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!

“I Can See My Dream”: Masuma’s Story

“Working with Refugee & Immigrant Transitions made me closer to my dream that was teaching.”

— Masuma, RIT Early Childhood Education Provider

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In Afghanistan, Masuma's family was devoted to education. Her father was a teacher, inspiring Masuma and her siblings to follow in his footsteps. “‘You can do it!’ always my father told me.” She became a kindergarten teacher. 

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“Children’s world is so beautiful and simple. They are thinking unique and I like their questions.” When Masuma came to the U.S. with her husband and kids, her dream was to continue her career in education.

But starting a career in America is not easy, even for those who are born here. Like many newcomers RIT serves, Masuma needed to overcome extra barriers: language and unfamiliar systems, as well as childcare barriers.

Through RIT, Masuma joined a welcoming community that shared her passion for education. A community that YOU are helping nurture.

After just two weeks in the U.S., Masuma enrolled in our Women’s Initiative English class - a popular program with many Afghan moms. 

“We studied about health and illnesses, money and shopping, and more. The class was good because it had childcare for my children.” Unlike most adult classes, the Women’s Initiative allows women to study while their small children stay in the class or join the on-site early childhood program.

RIT also matched Masuma with a home-based tutor, who helped her further brush up on her English. “I felt my teacher is my friend. Always we had a nice conversation, so I did not feel alone.” 

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Through your support, RIT walks with our students on their leadership journeys. We honor their experience, knowledge, and skills. With her teaching background and high English skills, Masuma became a Community Leader Intern in our early childhood program. And soon, she was promoted to RIT staff member!

She is also studying English and child development at a local college. “I know the time is going fast and I can see my dream. I really like to help people!”

Your support of RIT has a multiplier effect. Thank you for welcoming newcomer families so they may thrive in our shared communities!

Tea and Tutoring: Friendship Without Borders

Shared with RIT by Jenn Hourani, a native of San Francisco, child of refugees, and RIT volunteer. Follow Jenn on Medium: https://medium.com/@jennhourani

“I never knew if they were coming back home,” my grandma once told me, when I asked her what it was like to raise kids during a civil war. 

There were lots of stories I heard, growing up in a family of refugees, but this one stands out. I would imagine my grandma’s brown eyes, watching the street from her bathroom window, wondering if the people she loved would survive the perilous days of Beirut in the 1970s.

The wars in the Middle East have kept millions of mothers like her, in constant fear of loss. The conflicts of the region have ravaged ancient, poetic landscapes. They have divided cultures that are more similar than different. They have drowned the global perception of the Middle East in violence and media clichés.

But as strong as this darkness has been, the light of the Middle Eastern people is stronger. 

I see it most clearly in refugees – the survivors in my family, and in the displaced community of Refugee & Immigrant Transitions.

A couple years ago, around my birthday, I was reflecting on the abundance of my life. I was comparing my lifestyle of workout classes and tech companies to the tubs of bath water and underground bomb shelters that housed my mom and her siblings. I was grateful for my life, but I needed to translate my gratitude into action. I wanted to support the same community as the one that had raised me, and after a quick Google search, I found Refugee & Immigrant Transitions. 

After my trainings and background check, I was paired with M., a young woman from Yemen in her early 20s who spoke Arabic. I later discovered that - like many refugees - she had navigated various cultures and countries on her escape route. Survival meant moving through Africa, the Middle East, the East Coast, and California, where she finally settled with her husband and newborn daughter. 

In just a couple years, my student had adapted  to more cultural environments than some of us will experience in a lifetime.

I remember my first time walking into M.'s building, seeing Yemeni kids playing outside while somber adults whispered to each other in the lobby. There was a lingering scent of fried onions and garlic, just like my mom’s kitchen.

As soon as I walked into her apartment, I could feel M.’s strength in the first hour of meeting her. 

She pieced sentences together to answer our questions, despite feeling shy. She shifted her baby from one arm to the other while serving us adeni tea - a hot mix of cinnamon, herbs, and sweetened milk. Her warmth and hospitality towards me and Grace, RIT’s program coordinator, reminded me of my own family. Throughout the initial introductions and paperwork, M. and I gave each other shy smiles. We set expectations for learning, of which her husband was deeply supportive. He didn’t show much emotion towards us, but I remember him clasping her hand with pride when he said, “Make sure you keep it challenging for her. She’s very smart and picks up quickly.” 

In the beginning, I didn’t know how much to ask, or what to say. I didn’t want to pry into her past, and I wasn’t sure how much of my Lebanese Arabic she would understand. I was dependent on textbook lessons, pictures in our booklets, and post-it notes I stuck on objects around her house.

