Dear John,

I hope this email finds you safe and healthy. These are not easy times. The ongoing pandemic has altered our lives in dramatic ways and exposed yet again deep inequities within our society. President Trump placed the United States Refugee Admissions program on hold and closed the southern border with Mexico. Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere across the country in protest of George Floyd’s deadly encounter with police officers.

Our grief and outrage are greatly felt as we see rights to safety and dignity denied in this country and abroad.

HIAS staff around the world are doing everything in their power to provide essential programming to asylum seekers and refugees and to advocate for the inclusion of these communities in COVID-19 response efforts.

As the Greater Washington, D.C. region begins to re-open, please know that HIAS will continue to offer online community engagement programming for the foreseeable future to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our staff and supporters.

We will continue to update HIAS@Home, a collection of online offerings to keep you engaged and up-to-date on the issues facing refugees and asylum seekers, and to create region-specific programming, like our upcoming virtual event featuring three organizations in Greater Washington, D.C. that help new immigrants and refugees succeed through economic opportunity.

Scroll down to find many ways to learn more about and advocate for refugees and asylum seekers.

In solidarity,

Chelsey Berlin,
Community Engagement Director for Greater Washington, DC

HIAS Briefing Call: LGBTQ Refugee Protection
Tuesday, June 9 | 4:00 - 5:00 PM | Zoom Webinar

In honor of LGBTQ Pride Month, please join HIAS to recognize the resilience and strength of LGBTQ refugees. All around the world, LGBTQ people face persecution, violence, and harassment. With few protections at home, many flee to seek safety in other countries with no guarantee they will find it. Heidi Lehmann, Senior Director of Gender and GBV Programs at HIAS and Blythe Raphael, Director of Refugee Services at Jewish Family and Community Services East Bay, will discuss the unique needs and vulnerabilities of this population, and how HIAS and our U.S. and international partners have stepped up to advocate for the human rights of our LGBTQ clients and provide lifesaving support.

Integrating Refugees into the American Economy
Thursday, June 11 | 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Zoom Webinar

Economic integration is essential in order for refugees to become self-sufficient and successfully integrate in the United States. HIAS assists refugees with integration through three specific programs that emphasize financial literacy, rapid employment, and asset building. In these unprecedented times, the challenges of being economically insecure are more present than ever. Join us for a virtual program to hear from Keith Combs, HIAS’ economic inclusion program manager, on how HIAS prepares recently resettled refugees to enter the American workforce, followed by a panel discussion featuring Lina Zdruli, founder and CEO of Dafero; Noobtsaa Philip Vang, founder and CEO of Foodhini; and Arielle Reynoso, partnerships and volunteer program lead at Upwardly Global, who represent three organizations in Greater Washington, D.C. that help new immigrants and refugees succeed through economic opportunity.

HIAS Action DC Virtual Community Meeting
Thursday, June 18 | 6:30 – 7:45 pm | Zoom Group Meeting

Join us for a virtual community meeting of HIAS Action DC, a 20s and 30s network. HIAS is making sure that refugees and asylum seekers’ rights and needs are front and center in COVID-19 response efforts. Join our meeting for a briefing on current refugee and asylum policy from Naomi Steinberg, HIAS’ vice president for policy and advocacy. The HIAS Action DC Steering Committee will share an update about the network as D.C. reopens, and we’ll close with concrete ways to get involved.

HIAS@Home Book Club with HIAS Action DC
Friday, June 19 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Zoom Group Meeting

HIAS Action DC, a 20s and 30s network, will be joining the national discussion of Mohsin Hamid’s Exit West as part of HIAS@Home. The story of Nadia and Saeed explores the refugee crisis with empathy and magical realism. Join HIAS Rabbi-in-Residence Rachel Grant Meyer and Washington Director for Community Engagement Chelsey Berlin for a facilitated conversation of this beautiful novel.

Arriving: Refugee Stories from Around the World
Tuesday, June 23 | 7:30 - 8:30 PM | Zoom Webinar

In honor of World Refugee Day, join us for an evening of story-sharing with four people who came to the United States as refugees. Learn about the diversity in their experiences along with shared struggles and triumphs as they settled into new lives in a foreign place. Hear stories from the Middle East, the former Soviet Union, Central America, and the African continent and have the opportunity to engage in dialogue with each speaker. Finally, representatives from HIAS and the EDCJCC will share an update on the current status of the United States Refugee Admissions Program, how you can help newly arrived refugees, and how you can help those still hoping to come. This program will take place in partnership with EDCJCC and KAMA DC.

HIAS Monthly Letter Writing Program
Wednesday, June 24 | 6:30-8:30 pm | Zoom Group Meeting

Join this monthly program to write letters offering compassion and solidarity to asylum seekers in detention, helping them access hope and connection.

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