AMENUofWelcomingActions
1.ShareaMeal
ConsiderhostingororganizingaRefugeesWelcomedinner.Seeourtoolkitat:
http://www.refugeesarewelcome.org/refugees-welcome-toolkit_final-8-5-16/.Theactofcommunities
invitingrecentlyarrivedimmigrants,refugees,andasylumseekerstojointhemaroundthetableholds
immensemeaningandoffersawelcomingspacetobuildrelationshipsandlearnfromoneanother.Thisisalso
agreatwaytoshowhospitalityandtourgepolicymakerstosupportrefugeeresettlement.
2.InviteRefugeestoSpeakatCongregationalServices
Oneofthemostimportantrolesofanallycongregationisliftingupthevoicesofthosemostimpactedbythe
issueathand.Pleaseconsiderinvitingarefugeeleaderinyourregiontosharetheirstoryduringyour
congregation'sweeklyserviceoreducationalevent.Byliftingupthevoicesofrefugeeleadersthemselves,we
canhelprefugeesgainasenseoftheirownpowerandabilitytoadvocatefortheircommunities.
3.HoldMulti-FaithServicesorVigils
Amidanti-MuslimrhetoricthatisolatesourMuslimneighbors,itisextremelyimportanttoliftupmulti-faith
collaborationandcooperation.Taketheopportunitytopubliclyrepresenthowpeoplefrommanyfaithscan
worktogetherinunitytowelcomerefugees.Seeregularlyupdatedrefugeethemedresourcesforholidaysat:
http://www.interfaithimmigration.org/2016/10/13/religious-holiday-resources/
4.MeetwithYourPolicyMakers
Itismoreimportantthaneverforallournation’slawmakerstosupportthehospitalitythatcommunities
acrossthecountryaredemonstrating.Developingarelationshipandeducatingyourpolicymakersare
necessarystepstoensurewelcomingpoliciesforrefugees.WhenCongressandU.S.statelegislatorsaswellas
stateSenatorsandRepresentativesandlocalleaderssupportdiscriminatorypoliciesthatexcludecertain
refugeesbasedonnationaloriginorreligion,theyneedtohearfromtheirconstituentsthatyouare
committedtowelcomerefugees.Urgeyourarea’sleaderstoadoptwelcomingresolutionsthatshowyour
community’ssupportforrefugeesandallnewcomers.Checkoutouractionalertbelowandseeourlatest
refugeealertsforcontactinformationandtalkingpoints:www.refugeesarewelcome.org/get-involved
5.ShareStoriesofWelcome
Shareyourstories!Makesurerefugeesprovideconsentandfeelcomfortablewiththeirpicturesand/or
storiesbeingsharedpublicly.TellushowyourRefugeesWelcomeeventwentbyemailing
[email protected],andshareyourmessageofwelcomewithyourlocal,state,and
nationalpolicymakers!WriteanOpinionEditorialaboutyourevent(we’llprovidesamples!),orinvitealocal
mediaoutlettorunastory.PutyourRefugeesWelcomeeventsonthemapatwww.refugeesarewelcome.org.
Together,wecanshowthepowerofourcommunitiesthatwelcomeandstandwithrefugees.
6.DiscoverOurResources:RefugeesWelcomeToolkit
Clickhereforresourcesonhowtoorganizeanevent,contactpolicymakers,andshareyourstoriesof
welcome:http://www.refugeesarewelcome.org/refugees-welcome-toolkit_final-8-5-16/
7.SponsoraNewlyArrivingRefugeeFamily!!
Relationshipstransformhearts!Helpyourcongregationandcommunitygroupencounterthepersonalstories
ofrefugeefamiliesbyservingasaWelcomingTeam/Sponsorforanewfamily.Contactyourfaith
representative,andalsogoheretofindtheresettlementofficesnearestyou:
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/580e4274e58c624696efadc6/t/58406f886a496371af576a3f/14806178
64269/Public+Affiliate+Directory+11-28-16.pdf
TAKEACTIONTODAY:TellYourLocal,State,andNationalLeaderstoWelcomeRefugees
Background:Rightnow,asweprepareforPresident-electDonaldTrumptotakeofficeinJanuary,itismore
importantthaneverforallofourelectedofficialstohearthattheircommunitieswelcomerefugees.Refugee
resettlementsaveslives,encouragesothercountriestokeeptheirdoorsopentopeopleneedingprotection,
andpromotesregionalstabilityandglobalsecurity.Wecannotturnourbacksontherefugeeswehave
pledgedtowelcome.Norcanwediscriminateagainstindividualsbasedonwherethey’refromorwhat
religiontheypractice.RefugeeresettlementmustcontinuetobeacornerstoneofU.S.globalleadership.
Morethan65millionpeoplehavebeenpersecutedandforcedfromtheirhomesandareseekingsafety.Asa
nation,wemustupholdourvaluesofgenerosity,hospitalityandcompassion.Ouractionsmustmatchgravity
ofthisdisplacementcrisisandliveuptoourwelcominglegacy.Pleasespreadthewordandhaveeveryoneyou
knowsharethisalert!
CallyourSenatorsandRepresentatives:1-866-940-2439
TellThemYourCommunityWelcomesRefugees
PleasecallthesamenumberthreetimestobeconnectedwithyourRepresentativeandbothofyourSenators.
Here’sasampleofwhattosay:“Iamaconstituentfrom[CITY,STATE],andIurgeyoutowelcomerefugees
andsupporttheU.S.refugeeresettlementprogram.ResettlementisacoreAmericanlegacythatextends
hospitalityandoffersachanceforrefugeestorebuildtheirlivesinsafetyanddignity.Mycommunitywelcomes
refugeesandIurgeyoutoreflectthebestofournationbysupportingrefugeeresettlementintheUnited
States.”
Feelfreetoshareapersonalstoryabouttheimportanceofrefugeestoyou,yourfaith,yourcommunity,your
business,etc.Letthemknowthespecificwaysthatrefugeesbenefitandarewelcomedintoyourcommunity,
andwhyrefugeeprotectionissoimportanttoyou.
Youcanalsotweetyourpolicymakers:“.@SENATOR/REPRESENTATIVE,mycommunitystands#WithRefugees!
Showthat#AmericaWelcomesbysupportingU.S.refugeeresettlement!#RefugeesWelcome”
ShareThisMessagewithYourStateandLocalOfficials!
Yourstateandlocalleadersneedtohearthesamemessage.Tellthemthatyourcommunitywelcomes
refugees.Tofindyourgovernor,statelegislators,mayor,andlocalofficials,clickhere:
https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials.Totweetyourstateandlocalofficials,clicktofindthetwitterhandles
foryourgovernorandstatelegislators.
Itismoreimportantthaneverforallournation’slawmakerstorepresentthehospitalitythatcommunities
acrossthecountryaredemonstrating.Takeactiontodaytostandwithrefugees.
FormoretipsonhowtomakeyourvoiceheardwithMembersofCongress,clickhere:
https://twitter.com/i/moments/798297193559904258
Pleasespreadthewordandsendthisemailtoyournetworks!Follow@RCUSA_DConTwitterand“like"
RefugeeCouncilUSAonFacebookforup-to-datealerts.