blast happened. While some were injured, the remaining were trying to escape the scene, and the second and third blast happened in row. It killed over 80 and injured 157 others. This tragedy reminded hundreds of families in sorrows of their loved ones.

The victims of this crucial act will be remembered forever. Our hearts and minds go to all those families who can only keep the memories of their children and can never see their angel faces anymore."

-Ali Pirzad, Afghan community member

Taliban has denied involvement in the school bombing, but their record on women’s rights is abysmal (during their rule, schooling for girls was banned). Heather Barr of Human Rights Watch has said in an NPR interview: “I think this attack is going to push thousands of girls out of school.”

"My heart goes out to those beautiful and innocent souls of the latest terrorist attack on Saidul Shohada School in Kabul. The world may compromise with a group that never gives mercy to our children, but humanity will never forget this cruelty."

-Aria, 5th grade

"Women have paid a heavy price during the political and social life of Afghanistan, but seem to get traction to access some of their fundamental rights such as education. But we saw how fragile that tends to be after the recent attack on the girls school.

No words or any other actions can compensate for those lives lost. They are the burnt pages of our country with millions of others and counting. Their life stories are heartbroken and sad lyrics sung by their ashes released to the wind of destruction, that humanity forgets in a matter of a moment.

The Afghan nation's book is on fire and won't survive unless we find our pathway to justice and equality, and those cannot be achieved unless we learn how to define our coexistence with others."

-Anonymous (fRumi)

We need to welcome more SIV holders!

According to Vets for American Ideals, there are more than 17,000 applicants (plus their families), who are waiting in Afghanistan to be processed for Special Immigrant Visas. Lawmakers introduced a bill to increase SIV to 8,000 (from 4,000), however, advocates are urging for many more.

“SIV program is extremely essential program. The US government/US Army must keep their promises to those who worked for the US Government or on behalf of the US Government. Their lives are in great danger after the US withdrawal. As the SIV clients are still immigrating to Northern California because of security situation is getting worse in Afghanistan day by day, specially with the withdrawal plan of the United States of America. The SIV newcomers are willing to stay together with their families and friends in every locations. One of the popular location is the Bay Area.”

-F.Y., Afghan community leader

Please join RIT in taking solidarity action:

• Advocate for immediate evacuation of Afghan allies

• Support Afghan women and children:

www.awchef.org

https://womenforafghanwomen.org/

• Support RIT’s multilingual programs for Afghans and other newcomers, including the Women’s Initiative: reftrans.org/give

Picture credits for this post - Afghanistan landscapes:

(1) UN Photo. (2) seair21. Both pictures protected under Creative Commons. No changes made.

AAPI Heritage Month: Support Our Friends, Asian Refugees United

May 10, 2021 - This Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, RIT is hosting a solidarity fundraiser! We invite you to kindly donate to our partner and friends: Asian Refugees United (ARU).

ARU is an organization led by refugees, and focused on refugee power-building. They are raising funds for their annual Leadership Camp to bring together ~25 leaders, activists, and artists from the Bhutanese refugee community in the U.S. ARU are aiming to raise $10,000 to fund the camp - will you help them reach their goal?

The camp will allow community members to learn from each other, address the current issues that the Bhutanese refugee community is facing, and build power to uplift the community.

AMPLIFY ON SOCIAL MEDIA: This Asian Pacific Heritage Month, amplify refugee power! Support Asian Refugees United, who are working to raise $10,000 for their Leadership Camp. ARU builds intergenerational and interethnic power for positive lasting changes through sharing art, healing, culture and political engagement. Donate here: tinyurl.com/aru-leaders

Download flyer for social media

About Asian Refugees United:

In 2016, leaders from the Vietnamese and Bhutanese refugee community came together in solidarity to fight for fair labor rights for nail salon workers in California. Since then, Asian Refugees United was founded to continue centering the voice and leadership of Asian refugees who’ve resettled in Oakland, California and beyond.

Today, Asian Refugees United builds intergenerational and interethnic power for positive lasting changes through sharing art, healing, culture and political engagement.

We envision Asian Refugees as thriving, healthy community leaders who have the knowledge, voice, and power to be active agents of change in their neighborhoods, alongside marginalized African American, Latino, and other immigrant communities.

