Refugee & Immigrant Transitions

☕️Last week, we went to the grand opening of Hug in a Mug coffee cart ( ) at Fremont High School, and enjoyed delicious coffee. It is an entrepreneurial initiative by RIT High School youth leaders and students, in collaboration with . The youths completed the 1951 Coffee Barista Training Program. Hug in a Mug opens every Wednesday for Fremont High School students and staff.

💛 1951 Coffee Company is one of RIT’s longtime partners. At Fremont High School, RIT offers the Daytime Classroom Support and After-School programs to support newcomer youths.

☀️ One of the youths was recently featured by . Read the article here: https://www.coyotemedia.org/meet-holinda-oakland-coffee-cart/

RIT Co-ED, Jane Pak, and Board Chair, AMY ARGENAL, are speaking at USF (Master in Migration Studies at USF) this Saturday, 4/18. Please join!

Their roundtable info:
🦋 Topic: Revisioning Asylum & Refugee Rights
⏰ Time: 1:45-2:45
📍 Location: Fromm Hall, USF

Link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/usfca-critical-migration-studies-conference-solidarity-resistance-tickets-1984838638799?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnoGa8M7DJUpcwUdlp6iA3NANjVXHHZuMwGhGKKJha6kc-YJwRH7l7dnSnzLY_aem_lV7W6PbqMhNOEI7jNeGKSA

Taking full advantage of the arrival of Spring, we recently hosted a Spring picnic for our volunteers and home-based students. Thank you to everyone who attended, brought yummy food to share, and clothing to swap/donate. It has been a challenging period for our immigrant community, so these joyful moments with community feel even sweeter. 🌷🌻

RIT offers a home-based/one-on-one tutoring/mentoring program where we match a local volunteer with a newcomer student to help them learn English, build community, and navigate life in the US. We currently have 70+ long term volunteers supporting our students through our home-based, after-school, and daytime classroom support programs. To learn about our programs: reftrans.org/apply

Belated Eid celebration at RIT. It is a festive annual tradition at RIT. ✨

This event was organized by our amazing Wellness Support Team. The team hosts support groups, workshops, and events for our Afghan women students where they engage in deep conversations and activities about identity, culture, physical and mental health, wellness, refugee experiences, raising children in the US, dreams and goals.💜

We celebrated the event this year with music, fun kids activities (facepainting, soccer, and bracelet making) henna, delicious Afghan and Yemeni tea, pizza, and Afghan food (Qabuli palaw, kabab, saabji, and naan) from a community member’s restaurant called Kohandazh Kabob & Bakery. 😋

Resharing this flyer requesting for toddler items :)

Hello community, we are seeking some toddler items for our refugee and immigrant families. If you have the items listed above or know someone who does, and want to pass it along, please reach out to [email protected]. Thank you! 💜

Happy International Women’s Day! We are incredibly grateful and proud to be in community with a diverse, powerful, knowledgeable, and caring group of women. At RIT, the majority of staff and board members are women. In honor of International Women’s Day, we would like to share this zine and an opportunity to hear from them directly! 🌷💜

Ramadan Mubarak to everyone observing the month of Ramadan✨🌙 Many of our students fast during this holy month. We wish you peace, blessings, and clarity. 💜

Picture: RIT staff reading about Ramadan to toddlers at our Early Childhood Development program yesterday. 📚💖

When all the horrific violence is being committed against immigrant communities and our allies, more
than ever, we need to be in community and stand in solidarity with each other! We are grateful to (Sergio & Chris), our dear friends and partners, for their continued amazing work and for raising critical funds for RIT!

Pictures from this past weekend at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (): RIT volunteers, staff, and friends gathering to support the printing project, enjoy art, and be in community! 💛

Hello community, we are seeking some toddler items for our refugee and immigrant families. If you have the items listed above or know someone who does, and want to pass it along, please reach out to [email protected]. Thank you! 💜

RIT is hiring an Accounting and Contracts Coordinator. To learn more about the position and to apply, visit reftrans.org/careers.