Refugee Awareness Week 2021: The Plan
Join us in celebrating Refugee Awareness Week at The George Washington University April 5th-10th with six days of engaging speaker events, activities, social media campaigns, lobbying, merchandise sales, a raffle, and much more with the goal of raising awareness about issues of displacement on our campus.
Want an easy way to keep track of all Refugee Awareness Week 2021 events? Click below to add the whole week to your Google Calendar, including relevant links for events. Please note that all events require an Eventbrite RSVP.
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Shop RAW Merchandise
Choose from five stunning designs by General Body Member and Event Planner Brittany Troupe and order a range of products from apparel to accessories! All proceeds of this fundraiser will be donated to AsylumWorks, an organization empowering asylum seekers to rebuild their lives with dignity and purpose.
Raffle: Nintendo Switch & Swag Bundle
Fill out the form below to enter our raffle for either of these items:
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Nintendo Switch Lite in Yellow ($5/ticket)
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RAW Swag Bundle: $100 worth of items of your choice ($2/ticket)
Raffle tickets can be purchased until April 10th at 6:00pm EDT, and winners will be announced at our Gala on April 10th starting at 6:00pm.
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All proceeds from the raffle will go to AsylumWorks, a D.C.-based aid organization that provides legal and emotional support to asylum seekers.
We want to send you mail!
We hope to send postcards with details on Refugee Awareness Week to anyone who wants one! Submit your U.S. mailing address below to receive mail from us.
Events: April 5-10
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Event organized by Asreeta Ushasri
Monday 4/5 | 6pm EDT on Zoom
Life on Hold
Join No Lost Generation for our first RAW event of the week, an interactive seminar centered on the experiences of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Life On Hold tells the story of ten refugees using film, poetry, photo essays, music, and maps. This documentary provides an immersive platform to a diverse set of refugees to share their experiences. We hope you join us for this interactive event and the other events we have planned through out this week.
Tuesday 4/6 | 5:30pm EDT on Zoom
DisplacEducation
Join us for a conversation about displaced and refugee children's education and psychological development. Along with the educational barriers displaced children experience, the discussion will include how constant instability takes a toll on their development. The panel includes two professors from the Graduate School of Education and Human Development and a person who works with the International Rescue Committee on the topic.
Event organized by Ashiyana Patel and Jud-Ann Geneus
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Thursday 4/8 | 8pm EDT on Zoom
A Conversation with Fernando Pujol from Open Arms
Join No Lost Generation for a conversation with Fernado Pujol. Fernando has worked at the front-lines of the refugee crisis for years; having embarked on innumerable rescue missions, he has seen the tragedies that await in the Mediterranean Sea for those fleeing war, famine, and torture. He will share the inherent strength, courage, and resilience that refugees have, and why the response of the world has made him lose any type of idealism about the role of the rescuer. A Q & A will follow the presentation.
Event organized by Emmanuelle Dyer
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Campaigns
We have several initiatives spanning the week. Be sure to follow us on social media for updates!
Social Media Campaigns
Showing Refugee Experiences through Social Media
Spotlighting five refugees who are using virtual platforms to shed light on their experiences and displacement.
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Virtual Communal Mural
As we reveal the 5 refugees we are spotlighting who are using various platforms to share their stories and connect with others, we invite everyone to think about their favorite ways to connect with others during the global pandemic.
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Organized by Anjali Patel and Haley Stanks
Lobbying
Students meet with the staff of their Senators and Representatives on Zoom to advocate for bills that affirm and strengthen the rights of displaced people.
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Organized by Carl Rothenhaus and Eliora Goodman
Saturday 4/10 | 6pm EDT on Zoom
Gala Night
Join us to celebrate the end of Refugee Awareness Week, with musical performances by Ephraim Bugumba and GW Tiny Dorm, words from AsylumWorks (our benefitting organization from the week), raffle winner announcements, and much more. The dresscode for this event is formal, and get ready to party!
Event organized by Hailey Scatchard and Olivia Issa
The Cause: AsylumWorks
Founded in July 2016, AsylumWorks was built to help solve a longstanding problem: Asylum seekers arrive in the U.S. with many needs but few resources of their own. These needs often persist throughout and even after what is typically a long and arduous legal process. Many of these needs can interfere with an asylum seeker’s ability to participate in the legal process.
AsylumWorks provides holistic services and support to help asylum seekers regain confidence and control over their lives so they can fully participate in the asylum process. As a result, asylum seekers who are able to access our services are dramatically more likely to win their legal case.
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Through direct services, education, and support, AsylumWorks strengthens communities by empowering asylum seekers to rebuild their lives with dignity and purpose.
Learn more about AsylumWorks at https://asylumworks.org/