Emma Yaaka

Delegate

Mar 26

Emma Yaaka is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Illinois. He is originally from Uganda and spent 3 years in Nairobi, Kenya, awaiting resettlement before coming to the U.S. in 2017.

Emma has significant experience in the healthcare field. While in Kenya, he served as a community health navigator, medical interpreter, Paralegal Aide Human Rights Defender, Peer Educator of Infectious Diseases in the LGBTQIA+ community, and focal point advocate for LGBTQIA+. In the U.S., he began working in environmental services at a hospital; but after just 6 months, he advanced to the role of a Pathology Lab Assistant. One year later, he accepted the position of Medical Case Manager/Preferred Community for Heartland Alliance Human Care Services. After 3 years with Heartland, Emma was promoted to Supervisor for long term case managers, serving refugees and immigrants from 6 months of their arrival to 5 years where he thrives in his career today.

Emma’s background in healthcare and advocacy, combined with his personal experience as a refugee, inspires his commitment to advocating for equal social services for refugees, asylees, and immigrants, regardless of culture, language, age, education, status, gender, or sexual orientation/identity. Using his expertise in local community engagement, Emma speaks directly to government elected officials and helps refugees and immigrants navigate the U.S. system.

He also utilizes various media platforms in his community engagement and is the Director of WordOut Community Channel (WCC), a YouTube Channel that provides basic education and resources to the refugee and immigrant community. Additionally, he has been engaged in community voluntary work that led to him becoming U.S. Refugee Advisory Board.

In his free time, Emma enjoys talking to friends and family, listening to music, watching movies, writing and listening to stories, deep thinking, and of course, creating content for the WordOut YouTube channel.