Refugee Congress Welcomes New Delegates
March 30, 2021
We are very excited to welcome 12 new Refugee Congress Delegates to our team!
Refugee Congress Delegates are refugees, former refugees and asylees/asylum-seekers who are nominated and elected to serve as the lead Refugee Congress representative for their state. They are active, engaged volunteers who have professional experience in a range of fields.
Please join us in welcoming a fantastic new cohort of Delegates who bring a wealth of expertise and experience to the Refugee Congress team!
Camila Rojas | Delegate for Florida
Camila serves as the South Florida Regional Organizer for the Florida Immigrant Coalition and has organized and advocated on the local, state and national levels for immigrants rights, reproductive rights and other social justice initiatives. She came to the U.S. as an asylum-seeker from Venezuela at age 14. Read more about Camila
Edwin Rigoberto Hernandez-Ventura | Delegate for Michigan
Edwin is a student at Lansing Community College, studying to pursue a career in social work, and works with the Latinx Community at the Cesar Chavez Learning Center. He came to the U.S. the age of 14 as an unaccompanied minor from Honduras. Read more about Edwin
Itto Outini | Delegate for Arkansas
Itto is a Fulbright alumna, journalist, human rights activist and accessibility advocate. She is a former asylum-seeker from Morocco and is blind. Although Itto is now successful, her past was filled with challenges that she believes helped her grow into the person she is today. Read more about Itto
Jane Kinity | Delegate for Connecticut
Jane is the founder and Executive Director of the International New Hope for Refugee and Immigrants Center and volunteers in her community with the Iris Refugee Ministry. She is a resettled refugee from Kenya. Read more about Jane
Khamisa Abdalla | Delegate for Nebraska
Khamisa is the Women's Program Manager at the Asian Center, where she advocates for women and finds projects to promote financial literacy and empowerment. She also serves as a domestic violence advocate and a community breastfeeding educator. Khamisa is a resettled refugee originally from Sudan. Read more about Khamisa
Leya Neema | Delegate for Iowa
Leya is an experienced director, case manager, program coordinator and interpreter. Prior to her current role at the Deaprmtent of Human Services, she served as Interim Director of Refugee and Immigrant Services at the Catherine McAuley Center. Leya came to the U.S. as a resettled refugee from Burundi. Read more about Leya
Lubab Al-Quraishi | Delegate for New Jersey
Lubab is a medical doctor with a specialty in surgical pathology. She worked as a doctor and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Baghdad Medical College in Iraq before coming to the U.S. as a resettled refugee in 2014. She has been working toward returning to her beloved profession as a doctor since coming to the U.S. Read more about Lubab
Matilda Sawie | Delegate for Pennsylvania
Matilda works as an HIV/AIDS Medical Case Manager and has had a lifelong commitment to work in public health and outreach. She has worked to raise awareness about domestic violence against women, rape, climate change and refugee rights. She is a former refugee from Liberia. Read more about Matilda
Myra Dahgaypaw | Delegate for Virginia
Myra is a Karen human rights activist from Karen State, Eastern Burma. She became an active community organizer and human rights advocate when she was just thirteen years old. Today, she is Director of the U.S. Campaign for Burma and a founder of the Karen American Organization. Read more about Myra
Paul Mwingwa | Delegate for Montana
Paul works as a Swahili language instructor and private contractor at the Lifelong Learning Center and food service worker at Providence St. Patrick Hospital. He also serves as a member of the Refugees Advisory Council for the IRC. He came to the U.S. as a resettled refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Read more about Paul
Sara Deewa | Delegate for New Mexico
Sara works as a research assistant and interpreter with the Refugee Wellbeing Project at the University of New Mexico. She is a former refugee from Afghanistan. Read more about Sara
Shamail Amiri | Delegate for California
Shamail has experience working with nonprofits collaborating with USAID on programs for women and children, and as a community health worker. She also volunteers with Survivors of Torture, Inc. Read more about Shamail
We also congratulate the Delegates below who have completed their Delegate terms and are now Honorary Delegates. Visit our new Member Page to read full biographies for all the Refugee Congress Delegates and Honorary Delegates.
How You Can Help
Refugee Congress is a national nonpartisan advocacy organization built and led by former refugees, asylum-seekers and other vulnerable migrants to promote the wellbeing and dignity of all vulnerable migrants. Learn how to get involved, or support our work through a charitable donation.