Once a session, her alarm would go off. It was a man’s voice, chanting in Arabic. She would shift around on her couch and look up at the clock, but she never said anything. One day I asked her what the alarm meant. “It’s the holy call to prayer,” she said quietly, and I realized how much I didn’t know about Muslim traditions. Growing up in a Lebanese Christian culture, I had never been in the home of a Muslim family. From that moment on, we stopped our tutoring whenever the chant came on. I would play with her daughter, while M. washed her hands and prayed in the bedroom with the door closed. 

In the silence of those moments, I could feel something sacred and ancient taking place.

M. showed passionate dedication to her studies. I would give her homework from the RIT textbook; I would ask her to translate short songs in English; I would make up assignments to keep her engaged. She completed everything, every week, without fail. She asked insightful questions about our complicated language. She wrote down corrections in Arabic and English. She juggled childcare with our lectures flawlessly.

I knew she wouldn’t be challenged with random homework assignments forever, though. I started asking about goals, like holding a conversation with someone at the store. I figured little things would be accessible, given the few months we’d shared.

M. had bigger plans. “I want to get my driving permit and pass my citizenship test. Maybe go to school.” 

As I got to know her better, I stopped being surprised (but remained infinitely impressed) by M.’s ambition.

I began introducing more complicated language concepts. I had her write out entire stories, dreams, ideas she had. I helped her research a few different language school options. 

The sessions became a mix of school research, grammar, written assignments, and – my favorite part – two women from opposite sides of the world, talking over tea. 

As a working class family trying to make ends meet, M. and her baby were supported solely by her husband’s delivery and rideshare income. While this was not an easy feat, especially in the Bay Area, M.’s generosity never ceased. She brewed her special adeni tea for me every time, with a spread of Yemeni snacks. She painted a sunflower on canvas for my birthday. She made to-go bags of treats for my parents. I accepted her gifts with humility and gratitude, each time.

Over tea, we would talk about her tight-knit upbringing, Yemen’s lush landscapes, and her siblings abroad. I would talk about my job, my parents, and the experience of being born here, with each foot in a different culture. As her English evolved, we discussed bigger topics, mixing Arabic with English – belief systems, family dynamics, love, philosophy, art. We laughed at jokes. I looked forward to my visits with her, excited to see what new discussions were possible between two people with such different circumstances.

Pictured: A Yemeni landscape

With M.’s permission, I brought my mom to her house for a visit. My mom made us breakfast, and shared stories with M. about what it was like to raise a baby girl in a new country. Watching M. sitting at the table with my mom, while I played with M.’s daughter, was a transcendental moment.

Three generations of women filled that living room, each from a different time and faith, united by the borderless love of a mother for her child. 

Half of me savored this unique, intercultural moment, while the other half of me was angry that these eye-opening connections weren’t more common within my culture.

About eight months into her tutoring, M. shared an idea. One of her neighbors had discovered an adult English school nearby, and she was considering attending. I mentioned that she didn’t have her driver’s license – how would she get there? “No problem – I’ve figured out the bus system”, she reassured me. She asked her husband to stay with the baby during her class time, knowing how important her goals were to their family’s future. 

At that same time, RIT sent a new English assessment test to gauge M.’s progress. The results showed that M. had graduated from Beginner to Intermediate English! I was so proud that her consistency and commitment had paid off. She could now enter adult school with head start - and sure enough, she placed into an Intermediate English course, and hit the ground running.

We’ve since transitioned from a working relationship to a supportive friendship, as M. continues her formal English studies. My work gave M. the foothold she needed, but our time together was never the end goal. 

I wasn’t “the expert” I had imagined myself to be, as a privileged native of this culture. I was a starting point. 

My purpose was to advocate for her - and that, to me, is the role of a mentor. We are here in service, to amplify the voices of a displaced community, supporting them as they adjust to a life they didn’t anticipate. M.’s ambition parallels my family’s survival, my vision for myself as a woman, and so much more. 

In hindsight, I’m not entirely clear on who was mentoring whom. What I know with certainty, is that the simplest moments of connection have the power to transcend borders. 

The commonalities we share, bind us together and transform diversity from our divider to our collective power.

It is with this power, and these shared experiences, that we actively create a stronger future than we could’ve ever imagined. And for that, I’m immensely grateful to Refugee & Immigrant Transitions for the chance to learn this lesson.

We are deeply grateful to Jenn and all of our volunteers and students who have generously shared their stories with us. Check out more volunteer testimonials here:

“My heart is at least two sizes bigger now”: A family story

Meet Anandi: RIT volunteer for 8 years

"My Heart is At Least Two Sizes Bigger Now": A Family Story

Six years ago, Mary and James from Burma welcomed a new friend. Jean came into their life as an RIT volunteer tutor for their daughters, but has since become family.

