Refugees live at the intersection of many of the inequities and vulnerabilities that COVID-19 has illuminated and deepened. Many worked in hotels, restaurants, and other sectors that are now shuttered. Others are essential workers and are now risking their safety on the frontlines as grocery store clerks, healthcare aides, and meat plant workers. Few have the social networks or family wealth that long-time residents can rely on during this time. Larger households can make social distancing difficult, while limited digital literacy poses challenges to distance learning and remote work opportunities. And black and brown refugees face the systemic discrimination and structural racism that have led to higher death rates in those communities.
Yet the policy response has repeatedly left out refugees. Cash payments’ narrow eligibility blocks many refugees. Unemployment benefits require work history that some refugees do not have. Paid leave omits large employers—and a large share of refugees work for such employers. And navigating these systems and others are challenging for many Americans, let alone refugees who are still learning their new country’s processes and practices.
This webinar will consider what role philanthropy can play in responding to these issues, both in the short-term and to advance long-term change. Our panel of experts will consider these gaps and needs—and where the greatest opportunities for leverage and transformation lie. Join us to hear about how you can address these issues within your community and grantmaking priority.
Speakers
- Erica Bouris, Director of Economic Empowerment, International Rescue Committee
- John Kluge, Founder & Managing Director, Refugee Investment Network
- Ramla Shahid, Co-Executive Director, PANA
- Jen Smyers, Director of Policy and Advocacy the for Immigration and Refugee Program, Church World Service
Moderator
- Vy Nguyen, Program Associate, Weingart Foundation
REGISTER by 4 pm PT/7 pm ET Monday, June 15, 2020.