International Rescue Committee in Oakland

02/25/2021

“One thing I learned was how powerful my voice was.”
Meet Fredrick: a refugee, racial justice activist and IRC staff member in Boise, Idaho.
In 1994, the Rwandan genocide forced Fredrick and his family to flee to neighboring Uganda, where they remained in a refugee camp until they were resettled in 2012. Eventually, Fredrick joined the IRC as a youth success specialist and he now dedicates himself to helping young people of similar backgrounds thrive in the US, all while working toward becoming a lawyer in order to change unjust policies.
“Coming to America, I really thought my life was complete. Then, I found out that racism in the U.S. is even worse than I thought. It’s very sad, to be honest, to experience that on a daily basis.”
Impacted by the #BlackLivesMatter movement, in addition to his role working with youth, Fredrick joined IRC colleagues in Boise to launch a series of public seminars on racial justice in humanitarian work.
“2020 was a very difficult year for everyone. There were a few killings of people of color and it got to a boiling point after the passing of George Floyd. That's when the IRC in Boise reacted. We created a safe space where people of color could just come in and talk. It turned into something really special as we continued to meet weekly.”
The sessions now include a look into global histories, community panels, and personal reflections, open to IRC staff and the greater community.
“As resettled refugees and [newly arrived] refugees in the community, we have a lot to share. We have more to give. And the event proved that.”
Now, with the Biden Administration and the promise to restore the US legacy of making #RefugeesWelcome, Fredrick is energized to keep working towards justice.
“It is exciting now to have an administration that has shown interest in supporting refugees and Black people, and that may implement policies to make refugees feel safer in the country that we now call home.
“It’s hard to fight when you’re not seeing change. But when you finally do, that gives you much more energy and more dedication to keep on going.”
Read more of Fredrick’s story: https://www.rescue.org/.../refugee-leader-shares-his...

“One thing I learned was how powerful my voice was.”

Meet Fredrick: a refugee, racial justice activist and IRC staff member in Boise, Idaho.

In 1994, the Rwandan genocide forced Fredrick and his family to flee to neighboring Uganda, where they remained in a refugee camp until they were resettled in 2012. Eventually, Fredrick joined the IRC as a youth success specialist and he now dedicates himself to helping young people of similar backgrounds thrive in the US, all while working toward becoming a lawyer in order to change unjust policies.

“Coming to America, I really thought my life was complete. Then, I found out that racism in the U.S. is even worse than I thought. It’s very sad, to be honest, to experience that on a daily basis.”

Impacted by the #BlackLivesMatter movement, in addition to his role working with youth, Fredrick joined IRC colleagues in Boise to launch a series of public seminars on racial justice in humanitarian work.

“2020 was a very difficult year for everyone. There were a few killings of people of color and it got to a boiling point after the passing of George Floyd. That's when the IRC in Boise reacted. We created a safe space where people of color could just come in and talk. It turned into something really special as we continued to meet weekly.”

The sessions now include a look into global histories, community panels, and personal reflections, open to IRC staff and the greater community.

“As resettled refugees and [newly arrived] refugees in the community, we have a lot to share. We have more to give. And the event proved that.”

Now, with the Biden Administration and the promise to restore the US legacy of making #RefugeesWelcome, Fredrick is energized to keep working towards justice.

“It is exciting now to have an administration that has shown interest in supporting refugees and Black people, and that may implement policies to make refugees feel safer in the country that we now call home.

“It’s hard to fight when you’re not seeing change. But when you finally do, that gives you much more energy and more dedication to keep on going.”

Read more of Fredrick’s story: https://www.rescue.org/article/refugee-leader-shares-his-thoughts-black-lives-matter-movement?edme=true

02/24/2021

New Roots - Cooking Together, Apart

Join us to learn about IRC Oakland's New Roots Program and get a taste for a seasonal winter salad while experiencing our virtual programming in action.

02/23/2021

Join us tomorrow the 24th at 1pm for Vanya's live cooking class! Support your local farms and cook along with her as she makes a fresh citrus salad and cilantro dressing. We look forward to having you there!
#farmtotable #immigrantswelcome #eatlocal

02/23/2021

President Biden signed an Executive Order raising the refugee admissions cap to 125,000 in fiscal year 2022.
We welcome this news — and say: “Welcome back to #RefugeesWelcome.”
All of us at the IRC look forward to an immediate increase in the number of refugees welcomed into the U.S. this year.
When you welcome refugees, they shape our world for the better.
Our statement: https://www.rescue.org/.../irc-applauds-bidens-refugee...

President Biden signed an Executive Order raising the refugee admissions cap to 125,000 in fiscal year 2022.

We welcome this news — and say: “Welcome back to #RefugeesWelcome.”

All of us at the IRC look forward to an immediate increase in the number of refugees welcomed into the U.S. this year.
When you welcome refugees, they shape our world for the better.

Our statement: https://www.rescue.org/press-release/irc-applauds-bidens-refugee-admissions-executive-order-helping-restore-americas-global?fbclid=IwAR3lpgc-6ViqS6yenbxqyptyGd7DL0eGZgHh3kTiwWFXHeTBeVlAc3corxk

02/20/2021

This upcoming Wednesday the 24th you can come visit Vanya in her kitchen as she prepares her amazing Winter Citrus Salad live on facebook! She will be sharing more about the New Roots program and how sustainability and healthy eating are integral parts of her position!

If you would like to join her during that time the recipe is below just make sure to have your blender near by. We look forward to seeing the community there!

