Rock for Refugees not only brought Nathan Hale High School senior Emmett Lucas one step closer to graduation, it took his senior project outside of the classroom and onto the stage. The event drew more than 150 people and raised an estimated $1,400 in support of the IRC.

Here at the IRC in NorCal, helping refugees overcome trauma is critical to becoming self-reliant. Meet our dedicated team of staff helping improve the wellness of newcomers and their families.

When Diana Muturia had to leave college and take a job cleaning homes, she thought she’d let her family down. Today, she’s using her experience to build an innovative new business.

“You don’t realize that you are impacting other people’s lives,” Christelle, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, says of some of her first friendships in the United States.

For children to succeed academically and thrive in their schools, parent engagement is critical. Although parent access within schools may be limited for refugee parents at times, they work to make connections with teachers and support their children’s education.

Refugees from Ukraine share their experiences of leaving their home country, their journey to safety and hopes for the future.

Olga Mbongo, a caseworker at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Salt Lake City, shares what brought her to the IRC and the surprises that come with her job.

In honor of this past month being designated Social Work Month by the National Association of Social Workers, we are proud to feature Shakira Gibson, a Master of Social Work intern from California State University Stanislaus. Shakira has been assisting the IRC in Turlock/Modesto since September with its Afghan Path Towards Wellness program, which focuses on the mental and physical well-being of Afghan women who have come to the United States as refugees or other special immigrants. (Interview by Perry Fishel)