Our work primarily focuses on three areas: Leadership Development, Arts and Healing, and Civic Engagement. These three areas are the 3 pillars of Asian Refugees United.

Learn more about our past, current, and future projects/programs here: www.asianrefugees.org

Thanks to Robin Gurung and ARU Team for sharing this fundraiser with RIT!

Against Military Coup: Free Burma + RIT on the Radio

May 4, 2021 - More than 700 people have been killed in Burma by the military regime, which took power in that country on February 1. "More than 10 people a day are paying the highest price for freedom and justice and democracy,” says Ko Ko Lay, RIT Board Member and activist for democracy. He adds: "This shouldn't happen... not only in Burma, shouldn't be anywhere around the world."

Listen to this interview on SF Public Press CIVIC podcast, featuring Ko Ko Lay (RIT Board & Free Burma Action Committee) and Jane Pak (RIT Board Chair).

(You can also find the CIVIC podcast on major podcast platforms such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify)

Pictured: Free Burma rally in San Francisco

News of violence is taking its toll on many of our neighbors who are from Burma. Members of the diaspora in the Bay Area have been worried about loved ones in Burma, and tirelessly protesting the military coup.

“These are your neighbors here,” says Jane Pak. “Our hearts and our souls are also in places of origin for those who have migrated here. And we can’t forget that, because by extension, we’re all global neighbors. ...We know that, and COVID has made that abundantly clear.”

Visit the Free Burma Action Committee page to learn and take action in solidarity with the pro-democracy movement:

RIT on NPR!

April 27, 2021 - Over the pandemic, Refugee & Immigrant Transitions students, volunteers, and staff have made a huge effort adjusting to distance learning. This past weekend, one of our staff tutors, Ramiro Lobo was featured in NPR's Weekend Edition, sharing his perspective on virtual tutoring for refugee and immigrant students!

Pictured: RIT School-based Coordinator, Ramiro Lobo (left) with one of his RIT students

Ramiro says: "A lot of times, it gets overlooked that many of the students that I work with - they've come here alone to a new country, are learning a new language, are trying to learn all these new concepts in their classes, are trying to navigate technology, are trying to get a job to support themselves and also to support their families who might be back home. I wish people just understood, how hard they work and just how amazing they are as people and as members of our community and just how brave and strong they are through all of that."

Sending love and solidarity to our AAPI communities

March 23, 2021 - All of us at Refugee & Immigrant Transitions are appalled and heartbroken by the horrific violence and scapegoating of Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders during covid. We are reaching out to and showing support for our AAPI friends, colleagues, and neighbors. This Friday, March 26th is the Asian American National Day of Action and Healing - please join!

According to Human Rights Watch, "statistics show a 150 percent surge in anti-Asian hate crimes since the start of the pandemic. People of Asian descent are at greater risk of violence and racism than they were a year ago and many live in fear." We need to come together to dismantle xenophobic and white supremacy thinking, and ensure that everyone in our communities, including elders, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals are safe and welcome. 

Compounding this, many of our refugee and immigrant community members are fearful about the safety of family members and friends in their countries of origin. Last month, the military in Burma (Myanmar) violently took power in that country, deposing democratically elected leaders. Since then, it has been brutally cracking down on protesters. People from Burma in diaspora in the Bay Area and around the world have been tirelessly demonstrating in solidarity with the democracy movement in Burma. 

To all our AAPI community members, we’re sending our solidarity, love and support. 

Refugee & Immigrant Transitions was founded in 1982 to help refugees from Southeast Asia adjust to their new lives in the U.S. Since then, we have partnered with thousands of AAPI refugees and immigrants to support them on their pathways to education, employment, and citizenship. We are fortunate to hire and recruit staff, board members, and community leaders from diverse AAPI communities. We also closely collaborate with grassroots AAPI community organizations and leaders. AAPI communities are our communities. 

Here are some action steps: 

• Support your local AAPI-owned small businesses

• Anti-Asian violence resources

• Free Burma Action Committee - San Francisco

• Support Local Grassroots Nonprofit: Asian Refugees United

• Support & Action Items: Korean Community Center of the East Bay

• Volunteer as a Chaperone in Oakland Chinatown

• Bystander Intervention Training to stop Anti-Asian/American and Xenophobic Harassment

• Post on social media on March 26th with hashtag #StopAsianHate (view toolkit here)

Join us in sending love and solidarity to our AAPI communities. 