Jean with Mary, James, and their four girls in 2015

Mary: “The first day she came, we were so excited. We could not wait to meet our new tutor. We did not know what to expect. After that it was so much fun, every time she came, the girls learned so much. She brought us toys and books. When her son is home from college, he also comes and helps teach the girls too.”

There are so many wonderful days that I remember.

Last Christmas, we went to Ms Jean’s house and made cupcakes and opened presents, and then we walked around the neighborhood to look at all the Christmas lights.”

Jean’s first Xmas with the family in 2013

Jean: I have been visiting Mary and James since their oldest daughter was a 2nd grader. She is now a young lady in 8th grade. All of the children are doing well in school.

I can’t wait to attend some college graduations in a few years!”

One of Jean and the girls’ science experiments. In the background: the girls’ aunt, Nuam with RIT volunteer, Janet

Jean: “Every year through about fourth grade, the girls have to do a science fair project. Last year, our experiment was, “Does dog saliva kill germs?” For that experiment, we got Petri dishes and inert bacteria, and visited friends with dogs to collect saliva samples. I was excited about it because I had never been good at science in school, and this felt like my second chance to try. It turns out that dog saliva DOES kill germs! Who knew?”

The family in 2019 (with a new addition: a little brother for the girls!)

Mary: “Ms Jean helped us find a new apartment. She came with us and stood in line and helped us fill out the papers, not one time, but several times. One day, an apartment office where we had been on the waiting list for many years, called James and told him that we did not qualify for that apartment anymore. Ms Jean and James went to the apartment office and explained our situation, and persuaded the apartment office to change their minds.

We got the apartment after all, and we were so grateful.

When we moved, the girls had to change school districts, so Ms Jean came with us and helped us fill out the paperwork for the new schools.”

Jean is moving to another city, so she won’t be seeing the family as often anymore. But the memories they’ve made together will stay for life.

Mary: “When we visit Burma, or when we talk to our family on the phone, we tell them how much we love Ms Jean and how blessed we are to have her. The kids love her so much, they get so excited when she is coming to see us. She loves the children and always listens to their stories.

We always tell our kids, never forget Ms Jean.”

Jean: “Some days I feel frustrated about my job, or I question what am I doing in my life that has meaning?  Am I using my time wisely? Sometimes I wish I had done things differently as a mother or as a friend. But the moment I walk through the door at James and Mary’s home, I know I am spending my time well.

I have learned so much from James and Mary about love, marriage, and family. Through all of their hard times, their struggles with money and language and being in a new culture—all  the difficulties they have overcome just to be here—through all of that, they are loving, unfailingly kind, and good to each other. I feel privileged to be allowed to sit inside the warm glow of their family circle. They’ve given me so much more than I have given them. 

My heart is at least two sizes bigger now.”

Last year, Refugee & Immigrant Transitions worked with 288 dedicated volunteers like Jean. Together, we create stories and relationships that change lives and strengthen our shared communities.

Check out other student and volunteer stories:

Tea and Tutoring: Friendship Without Borders

Meet Anandi: RIT Volunteer for 8 Years

RIT Film: Languages of Hope

RT Community: Meet Anandi, RT Volunteer for 8 Years

For more than 35 years, RT has been creating impactful community connections through education. One of the ways we do it is through home-based tutoring/mentoring, our original program (running since 1982!)

Meet Anandi, one of our 300 hard-working volunteers. Anandi has been tutoring in RT's home-based program for the past 8 years, with unwavering dedication and passion. She's worked with nine adult and youth students who have sought refuge in the U.S., from countries including DR Congo, China, and many others. With Anandi's encouragement and support, many of her students reached important milestones such as college, citizenship, or employment.

“Anandi is very helpful. She is helping me to prepare for GED. I am so lucky to know her.”

— Margaret, Anandi's Student

Pictured: Margaret (left) and Anandi

What made you want to become an RT volunteer tutor?

Ever since my college days, I have enjoyed tutoring. Everyone has a right to education, but that is being denied to women in many countries. When my son graduated from high school, my volunteering at schools came to an end. I found myself looking for a place to volunteer and I found RT to be the perfect place for my passion for helping women become literate and self-reliant.

What is one thing that you have done, that you're proud of?

Helping my student Margaret prepare for her citizenship exam. All the vocabulary was new to her. In addition, some concepts, such as "constitution," are difficult to grasp if one grew up in an authoritarian regime. But Margaret was very motivated and worked very hard. In less than a year, she knew answers to all 100 citizenship exam questions. I was so proud of her when she passed the exam. 

