Our Work
Advocating for the well-being and dignity of refugees, asylum seekers, and all forcibly displaced people.
We are effective leaders, storytellers, and advocates who use our expertise and lived experiences as refugees and asylum seekers to share information and advocate for policies and practices that positively impact our communities.
Working at the local, state, national, and global levels, Refugee Congress ensures that the lived expertise of forcibly displaced people is leveraged to promote policies and programs that protect the rights and well-being of all forcibly displaced people.
Refugee Congress regularly collaborates with refugee resettlement agencies, nonprofit organizations, public and private sector organizations, and grassroots organizers across the nation on common goals and interests. We are members of the Refugee Council USA coalition, a core partner in the Refugee Advocacy Lab and Refugee Storytellers Collective, steering committee members of We Are All America, Advisory Committee members of the Welcome With Dignity campaign, and a founding partner of the US Refugee Advisory Board. Our partnerships help ensure that inter-connected efforts across local, state, national, and global spaces center refugee leadership.
Our work if focused on three key areas:
Public Education & Narrative Change
Policy Advocacy
Leadership Development & Enhancement
Public Education & Narrative Change
Refugee Congress Delegates use lived and professional expertise to engage the public about the many ways that forcibly displaced people contribute to our communities. We provide critical thought leadership on best practices for effectively engaging refugee leaders and, working with partners, Refugee Congress creates spaces that foster opportunities for leaders with lived expertise to harness their skills.
Policy Advocacy
Our Delegates work closely with community members, non-governmental organizations, and elected officials at the local, state, national, and global levels, advocating for welcoming, equitable, and inclusive policies for all who have experienced forced displacement.
Capacity-Building & Leadership Development
Refuge Congress builds the capacity of refugee and asylee leaders and communities across the country through training, resource sharing, and peer mentorship. We strive to provide capacity-building and leadership development not only for Refugee Congress members but for the broader refugee and forcibly displaced communities.