RIT Family

Gift Toys & Learning Supplies to Kids for Distance Learning! New RIT Wishlist

March 23, 2021 - Every year, Refugee & Immigrant Transitions hosted a Toy drive for kids and youth in our programs. A lot has changed in the past year, and so will our annual drive. Now, we are responding to students’ needs during distance learning, and preparing to return to in-person programs.

We are holding a Learn & Play Drive for toys, educational items, and other supplies for self-care and distance learning! You can stand with the brave kids and youth who do the double effort of learning English while navigating virtual education.

(Please share your name & address upon purchase so we can send you a tax receipt.)

The supplies will be distributed to families in our early childhood education program and youth in our K-12 academic and mentoring programs. Thank you so much!

Our shipping address (You can also ship to this address if you’d like to purchase our wishlist items from a different platform):
Refugee & Immigrant Transitions, attn.: Kajal Shahali
1811 11th Ave Oakland, CA 94606
Please email Kajal@reftrans.org for any questions.

AMPLIFY ON SOCIAL MEDIA/EMAIL: Distance learning is tough, but even more so for English learners in our community. You can stand with the brave kids and youth who do the double effort of learning English while navigating virtual education. Local nonprofit, Refugee & Immigrant Transitions have put together a toy & educational supply wishlist for refugee and immigrant kids and youth. Access the wishlist: tinyurl.com/rit-learn-play. Please share!

DOWNLOAD SOCIAL MEDIA FLYER: CLICK HERE

SF Bay Area Stands with the People of Myanmar

February 19, 2021 — As heard on the news, Myanmar (Burma) - the country where many of our Refugee & Immigrant Transitions community members come from - has experienced a military coup. The military party toppled the country's first democratically elected government after decades of military dictatorship, and unlawfully detained Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders of National League for Democracy.

Our thoughts are with our students from Myanmar, as well as our colleagues and other friends in the diaspora. RIT Board Member, Ko Ko Lay is one of the founders of the Free Burma Action Committee which has organized mass actions in the Bay Area in solidarity with the people of Myanmar (including an upcoming action at the Consulate General of China tomorrow, Feb 20th).

"We need the help of all American people," said Ko Ko Lay to KQED, emphasizing the importance of peaceful protest. He adds that the military regime is more brutal than North Korea's, and "will kill and destroy our life, and our future."

"We have no choice — we have to fight for our freedom."

Pictured above: Ko Ko Lay speaking at Free Burma action in San Francisco UN Plaza. Courtesy Free Burma Action Committee
See the media reports on previous actions:

• KQED: "We need help": Myanmar Solidarity Protesters in SF Hope Rallies will Spur Officials to Act

• NBC News: "In protesting Myanmar coup, young Myanmarese Americans find inspiration from past generations."

The country is under the control of the army chief, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. Since 2016, the military had burned down Rohingya villages forcing 750,000 Rohingya, a Muslim minority group in Myanmar, to flee from their homes. These kinds of inhumane acts should not be tolerated, and the persecution was declared by the international community as genocide and ethnic cleansing.

Please support Free Burma Action Committee by joining the actions, donating, and amplifying the voices of those speaking out for democracy in Myanmar and around the world.

Big News on Immigration: Learn More

February 5, 2021 — The Biden Harris Administration announced its intent to restore the U.S. refugee program and raise the refugee admissions to 125,000/year. This action will save lives. The refugee program had been drastically cut by the Trump Administration (to just 15,000/year). According to the United Nations, refugee resettlement worldwide was at historic lows last year, despite record forced displacement and 1.4 million human beings “in situations of extreme vulnerability.”

In addition, the DREAM Act, which provides a path to citizenship to some undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, has just been reintroduced in the Senate.

Action: Call Senator Schumer and Senator Durbin to keep fighting for ALL our undocumented community members.

These developments follow 3 executive orders earlier this week:

• Addressing family separations: Create a task force to reunite parents and children who were put through the intentionally cruel and deeply traumatizing experience of family separation. 

• Initiating the restoration of asylum: including a review of Trump Admin’s policies that created barriers to the human right of seeking asylum, such as the policy known as “Remain in Mexico.” By forcing asylum-seekers to await their hearings in some of Mexico’s most dangerous cities, the policy put them at risk of considerable harm. 

