Erika- ARTvocacy

Every year, for World Refugee Day, the VISTA in my seat plans an art show to showcase and promote refugee artists and their experiences. The International Rescue Committee has had a supportive home in Seattle since 1976, and we are constantly working to include community members in our work through outreach and volunteer opportunities. We commemorate World Refugee Day with an art show that features refugee artists and a naturalization ceremony in which former clients become American citizens.

ARTvocacy is so named because the show uses art to foster self-advocacy. Refugees are able to share their experiences through art and performance, and community members are able to connect data and statistics with the families who have been resettled in SeaTac and Tukwila and Burien. Every refugee has a powerful story, and ARTvocacy is an attempt to give these stories an audience. The other integral piece to ARTvocacy is a naturalization ceremony performed by USCIS in which a handful of refugees become American citizens.

Please join us on June 20^th at 610 2^nd Avenue, Seattle. The naturalization ceremony will begin at 6pm sharp, and the show will be open until 8pm. We will have refreshments, and while admission is free, donations are welcome! See you there!

Amanda

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On May 5th, the Refugee Support Network welcomed VISTA Leader Amanda Addington. After receiving her B.A. in Global and International Studies from State University of New York at Oswego, Amanda served with New York Campus Compact and Binghamton University as an AmeriCorps VISTA program coordinator for the Bridging the Digital Divide program. Most recently, she worked as a Donor Development fundraiser at Greenpeace New Zealand. Amanda will spend the year providing support and training to the current RSN VISTAs, and also work to build the capacity of the project

Where are they now?

Here’s news on a few former RSN VISTAs and what they’re up to now.

Marie Hoffmann, Refugee Support Network VISTA Leader, 2009-2010

Currently, I oversee the outreach efforts of a network of organizations, the Washington Anti-Trafficking Response Network. My work now is, in some ways, very similar to my work with the RSN – providing technical assistance and support to partner agencies and reporting for the project as a whole. Beyond that experience, my current position allows me to provide outreach, education, and training on human trafficking locally and victim services to community based organizations and vulnerable populations and to develop relationships and coalitions to better serve survivors.

Leann Price, International Rescue Committee (IRC) VISTA, 2010-2011

I transitioned out of my VISTA position into a position at my sponsoring agency (IRC) to help newly arrived refugees find employment.  I am also in the TESOL graduate program at Seattle University (SU).  I believe my VISTA position played a key role in my obtaining a permanent position at the IRC as well as my acceptance at SU. 

Annie Keating, International Rescue Committee (IRC) VISTA, 2004-2005

After my VISTA term ended, I worked for Hopelink for a year doing food stamp outreach and then went back to school (UW School of Social Work) for my MSW…and then came right back to the IRC to work as an Employment Specialist a few weeks after I graduated!

Four new VISTAs!

Four new VISTAs started their year of service with the Refugee Support Network on Monday. Learn more about their backgrounds and what they’ll be doing during their VISTA year.

Akshika Patel

Volunteer Program Assistant

Asian Counseling and Referral Service

Akshika serves as the AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer Program Assistant at Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS). This organization provides a broad range of human services and behavioral health programs to local Asian Pacific American communities. As Volunteer Program Assistant, Akshika recruits, trains, and supports ACRS volunteers in order to provide supplemental support services and increase organizational capacity. While having been born and lived in London, she spent her formative years in Seattle. She graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies and South Asian Studies, as well as with minors in Human Rights and Asian Language and Literature. In the midst of completing her undergraduate degree, she volunteered and interned with local non-profits and thus developed a passion for working with refugee and immigrant populations.

Erika Grantier

Community Engagement Coordinator VISTA

International Rescue Committee

 As the Community Engagement VISTA at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Erika focuses on growing the IRC’s volunteer and donor bases and educating the community on the importance of the IRC’s work. She also helps plan and execute Artvocacy and the Adopt-a-Family program. Erika is from Roslyn, Washington, and studied Anthropology and Linguistics at the University of Montana. Before coming to the IRC, she worked at the Young Women’s Christian Association as a mentor and advocate. Her favorite books are the “Post-Birthday World” and “No One Speaks of Remarkable Things,” and if she had to eat one food for the rest of her life, it would be frozen raspberries.

 Kelly Clayton

Learning Center Coordinator VISTA

International Rescue Committee

As the new Learning Center Coordinator at the International Rescue Committee, Kelly will ensure the sustainability of the Learning Center programs by providing training and support for volunteers as well as increasing the organization’s capacity to provide improved programs.

While attending Michigan State University, Kelly became interested in refugee educational services when she volunteered at a local refugee center that provided ESL classes. After graduating with a degree in Comparative Cultures and Politics in 2012, Kelly moved to New York where she received her CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). She is very excited to begin her year of service and looks forward to a rewarding experience.

Nick Valera

Resource Development Coordinator

Somali Community Services Coalition

I will be working with the Somali Community Services Coalition (SCSC) as their Resource Development Coordinator, writing grants, fundraising, facilitating strategic planning, and performing a needs assessment. I hope to increase SCSC’s capacity to serve the Somali and East African Communities of South King County with access to social services and education opportunities.

