How do we hold hope and take action when our hearts keep breaking? Between climate disasters, anti-immigrant hate speech, contentious elections in the U.S., and severe ongoing violence, war, mass murder, and displacement in Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Myanmar, Sudan, and Congo – it can feel overwhelming, even impossible, to keep going. But what we discover time and time again at CERI is that when we come together, we find the courage to stay on the path of healing justice.

Our self-defense classes for elders and “Know Your Voting Rights” workshops this month have been rays of hope. Forty-one members of our community came together to cast their absentee ballots. It was amazing to witness the energy and participation of everyone and to see the important organizing work of our staff members including Kanley, Sreyneang, and Sophal. 

Staff members Kanley, J, and Audge also led us to San Francisco this month to be alongside community member Lam Le during his ICE check-in. The community support and solidarity were incredible, led by Tsuru for Solidarity as well as Japanese elders and survivors of U.S. concentration camps who are working to end detention and deportation. Although there is more work ahead, we are grateful to share that Lam Le was released for another six months. 

This October we also came together to celebrate two of the most cherished festivals in Nepal and throughout the diaspora — Dashain and Deepawali. These celebrations have deep meaning, uplifting goodness over evil and strengthening loving bonds. Honoring these traditions felt particularly important this year as Nepal is recovering from devastating floods. 

In Nepal, these festivities last the entire month, bringing together loved ones from around the country and abroad to celebrate. Everyone works together to clean and purify homes and neighborhoods, prepare and eat delicious food, and adorn themselves in vibrant colors. Elders give blessings to younger ones. Siblings put tika (a colored powder or paste) on each other's foreheads, praying for long life and prosperity as well as giving and receiving gifts.

For many in the diaspora, being outside of Nepal during these celebrations amplifies feelings of isolation and grief, highlighting the pain of being separated from family and friends. So when the local Nepali Community Support Group first brought people together for this celebration, the impact was profound. Many people said that it was the first time that they put tika, ate selroti (an endeared traditional sweet), or wore a sari since leaving Nepal. They had the feeling that “even if I’m not in Nepal, there is a place I belong, a place I can connect, heal, and celebrate who I am.”

For the past two years, CERI has been a proud partner of the Nepali Community Support Group to organize and co-host this festival. We know that healing happens not only through our work to support community members with accessing resources like public benefits and counseling services, but also through our commitment to celebrating our diverse cultures.

Sangita and Anupama, Program Managers at CERI and members of the Nepali community shared how touching it was to witness people from different cultures participating in the day wholeheartedly. We had guests from CERI’s other refugee and immigrant communities who dressed in traditional Nepali outfits and joined the festivities, creating a shared experience of understanding and respect. Among our Nepali community, there was a sense of joy and pride in being seen and valued – not only by each other but also by the wider community. As we reflect on this special day, we are filled with gratitude for everyone who participated – from our staff and volunteers to our community members and partner organizations.

This month, we are reminded of the power of community coming together – developing skills to protect one another, building solidarity across differences, and bridging distances to create a home away from home. When everyone can feel embraced, together we are emboldened to hold hope and take liberatory and life-affirming action.