RCUSA welcomes the Chin Association of Maryland, Climate Refugees, and Every Campus a Refuge to the coalition

Washington, DC – At its most recent meeting, the board of directors of Refugee Council USA (RCUSA) voted unanimously to welcome the Chin Association of Maryland, Climate Refugees, and Every Campus a Refuge (ECAR) to the RCUSA coalition.

“It is my privilege to announce and welcome our coalition’s newest members,” said Executive Director John Slocum. “RCUSA  brings together experts and organizations with diverse knowledge and insight into the complexities of forced displacement and our roles as welcomers. Each of these new members represent the future of how we build proactive, forward-looking programs to care for forcibly displaced people. We are thrilled to work with and uplift them.”

The Chin Association of Maryland advocates for the rights of the Chin peoples and all other forcibly displaced people and refugees, and strives to support successful and supportive integration. The Chin are an ethnic and religious minority, originally from Burma, though many have been forced to flee their homes due to political and religious persecution.

Climate Refugees aims to raise awareness around climate-driven displacement, and advocate for the protection of people fleeing their homes due to climate change to receive the same kinds of welcome and protection as refugees. They defend the rights of climate-displaced people through compelling research and national advocacy directly informed by the experiences of people who have experienced displacement.

Every Campus a Refuge has been a pioneering project calling on colleges and universities across the US to partner with refugee resettlement agencies  to welcome refugees to their communities by utilizing the colleges’ resources, relationships, and support systems. As the US seeks to expand resettlement structures with the introduction of Welcome Corps on Campus, ECAR’s expertise will be essential in defining this new era.

Media contact: Sarah Seniuk, sseniuk@rcusa.org

RCUSA is a diverse coalition advocating for just and humane laws and policies, and the promotion of dialogue and communication among government, civil society, and those who need protection and welcome. Individual RCUSA members do not all address all refugee-related issues, nor do all individual members approach common refugee-related issues identically.

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