We Are All America Refugee
and Immigrant Leadership Table

The National Refugee and Immigrant Leadership Table (RILT) is the engine of We Are All America. As a national program led by refugees and immigrants, we turn lived experience into legislative power. We are “Community Architects” ensuring that those most impacted by policy are the ones leading the advocacy at local, state, and federal levels.

Mission:

We equip “Civic Rejuvenators” with the resources, funding, and strategic training needed to co-author the American story. Our goal is to empower leaders to navigate policy complexities and drive systemic change from a position of moral authority and expertise.

What We Offer:

  • Leadership & Advocacy Training: Master legislative processes, coalition building, and digital organizing to influence decision-making.
  • Mentorship & Networking: Connect with “Legacy Builders” to sharpen your professional impact and share community knowledge.
  • Public Voice: Amplify your story through high-level speaking engagements and media appearances that focus on agency and contribution.
  • Technical Assistance: Access legal guidance and logistical support to scale your advocacy efforts effectively.
  • Healing & Solidarity: Join a supportive space centered on wellness and cross-movement resilience to sustain the long-term work of justice.

Our Collective Power and Our Impact:

Our National Leadership Table represents the Architecture of Becoming in action. As a cohort of Community Architects, our 53 leaders from 28 states and 47 countries bring the “superpower” of doubled perspectives to the American experiment. By centering those with lived experience, we shift the narrative from “immigrants as guests” to immigrants as founders who actively refresh and strengthen our democracy.

This collective expertise drives a cohesive advocacy approach that uplifts the needs of neighbors nationwide. By shaping our strategic direction, these leaders drive positive change and empower local advocates to participate in a shared effort, ensuring our communities thrive through mutual investment and progress.

Join the Movement:

To join the table, please complete the following application and one of our Executive Committee members will reach out to you. To learn more about our highlights and accomplishments, please click HERE.

The WAAA Refugee and Immigrant National Table Executive Committee serves a variety of critical roles in supporting advocacy and organizing efforts for the Table. They are recognized as refugee and immigrant leaders who are committed to the coordination, collaboration, and expansion of the table and are responsible for the following: 

  • Setting the vision and framework for collective action Providing guidance for operations and decision-making
  • Supporting and responding to the recruitment of emerging refugee leaders.

Our Executive Committee members include

Yathrip Abdelgadir
Yathrip Abdelgadir

Senior Community Organizer
Church World Service

Ana Ortega Villegas
Ana Ortega Villegas

Program Director
Mobile Pathways

Karim L. Razzaz
Karim L. Razzaz

Multilingual Public Information Coordinator
Office of Immigrant Affairs – City of Somerville, MA

Sheridan Block
Sheridan Block

Director of Communications
Refugee Congress (RC)

Anahita Panahi
Anahita Panahi

Deputy Director of Refugee Affairs
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights

Isabel López
Isabel López

Digital and Narrative Manager
We Are All America

Yathrip Abdelgadir
Yathrip Abdelgadir

North Carolina
Church World Service

Malath Alarnosi
Malath Alarnosi

Arkansas
Arab Women for Women

Nattacha Wyllie
Nattacha Wyllie

Florida
Haitian American Art Network,Inc

Partick saidi Irenge
Partick saidi Irenge

Lowa
Creative empowerment initiatives-Tongogara

Salimatou Diallo
Salimatou Diallo

Texas
Refugee Storytellers Collective

María Eugenia González
María Eugenia González

Pennsylvania
I Belong Philly

Deep Tripurana
Deep Tripurana

California
Asian Base Coalition

Mariia Yatsko 
Mariia Yatsko 

Georgia
Ukrainian-speaking Community Council

Tajalla Moslih
Tajalla Moslih

Virginia
National Young Adult Leadership Council

Robin Gurung
Robin Gurung

Pennsylvania
Asian Refugees United (ARU)

