Island Vibes Magazine

U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) Celebrates 100 Years of Service

Posted on 26. Oct, 2011 by admin in Arts and Culture, Music, Politics

By Karen Byer

Quite honestly, when I received the invitation to attend the 100^th Anniversary Gala of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) with Wyclef Jean as the featured performer, my main source of excitement was derived from the fact that I was going to see Wyclef perform again. It turned out not to be a misguided sense of excitement.

The Haitian musician, politician, activist and philanthropist performed a selection of his most popular songs for a crowd that remained captured and awestruck from beginning to end. If audience participation was any indication, he and his music have transcended genre, race, politics and culture. Black, White, Latino, Asian…it didn’t matter, we all knew the words and had no qualms about singing along or when invited, jumping on stage and dancing beside the artist well known for his political views as his incredible musical talent.

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However, even though Wyclef was the featured performer he was not the reason we were there. We had all gathered not just to celebrate an organization that for 100 years has helped shaped this nation’s history, but to honor President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Senator Edward Kennedy, two men who shaped immigration policy and made refugees a priority.

Throughout the last century USCRI has “welcomed refugees and immigrants from war-torn countries; such as, Bosnia, Vietnam, Iraq, and Sudan and helped them build new lives in The United States.” The organization has taught new-comers English, helped them obtain jobs, and guided their transition into American culture.

In my view, USCRI’s motto “Out of Many ONE” is a most succinct way of telling us that even though we as Caribbean people may not be familiar with the idea of fleeing from persecution or war, we should not turn our blind eye to the plight of the global citizen.

Of all the Caribbean nations, only Cuba has had citizens that have sought asylum in the United States. Though one might think that Haitians would be fleeing the poverty and destitution they face, poverty, even severe poverty is not a situation from which one can flee and seek asylum.

Every year several hundred thousand people around the world have to leave their homes, businesses and communities in order to save their lives and the lives of their families. And every year, the United States offers asylum to about 72,000 of these people. The process to gain asylum in the U.S. is quite arduous. The first of many steps is to be matched with an American resettlement organization like USCRI which will then assist with pre-travel activities, an assurance process, medical clearance, security clearance and finally cultural orientation.

Cultural orientation most often involves learning English, mastering public transportation, obtaining jobs, enrolling children in school and eventually becoming self-sufficient. Refugees must also overcome past traumas and grief and find solid support systems. USCRI provides assistance through this entire process and often many refugees become employees or consultants of the organization to offer the compassion and support that they once benefitted from.

The work of USCRI remains critical to the survival of hundreds of thousands of people around the world. They richly deserve our support in protecting refugees, serving immigrants and upholding freedom. To learn more about the organization, and to donate to help refugees build new lives, please visit their website at www.refugees.org.

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