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  • 27 May 2017 by Patricia Nyhan

     

    RPCVs of Wisconsin-Madison who support refugees found an antidote for  discouragement over current resettlement cutbacks. They just keep on thinking up events to engage their community in welcoming refugees, using a model of co-sponsorship.

     

    They recently gave a check for more than $6,200 to Open Doors for Refugees, a community group, from their benefit “Freeze for Food” 5K/10 K walk/run held in February.  They asked Open Doors to use the monies for food sustainability (gardens, groceries, nutrition) for refugee families.

     

    Several local RPCVs helped launch Open Doors, which had 40 members a year ago and now reaches 800 with its monthly newsletter. Among its colorful events are “Soup for Syria” gatherings bringing together interested people over soup and a speaker.

     

    Another was a mini-film series, with talk-backs and soliciting donations following three immigrant-related independent films at the Wisconsin Film Festival in April. The event also drew a large crowd later to “Fire at Sea,” a documentary on the migrant crisis.

     

    This month, a 2nd annual community picnic was held for people to meet refugee families. Participants were encouraged to attend two future events:  a benefit concert in July and Welcoming America Week in September, an annual nationwide event to raise awareness of the benefits of welcoming new Americans.  www.welcomingamerica.org

     

         Both the RPCVs and Open Doors for Refugees felt devastated by the Trump executive orders, which halved the expected number of refugees to Madison. But they found other ways to stay engaged.

     

        “Our approach is to keep the issue visible and to turn up the heat on advocacy,” says Madeline Uraneck of RPCVs of Wisconsin-Madison. 

     

    “We are trying to make newcomers feel welcome by organizing a number of ‘teams’ to assist with ESL support, child care, transportation, employment, translation, donations, pick-ups of furniture and apartment set-ups.” Open Doors for Refugees has co-sponsored many events with Madison's two resettlement agencies, Jewish Social Services  and Lutheran Social Services.  

     

         “One of the benefits we've noticed is that we are happier being active,” says Uraneck. Write to globalmaddy@gmail.com to receive their monthly e-newsletter. Check out the RPCVs of Wisconsin-Madison website: www.rpcvmadison.org

     

     

     

    Tell us about your own RPCV group’s strategies for staying active during the refugee resettlement slowdown. Share your ideas on our Facebook page or Twitter.

  • 04 May 2017 by Patricia Nyhan

    Looking for a way to help refugees during the resettlement slowdown? The United Nations International Day of Families on May 15 offers a great opportunity to stand up for refugee families in the U.S.

    The theme of the worldwide observance this year is “Families, Education and Well-being.” What better time to send a message to our elected representatives that refugee families benefit our communities in countless ways, making them economically stronger and culturally richer?

     

    In Washington, D.C., on the 15th, refugees and asylees will lobby the U.S. Senate to protect the 1951 Refugee Convention, which defines who is a refugee and sets out the rights of those granted asylum. They will exhort Congress and the White House to oppose any plan to reduce refugee admissions and keep out Muslim refugees or others that need protection regardless of where they come from or how they pray. Advocates will include those from many groups, including the LGBTQ community.

     

    Let’s stand with them!

     

    Given the Trump Administration’s push to shift resettlement policy from family reunification-based to merit-based, this event affords a chance to send a strong message that there is good reason to continue the family-based policy. Families who reunite in the U.S. have been shown to succeed largely because of their support for each other. They add value to our economy, opening businesses at a high rate and engaging with their communities in other positive ways.

     

    We should also argue that we oppose cutting the numbers of refugees accepted annually into the U.S. There are more than 21 million refugees in the world. According to UNHCR, the U.N. refugee agency, 10% of them need resettlement, yet less than 1 % are resettled. If we in the U.S. reduce our already curtailed resettlement, we pass the burden on to our regional partners, who currently host millions of refugees.

    Join us in speaking up for refugee families in the U.S. on May 15. Wherever you live,

    join local advocacy efforts. Meet with refugee and asylee families to hear what they would like you to say on their behalf. Contact your elected officials – local, statewide, or in Congress.

     

    We will be out there, banging the drum for refugee families, wherever we live. Join us!

     

    To learn how to become an effective advocate, check out the Refugee Council USA toolkit on this website, under GET INVOLVED/Advocacy. See also refugee organizations’ websites under GET INVOLVED/Refugee Resettlement and LEARN MORE/Refugee Organizations. Tell us about your experience! Share on Facebook!