Modupe Adewunmi
Modupe Adewunmi

Indiana
Patchwork Indy

Itedal Shalabi
Itedal Shalabi

Illinois
Arab American Family Services

Ally Ntumba
Ally Ntumba

Indiana
Patchwork Indy

Archana Rajan
Archana Rajan

Michigan
Experian

Ana Ortega Villegas
Ana Ortega Villegas

D.C.
Mobile Pathways

Rose Catherine Mayan
Rose Catherine Mayan

Michigan
Michigan United

Arash Azizzada
Arash Azizzada

California and New York
Afghans For A Better Tomorrow

Hafsat Muhammed
Hafsat Muhammed

Washington, D.C.
Independent Hausa Translator

Karim L. Razzaz
Karim L. Razzaz

Massachusetts
Office of Immigrant Affairs – City of Somerville, MA

Sheridan Block
Sheridan Block

North Carolina
Refugee Congress (RC)

Sylvia Nyamuhungu
Sylvia Nyamuhungu

Michigan
African Communities Together (ACT)

Ariel Sepulveda
Ariel Sepulveda

Florida
Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC)

David Malikyar
David Malikyar

California
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)

Elena Prozorova
Elena Prozorova

New York
Russian-speaking Community Council, Inc. (RCC)

Sharon Njie
Sharon Njie

Louisiana
Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants

Ruben Torres
Ruben Torres

Maine
Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition

Amran Osman
Amran Osman

Maine
Generational Noor

Marina Chakmakchi
Marina Chakmakchi

Maine
University of Southern Maine

Vanuza Fernanda Mateus
Vanuza Fernanda Mateus

Oklahoma
Yutu Housing and Community Services

Dauda Sesay
Dauda Sesay

Louisiana
Louisiana Organization For Refugees and Immigrants (LORI)

Adamou Mohamed
Adamou Mohamed

North Carolina
Church World Service

Ali Aljundi
Ali Aljundi

Massachusetts

Anahita Panahi
Anahita Panahi

California
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights

Beyza Burcak Klein
Beyza Burcak Klein

New York
Community Sponsorship Hub

Bwema Matata
Bwema Matata

New York

Djamal Diouf
Djamal Diouf

Maryland
Mobile Pathways

Dmitri Daniel Glinski
Dmitri Daniel Glinski

New York
Russian-speaking Community Council, Inc.

Ekram Hanna
Ekram Hanna

Illinois
Middle Eastern Immigrants and Refugee Alliance

Emman Abbas
Emman Abbas

Oregon

Fereshteh Ganjavi
Fereshteh Ganjavi

Connecticut
Elena’s Light

Isabel Kayembe
Isabel Kayembe

Rhode Island
Refugee Congress

Jacqueline Mugwaneza
Jacqueline Mugwaneza

Maine
Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition

Jihan Daman
Jihan Daman

Michigan
St. Rita Family Services, Inc.

Kawser Amine
Kawser Amine

California
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights

Machhadie Micho Assi
Machhadie Micho Assi

Michigan

Matondo Ngemba
Matondo Ngemba

Ohio
Community Change

Myrna Orozco
Myrna Orozco

Missouri
Church World Service

Paul Mwingwa
Paul Mwingwa

Montana
Refugee Congress

Pierre Uwimana
Pierre Uwimana

Florida
Florida Immigrant Coalition

Ray Sookchain
Ray Sookchain

Minnesota
Isuroon

Sharifah Hussain
Sharifah Hussain

Texas
Rohingya Women Development Network-RWDN

Tea Rozman
Tea Rozman

Minnesota
Green Card Voices

Zinah Kadhim
Zinah Kadhim

Illinois
Middle Eastern Immigrants and Refugee Alliance

Testimonials

The table helps me connect to other forcibly displaced individuals and asylum seekers. It helps me learn more how i could be helpful as a refugee who lives in the United States of America.

Bwema,

Refugee from DRC

Thank you for inviting me to be part of this group. I believe our strength is when we work together.

Ekram,

SIV Holder