On Wednesday, September 29, the IRC in Atlanta’s Executive Director, Justin Howell, hosted a webinar briefing with our partners—Alpa Amin, Executive Director of Georgia Asylum & Immigration Network (GAIN); Marjan Nadir, Economic Empowerment Manager at Refugee Women’s Network (RWN); and Chris Purdy, Director of Veterans for American Ideals and Outreach at Human Rights First—to discuss our work and how the community can help us welcome and support new Afghan arrivals in Georgia and continue our more than 40-year history of welcoming refugees to our state.

The IRC in NY’s partnership with the New-York Historical Society led to a very successful IRC Immigration Opportunity Center: Citizenship Program. New-York Historical’s Education Department offers naturalization exam preparation to communities across New York City. Under their Citizenship Project, they leverage Museum and Library collections to provide inquiry-driven, object-based pedagogy to engage participants in interactive learning.  

Bob Gordon is a military veteran, retiree and lover of history and world travel. Kelly Daniels is an artist, business owner and first-generation American with personal ties to the refugee community. Together, they have nearly a decade of combined experience helping immigrants and refugees become American citizens!

Each year on June 20th, the world celebrates World Refugee Day. This day honors those forced to flee their homes and courageously resettle in new lands. In San Jose, welcomers from across Santa Clara County will come together to celebrate the area’s rich cultural diversity and proud history of welcoming immigrants and refugees. Additionally, to further demonstrate San Jose's welcoming spirit, the IRC in San Jose is seeking community support for our 2024 World Refugee Day Donation Drive for kitchen supplies to help our new neighbors feel at home in their new homes!

Texas has a long and proud history of welcoming refugees. What will happen after Governor Abbott's decision to not let refugees resettle in the state?

Maryam Zar, IRC volunteer, shares her experience teaching a group of resilient, diverse, and determined women as an IRC Citizenship Class instructor - and as an Iranian born American herself.

Following the terrible loss of life in Pittsburgh, IRC President David Miliband said: "We are appalled that anti-Semitism, and it seems hatred of refugees, should be fuel for the killing of Jews in America in 2018. We stand with those in mourning, and with our sister organization HIAS, which works alongside the IRC in welcoming refugees to enrich this country."

This World Refugee Day, we are reaching back in history and taking inspiration from seven extraordinary individuals, among many over the years, who have stood with refugees. They have shown that progress is possible, even when the odds can feel too great to overcome.