We had another amazing summer with our youth! This July we completed our 4th Annual Youth Summer Camp with 30 participants who spent four weeks connecting, learning, cooking, and taking pictures together that culminated in a Youth Showcase Event on August 1st. The showcase featured a panel discussion, photo exhibit, and dance performances. We are so proud of our youth leaders and mentors who shaped this summer’s experience from day one until the end, making it the best summer yet!

Along with our youth, our elders had adventures this summer, too! On July 17th, 45 elders connected with their Cambodian roots in a special visit to the Asian Art Museum that features artifacts from Cambodia. CERI is grateful to the museum for supporting our community to reconnect with ancestral stories and memories.

On July 20th, we were honored to join Mayor Barbara Lee, Councilmember Wang, and other local leaders at a press conference to uplift the “City of Refuge” Ordinance as an important step to strengthen Oakland’s sanctuary protections in the face of deaths at the hands of ICE around the country and ICE arrests happening here in Alameda County as well. What this says to our refugee and immigrant community is: we want you here. We want you safe. ICE is not welcome in our streets. We are so proud of Sheila, CERI therapist, who spoke at the press conference and for the City’s support of refugee and immigrant communities at this time. 

This summer, Kanley, CERI’s Program Manager of Unbreakable Roots (our program that bridges trauma healing with deportation defense), joined several groups from the Kites to Southeast Asia coalition to travel to Cambodia and Laos and meet with deported community members. It was a powerful trip and Kanley reflected, “Returning to Cambodia and seeing how much the numbers have grown is heartbreaking, a reminder of how many families are still living through separation and pain.” There will be a report-back webinar in September to share how things have changed (and haven’t changed) and how you can support. If you would like to join, please email info@cerieastbay.org to get registration details.

We were thrilled to be the featured nonprofit at Proposition Chicken's Oakland - they donated 10% to CERI from their dine in earnings on Mondays during the month of July, which resulted in over $300 raised. Thank you for supporting our work!!!