Graduating in 2007 from Seattle University, I completed two years of Peace Corps service in Cameroon, interned at a Human Rights NGO focusing on human trafficking, and traveled East and West Africa fairly extensively. Most recently, I am coming from an internship as an intake counselor at the American Civil Liberties Union.  I am very happy to be working with SCSC, drinking tea, working in an intercultural setting and not feeling at home, learning Somali, and being challenged daily with new experiences.

Denis: Reflecting on a Year of Service

As I get ready to finish my year of service, I keep reflecting on the many people that I got to meet over the course of the year. I genuinely love working with people, especially people that come from diverse backgrounds. When I commute to the Seattle office, I take the light rail from Tukwila, and on countless occasions, I have run into refugee clients that I have worked with over the last year. My favorite stories are from people who were in my pre-employment class who are usually on their way to work as well. At times in our class, it is hard to see how our work affects people further down the line. People usually find jobs and that is the last I hear of them. Every once in a while, I will, however, run into someone at the grocery store in SeaTac or on the train on my way to work. I usually ask them how their jobs are going, and the vast majority are acclimating just fine. Seeing somebody else succeed because of the work that I or the IRC does is inspiring and fulfilling. I can honestly say that I love the work that I do, and I don’t know if many people can say that about their jobs. For this, I am grateful.

Wuhye: Volunteer Impact

During this past quarter, the ACRS Volunteer Program applied for and was chosen as one of the candidates for the Volunteer Impact Partnership with United Way of King County. I have been assisting our Volunteer Coordinator in providing statistics on our Volunteer Program.  This is just the beginning phase of the partnership. I hope our partnership with United Way will help improve our volunteer program and get everyone at ACRS more involved with the volunteers. As I finish up my VISTA year, I can see this exciting new development as something the next VISTA can participate in and get involved with. 

Lauren: Partnering

The afterschool youth program goes on one to two fieldtrips a month to supplement school work with fun activities. We took a trip to the Tukwila Community Center (TCC) to play basketball. The students enjoyed the physical activity, and we worked together on teamwork skills and good sportsmanship. Somali Community Services Coalition’s (SCSC) afterschool program visits the TCC once a month for these types of activities.

We are working to plan an Open House Family Day with the Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA) at the TCC, and it is shaping up to be a beneficial event for all parties. We will be opening up the TCC to the whole community and providing a day of free fitness classes, day care, and arts and crafts so that the community can learn about what the TCC, SCSC, and ReWA have to offer. This collaboration is strengthening our relationships with both the TCC and ReWA. In fact, we now are involved in almost all events that the TCC holds. We tabled at their Dr. Seuss night to promote our programs, which resulted in two new families joining us. At the event, my main TCC contact shook my hand energetically thanking us for coming, declaring “this is what partnership is about”!

Newsletter Updates

Check out the latest update on Refugee Support Network accomplishments over the past three months!  RSN Newsletter March 2013

Siobhan: HSPE Prep Update

On March 8, 2013, Coalition for Refugees from Burma held the last HSPE Study Group before the big exam! Based on the ideas and comments of high school aged refugee youth from Burma I was inspired to help students who had not passed the HSPE. The HSPE or High School Proficiency Exam is a high school graduation requirement for Washington State. It is a challenging exam for Native Language Speakers but can pose as a significant hurdle to receive a high school diploma for English Language Learners. This is particularly true for newly arrived refugee youth from Burma whom often experience interrupted formal education and may not have the advanced literacy skills to pass this exam.

I recruited a volunteer tutor, Dave Alefaio, and we began working with students in October of last year. CRB staff and volunteers assisted 14 high school students over the past few months with practice HSPE reading and writing assignments. We explained standardized testing tips and techniques for success, we built vocabulary, and we practiced . . . a lot. The students have worked incredibly hard, and we are confident they did well over the last few days of testing.

I must admit that I was quite nervous during their week of HSPE Tests. I could not help but think about all of our students diligently writing thoughtful responses, erasing answer bubbles, and scratching their heads with the backs of their pencils before being struck, as if by lightning, with just the right word. I am so thankful to the wonderful volunteers, Michelle and Dave, who helped our students over the past few months. They both worked conscientiously to meet with our students every week, answer their questions effectively, and take the time to review countless pieces of practice material. I am so proud of everything the students and tutors have accomplished and wait with baited breath for the results.

Cordelia & Denis: Refugee & Immigrant Legislative Day

“This month I attended the Refugee and Immigrant Legislative Day in Olympia with some of the ESL and citizenship students of JFS. The excitement of the students was contagious, and it was great to see all of the organizations involved in the event. For most of our students, this was their first time to the Capitol, and they were eager to wander the halls and take pictures of the steps. Several legislators gave speeches, which were listened to attentively. The students were clearly excited to learn more about their new government and how to make their own voices heard.” -Cordelia

“On February 14^th, I took my pre-employment class down to Olympia on an organized trip with Refugee Women’s Alliance for legislative day. There was a rally to support programs for refugees and immigrants and a speech by new governor, Jay Inslee. The rally had a few hundred people, mainly refugees and immigrants themselves. It was a great day as the refugees and immigrants also got to meet with legislators to voice their concerns. The students in the pre-employment class found it very rewarding to be able to voice their opinions and help future refugees and immigrants.” -Denis