• Reviewing Trump Admin’s actions that limit immigration: including the infamous “public charge” rule that created new barriers for immigrants seeking permanent residence. It allowed to deny green cards on the basis of receiving certain public benefits, which made many immigrants fear using essential benefits such as food stamps or medical care. 

Please read this Immigration Impact article for more information on the new executive orders. 

Deportations:
These actions follow several others announced earlier, including a 100-day moratorium on deportations that was defeated by a federal judge. Per the Associated Press, the ruling did not require the government to enforce the deportations. However, the Administration has still moved forward with mass deportations, including to countries experiencing war such as Cameroon. 

Action: Visit RAICES, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, and UndocuBlack to learn more about their ongoing campaign efforts to fight deportations. 

Other recent actions by the Biden Admin include: 

• Reversing the “Muslim Ban”: Over the past four years, this Ban upended the lives of many and has caused unbelievable hardships, whether by way of separating families, preventing students from pursuing educational opportunities, prohibiting employees from work opportunities, blocking access to lifesaving medical care, blocking investment in the U.S. economy, and much more. 

• Halting the border wall construction: This will be followed by a review of construction contracts and the creation of a plan to redirect wall funds. The wall has cost American taxpayers billions of dollars, destroyed wilderness, and driven people seeking asylum to travel across dangerous locations.

• Extending Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians: This deportation protection measure has been extended for thousands of Liberians who have lived in the U.S. for many years and did not come through the refugee program. 

• Affirming the inclusion of immigrants in the Census: Trump Admin’s executive order calling on the U.S. Census to exclude undocumented immigrants from the 2020 Census has also been reversed. As a result, states will not lose out on congressional representation and federal funding due to an inaccurate census count. 

Thank you for standing with refugees and immigrants! 

Support Refugee & Immigrant Essential Workers this Holiday Season!

December 22, 2020—So many immigrants and refugees are essential workers, caring for and feeding the Bay Area during Covid. This holiday season—if you can—please consider supporting refugee and immigrant workers and their communities.

Meet T., an RIT student and essential worker. She recently got employed at a produce company. “It’s my first job and I like it,” she says. “New experience.”

Pictured: T. and her daughter

We are honored to have been part of T.’s journey. She came to the U.S. as a refugee from Burma, a member of an ethnic group that had experienced systematic persecution. Not long after arrival, T. was referred to RIT’s English and vocational class, a unique family program that allowed her to bring her 9-month old baby. In class, T. was able to build up her English and other workforce entry skills that proved critical in helping her land her first job.

Pictured: T. (top left) and other participants in RIT virtual classes

Prior to the pandemic, T. and her daughter attended classes at RIT's Oakland Newcomer Hub. Thanks to our supporters, we have continued to operate at full capacity during Covid. RIT's adult classes have successfully switched to virtual platforms. “I like having a virtual class because I was able to take care of my daughter,” says T.

RIT’s multilingual team is helping hundreds of families like T.’s during the pandemic (in 10+ languages). Our team is always there to assist with any pressing challenges: from helping with zoom and accessing the internet, to supporting essential workers struggling during Covid, to helping clients apply for unemployment and financial relief options.

We wouldn’t be able to continue these programs (and partner with essential workers like T.) without our community of supporters!

Kindly consider supporting RIT’s impactful programs this holiday season.

If you’d like to assign your donation to RIT’s relief fund (financial assistance to participants most in need), click: “Write us a comment” in the donation form, and write: Relief fund.

Employee Matching

Many employers have programs to match their employees’ donations. To double your impact, please check with your HR department to see if your workplace has such a program.

Address for check/donor-advised fund:

870 Market St. #558, San Francisco CA 94102. Our EIN: 94-3112099.

Please contact Development@reftrans.org if you’d like to donate stock or have any questions.

We wish you good health, peace, and joy. Happy Holidays!

RIT Adult Classes in the News!

December 14, 2020 - Association of Continuing Education have highlighted RIT’s adult classes on their blog! Click on the button below to read the article:

"It’s not easy learning English, especially if one’s native language has no sound or spelling connections to English... But the adult students attending the online ACE Learning Center class, a partnership between Oakland International High School (OIHS) and Refugee & Immigrant Transitions (RIT), show their grit at each class."

Learn more about RIT’s adult classes and other education programs here.