Community of Survivors

This year, we’ve been reflecting on the histories of our communities. We are a community of survivors, heart warriors who offer compassion and love even after experiencing injustice and violence. In April, we commemorated 50 years since the Khmer Rouge genocide. Now, in July, we honor Rwanda’s Liberation Day—Kwibohora. 

Kwibohora is the day in 1994 when the guns fell silent and a nation took its first breath after the horrors of the Genocide against the Tutsi. It was a promise that life would continue—that healing was possible, and that justice would not be buried with the victims.

CERI welcomes people from many places around the world, but we share similar histories - and if we look around, we see the echoes of past struggles still present today. Refugees and immigrants are being dehumanized and targeted with hate here in the United States. Genocides are still happening across the world, children and families are starving in Palestine. The recent bombing of Iran emphasized the possibility of more war. Our clients and staff are reminded of what they’ve survived, and live in fear of deportation, family separation or the loss of life-saving public benefits. 

We must speak out and say: Stop War. Stop Genocide. Stop Hurting Us.

Our community of survivors teaches us that healing, justice, and true liberation come from the power that we build by coming together. Let us continue speaking up for justice and creating the future we imagine and deserve, even when the odds seem stacked against us.

Join us to uplift community strength and histories. On August 2nd we will watch Taking Root, a community-organized documentary series that amplifies the untold stories of Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian refugees. These are stories of rebuilding roots after experiencing displacement; these are stories that need to be heard.