Is there something that your students have taught you?

Many of them have taught me resilience by sharing their experiences with me. Sometimes I learn something new about the history and culture of my student's country. For example, one day I learned about Nineveh, its history and its significance.

What is the best thing about being a tutor?

There are so many things I can think of. There is joy you feel when your student has accomplished something that will have a positive impact on her life. With some students, you develop relationships, and when you get treated like family, you feel moved.

***
In FY 2017-2018, we served a record 2,500 individuals of all ages and genders, who had sought refuge in the U.S. 381 students worked with home-based volunteers like Anandi. You can help us create these essential community connections.

Watch RT's New Film: Languages of Hope

Directed by Jason Outenreath, Languages of Hope explores the immigrant experience through the story of Santa, a multilingual mom and master weaver from Guatemala. Santa is part of the Mam indigenous group. She is incredibly driven and hardworking, and has joined RT's programs to get on the pathway to higher level employment opportunities.

You will also hear from Shaheen, RT's Intern and Teacher's Assistant, who has helped Santa and many other RT students gain computer skills. Shaheen arrived to the U.S. from Afghanistan just a few years ago as a high school student. Since then, he has grown into an incredible young leader who contributes his skills to the shared community.

Our expert for the film was Christopher Loperena, Professor of Anthropology at The Graduate Center, CUNY and RT Board Member from 2015 to 2018. He provided a deep perspective on the root causes of forced migration from Central America.

A Wish to Give Back: One Family's Journey to Community Leadership

In 2016, RT teamed up with filmmaker Kate Lord to present this documentary film about an amazing newcomer family living in Oakland. They came to the U.S. as Karen refugees. The family are participants in RT's education, family engagement, and community leadership programs. They exemplify the ethos of giving back to the community, and we are truly honored to have them as friends and neighbors.

Pursuing Dreams: Stories of Refugee and Immigrant Youth in California

Refugee Transitions is proud to present our web-based story series, Pursuing Dreams: Stories of Refugee and Immigrant Youth in California! This project consists of a documentary film and 14 written stories submitted to us in 2015 by our youth students. The stories span the world and a variety of human experiences, but what they share in common is the resilience and determination of our amazing students. We strongly believe that sharing these stories will help in the great task of building more welcoming and inclusive communities.

This project was made possible with support from California Humanities,
a nonprofit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
For more information, visit www.calhum.org.

Between Meals: Stories & Recipes from California's Refugee Women

An innovative narrative cookbook by Dani Fisher and Lauren Markham, Between Meals shares the expertise, recipes and stories of newly arrived refugee women in the Bay Area. This book documents traditional recipes from around the world--from Burma to Liberia to Afghanistan--from Refugee Transitions' participants, written down with the help of their Refugee Transitions tutors. Between Meals tells the stories of students' exile from their home countries, their journeys to the United States, and their efforts--literally and metaphorically--to nourish their families in their new California homes. Our goal was to give voice to these women's stories, giving them the professional treatment that they deserve as expert cooks with deep culinary wisdom. More info and excerpts here. 

This project was made possible with support from California Humanities,
a nonprofit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
For more information, visit www.calhum.org.

KQED Bay Area Bites: "Liberian and Burmese Refugees Celebrate Christmas in Oakland" 

PRI: "These Liberian and Myanmar Refugees Cook Up Old, and New, Christmas Traditions" 

Design Sponge: "In the Kitchen with Halimo's Malawah and Spiced Milk Tea" 

Liza Ramrayka: "Feeding the Spirit" (also featured on The Guardian's Pick of the Blogs)

Taking Refuge: "A Home-Cooked Meal from Burma" 

Liza Ramrayka: "Dining to Make a Difference on World Refugee Day" (This article spotlights RT's World Refugee Day 2015 food event inspired by Between Meals. For this event, RT partnered with 4 restaurants in San Francisco and Oakland that donated a portion of proceeds to RT and/or created special dishes for World Refugee Day.) 

April 9 & 10, 2016: Between Meals featured at the LA Times Festival of Books and presented at the Food Futures panel. Thank you California Humanities!

Refugee Transitions Videos

RT Unlocks Opportunity, 2014

Created by RT staff, RT Unlocks Opportunity is a quick introduction into the programs and impact of RT. Special thanks to Weston Kramer for his guidance on video creation.

Refugee Transitions: Change Your World, 2013

Meet some of our wonderful students! Filming generously donated by Simba Global Pictures. 

Want to see our older videos? Check out RT's Youtube channel!