Center for Empowering

Refugees and Immigrants

CERI, established in 2006 through the vision of Dr. Mona Afary, works alongside community members, care coordinators, providers, and policymakers to advance mental health care for refugees and immigrants in the Bay Area.

Our Origin

Led by the strength and leadership of women survivors

CERI’s original participants were survivors of the Khmer Rouge genocide, who for over 20 years, carried the heavy burden of PTSD and decades of silence. It was the courage and determination of these Cambodian refugees that transformed Dr. Mona Afary’s vision into a powerful reality and laid the foundation for CERI’s journey.

Our community

Rooted in healing, community, and empowerment

Over time, the organization’s mission grew, embracing intergenerational mental health care, advocacy, and social services alongside training, education, and cultural enrichment.

Each program fosters individual healing and collective empowerment, We create space for community-led systemic change, and community members can inspire others.

CERI is a vibrant sanctuary of Cambodian, Vietnamese, Burmese, Afghan, Tibetan, Nepali, Iranian, and Eritrean communities across the Bay Area.

Our model

At CERI, we want you to feel at home .

We provide holistic, trauma-informed, and culturally-rooted, and community-led care. We foster a loving environment that celebrates diverse cultures and
collective healing.

Our work is grounded in the belief that health, justice, and liberation are interconnected.

CERI supports new community members with:

  • Essential needs (housing, public benefits applications, medical care, employment)

  • Trained care navigators and licensed mental health providers

  • Group-based care for communal healing

  • Policy advocacy and civic engagement training

  • Care Coordinators

    Care coordinators offer systems navigation, accompaniment, and interpretation / translation to anyone who walks in the door. 

  • Group-Based Care

    Group-based care has been central to our model since our beginnings. Over 10 groups serve our diverse communities where they can participate in communal healing

  • Policy Advocacy

    CERI plays a key role in shaping mental health policy recommendations with immigrants and refugees in California, and support civic engagement through multilingual voter education and registration. 

  • Civic Engagement

    Our work is grounded in the belief that health, justice, and liberation are interconnected.