FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2023
Media Contact:
Andrés Bautista
Digital Communication Specialist, We Are All America
[email protected]
We Are All America Invests in Refugee Leadership Across the Country
Package of support from national collaborative spotlights the organization’s local, national leadership in amplifying refugee voices
State-Specific Press Releases – Vermont – Tennessee – Pennsylvania
CHICAGO, IL – We Are All America is pleased to announce the finalists of the Ethnic-Community Based Grant: Community Asylum Seekers Project, Our State Our Language, and the Woori Center. All three finalists were selected from a national, competitive process and will receive $3,000 worth of funding alongside coaching and technical assistance support valued at an additional $20,000. This initiative is rooted in the increased need to center and uplift the work being led by refugees for their local communities.
“When we invest in refugee and immigrant leadership, we are investing in building generations of community leaders who can help us build a better future where we all belong. For us, investing in refugee and immigrant leadership means directly funding the efforts & initiatives being led by refugees and immigrants, and uplifting the work that is being done locally that promotes inclusive and diverse communities across the country,” said Basma Alawee, Campaign Director, We Are All America.
As part of their package of support, all three organizations will be provided with technical assistance and a platform for sharing their work nationally from a consortium of organizations that also includes Refugee Advocacy Lab, Refugee Congress, Refugees International, National Partnership for New Americans, International Refugee Assistance Project, Church World Service and International Rescue Committee.
“We at Woori Center believe that all people—regardless of immigration status—have the right to move freely to lead healthy, safe, and prosperous lives. With generous support from We Are All America, we will continue to organize Korean and Asian Americans advocating for Driver’s Licenses for All in the State of Pennsylvania—from raising awareness among high school youth leaders, to providing bi-lingual information for community members with limited English proficiency, and initiating educational meetings with state legislators,” said Hyeonock Lee,Executive Director, Woori Center.
“We are grateful for this grant opportunity. Language access is critical for our communities and this will help us as we fight to end the unjust exclusion of the most commonly spoken languages in Tennessee from the drivers’ license test,” said Joseph Gutierrez, Executive Director, Our State Our Language.
“The Community Asylum Seekers Project is thrilled to be connected with We Are All America, and excited to join with organizers around the country aiming to change the national narrative on asylum and immigration justice. This mini-grant and the leadership development opportunities it carries with it will equip us as we work with partner organizations around the state of Vermont to make our community as welcoming as it can possibly be – building community infrastructure and pushing for state policies that open access to asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants of all statuses to build lives with dignity in this little corner of the country,” said Kate Paarlberg-Kvam, Executive Director, Community Asylum Seekers Project.
They will also receive membership and coaching support from Welcoming America, a national nonprofit organization that works to support communities by building a welcoming society where every person, including immigrants, can fully contribute and shape our shared prosperity.
“We hope that others will join us in investing in these vital organizations and their leadership capacity. When we do, we ensure that everyone can belong and thrive in the place we call home, whether we’ve just arrived or been here for generations,” said Rachel Perić, Executive Director, Welcoming America
The support is part of a broader focus on the vital role played by Ethnic Community-Based Organizations (ECBOs), a term used to refer to organizations with strong ties and leadership in refugee and immigrant communities. ECBOs play a vital role in strengthening trust, participation, and access for residents frequently excluded from community decision-making processes and service provision. As a result, ECBOs and their capacity are foundational to the infrastructure for communities to be welcoming places for all.
###
About We Are All America
We Are All America is a refugee-led campaign housed under the National Partnership for New Americans. Our steering committee is composed of leading refugee resettlement organizations as well as immigrant and refugee right organizations including: Church World Service, Refugee Congress, Welcoming America, The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, Refugee Council USA, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, Alianza Americas, Human Rights First, Unite Oregon, Refugee Advocacy Lab, Florida Immigrant Coalition, International Rescue Committee, and the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition. Learn more at weareallus.org
