Community Leadership & Advocacy
CERI doesn’t just provide services - we amplify community voices. Grounded in the leadership of immigrant and refugee communities, our work advances civic participation, workforce development, and systems change shaped by lived experience.
Our Focus
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We support multilingual voter education and registration, recognizing voting as a powerful act of freedom and empowerment, especially for communities who have been denied those rights. Through small groups, town halls, and one-on-one support, we help community members make informed choices that reflect their values and needs.
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CERI creates pathways for community members to become leaders in mental health and wellness. Each year, we train social work interns and grassroots leaders from refugee and immigrant communities in trauma-informed care and community wellness. Since 2016, we have provided intensive training, coaching, and mentorship to over 100 leaders from 20 communities.
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We engage in local and statewide coalitions, campaigns, and direct action to address systemic inequities.
Since 2019, CERI has been organizing Southeast Asian communities across generations to protect individuals and families impacted by deportation.
Since 2022, CERI has been working on Stop the Hate, a program with Asian Health Services dedicated to aiding Southeast Asian communities affected by hate crimes/incidents.
CERI has contributed to statewide policy recommendations alongside the California Pan Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN) and collaborates with partner organizations to promote health equity through networks such as the East Bay Refugee and Immigrant Forum and RICE Collaborative.
