Refugee Hope Partners

June is Refugee Awareness Month 🌎

🧡 Behind every “refugee” is a person who has been forced to flee their home due to war, violence, conflict, or persecution—seeking safety, dignity, and a new beginning in the midst of uncertainty.

Refugees bring life to their communities. They are students, workers, business owners, and leaders who strengthen communities when welcomed well. 🫂

At Refugee Hope Partners, we are honored to walk alongside refugee families as they rebuild. We value their stories and are committed to creating spaces where they can thrive. 🌟

Join us this month and every month in honoring the lives, resilience, and contributions of refugees around the world and in our neighborhood. 🏘

Bingo, ice cream parties, and lots of celebrating to close out the spring semester 🍦🎉

Last week, our Homework Help sites wrapped up an incredible season of learning and community with end-of-semester celebrations across all four program locations. This spring, 319 students participated in Homework Help - showing up week after week ready to learn, grow, laugh, and support one another along the way.

We’re leaving this spring feeling grateful for every student, volunteer, and family who helped make these programs such special spaces. Summer, here we come! ☀️

Eye contact. A firm handshake. A smile.

There are unspoken expectations in the workplace that can become barriers for newcomers navigating a new culture, language, and job environment.

This semester, we introduced a new workforce readiness component to our ESL program to help bridge that gap -- because no one’s ability to contribute, provide for their family, and thrive should be limited by unfamiliar customs alone.

And because we’re RHP, we made it educational AND fun 🤩

After months of lessons during English class, students celebrated with a Job Readiness Rally featuring:
💼 Mock interviews
📝 Resume support
🤝 Interview etiquette games
🩺 A CNA career presentation
✨ Customer service role play
👂 Team listening challenges
🎯 Prizes, a spin wheel, and even a musical chairs-style game about what it means to be on time

We are so proud of our students for showing up with courage, curiosity, and confidence as they prepare for new opportunities ahead! 🎉

"Young people's voices deserve to be heard and deserve to be seen."

This thought led to the creation of the Literacy and Community Initiative (LCI) at NC State University, which partners with community-based organizations to examine and empower youth voices. We've had the honor of partnering with LCI to amplify student voices for the last 5 years!

We are so proud of these students for their PUBLISHED book, 📕 Golden Lines: Voices from Refugee Hope Partners 📕, grateful to the North Carolina Museum of Art for hosting a wonderful Reading and Art Celebration last week, and thankful for the beautiful way that the legacy of beloved LCI creator and RHP champion, Dr. Crystal Chen Lee, echoes through these students so bravely and authentically sharing their stories through words and art. 💛