#oaklandimmigrants #farmtokitchen #newroots

02/19/2021

Interested in growing your own food, but don’t have a big back yard? Join IRC Oakland’s Hayley Woods for some quick tips on how to affordably grow fruits and vegetables in containers!

Follow this link to get more information on “Food Safe Plastics” that can be used as a substitution for potting soil: https://www.epicgardening.com/which-plastics-are-safe-for-gardening/#:~:text=Plastic%20Type%204%20%E2%80%93%20LDPE,-Plastics%20marked%20with&text=The%20plastics%20that%20are%20already,be%20used%20in%20the%20microwave.

If you are interested in supporting IRC Oakland and the New Roots program with a donation, follow this link below:

https://help.rescue.org/donate/us-northern-california-ca?ms=ws_resq_top_nav_btn_191203_t163&initialms=ws_resq_top_nav_btn_191203_t163

#Gardening #AffordableGardening #ContainerGardening #NewRoots #IRCOakland

02/17/2021

Interested in gardening, food security, nutrition education, food justice and/or helping refugee families? Apply to volunteer or intern with our New Roots program at IRC Oakland!

We are currently looking for interns/volunteers with technical skills that can help make online programing for the New Roots program during the Covid 19 pandemic.

If you are interested, please email [email protected] for more information!

#Oakland #Gardening #FoodSecurity #FoodJustice #Internship #InternshipAlert #NutritionEducation #NewRoots #IRCOakland

02/13/2021

On Wednesday, February 24th, IRC Oakland’s own Vanya Goldberg, will be giving a demonstration of her work during a segment called “Cooking Together, Apart”.

Vanya is IRC Oakland’s New Roots Program Specialist. She has lived in the Greater Bay since 1995 and is an avid cook, a lover of dance, a passionate gardener and farmer, and a refugee and immigrant champion.

Within New Roots, Vanya teaches the Youth Food Justice Internships which helps immigrant and refugee students to develop leadership skills while exploring their local food system, ecological farming and gardening, and culinary and agricultural vocations.

During Covid 19, Vanya has creatively adapted her program to be able to teach students online, which includes gardening demonstrations, cooking together, discussions about the local food system, and virtual field trips.

If you are interested in joining a free cooking demonstration with Vanya, follow us over the next couple weeks to learn more about how you can participate!

#NewRoots #Oakland #OaklandImmigrants #CookingClass #CookingShow #Cooking #FarmToKitchen

02/12/2021

IRC Oakland’s Hayley Woods shares more quick tips on how to affordably grow fruits and vegetables in containers!

Here is a list of some of my favorite high yield crops that grow in Northern California easily in containers:
-Lettuces, Kale, Arugula, Spinach
-Tomatoes & Potatoes
-Cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash
-Beans
-Blueberries & Strawberries
-Hot Peppers
-Dwarf Lemon Trees

Comment with your favorites down below!

If you are interested in supporting IRC Oakland and the New Roots program with a donation, follow this link below:

https://help.rescue.org/donate/us-northern-california-ca?ms=ws_resq_top_nav_btn_191203_t163&initialms=ws_resq_top_nav_btn_191203_t163

#GardeningTips #Gardening #FoodSecurity #IRCOakland #NewRoots

02/11/2021

IRC's New Roots program teaches refugee & immigrant youth about the food system, how to navigate it, and how to gain access to healthy & nutritious foods.

Here is an infographic on how Alameda County residents are affected by their local food system.

#NewRoots #FoodSecurity #FoodSystem #AlamedaCounty #IRCOakland #Oakland #FoodJustice

02/11/2021

Have DACA or are undocumented in CA and are receiving Medi-Cal? Worried about how public charge might affect you? Contact the following IRC Accredited Representatives with questions:

Monica Contreras (Spanish, English): Call (209) 250-9251 or email [email protected]

Assadullah Hanif (Dari/Farsi, Pashto, English): Book an appointment at https://immigration.as.me/Hanif

02/09/2021

The stats are in, and they show the inequalities in our food system!

Food security is a human right. All people should have access to healthy and affordable food regardless of race, ethnicity, social status, location or anything else!

To help support IRC Oakland and the New Roots Program click on the link below: https://help.rescue.org/donate/us-northern-california-ca?ms=ws_resq_top_nav_btn_191203_t163&initialms=ws_resq_top_nav_btn_191203_t163

#FoodJustice #FoodInequality #FoodIsAHumanRight #NewRoots #IRCOakland #BLM

Image Description: Photo 1 "Black & brown people are 50% more likely to experience food insecurity than white people." Photo 2 "IRC Oakland's New Roots program works to combat inequalities in the food system by educating newly relocated refugee families about how to access healthy & nutritious foods." Photo 3 Graph from USDA.gov showing food insecurity for black people at 25%, hispanic people at 30% , and white people at 12%

02/08/2021

Join us tomorrow for an immigration and naturalization information session online! Register today: https://bit.ly/3avbWU

02/06/2021

Interested in growing your own food, but don’t have a big back yard? Join IRC Oakland’s Hayley Woods for some quick tips on how to affordably grow fruits and vegetables in containers!

Support IRC Oakland and the New Roots program today by following the link below: https://help.rescue.org/donate/us-northern-california-ca?ms=ws_resq_top_nav_btn_191203_t163&initialms=ws_resq_top_nav_btn_191203_t163

We will be giving out tips & tricks like these all month! Follow our channel for more info about IRC programs.

02/03/2021

Food security is a major part of the IRC Oakland's New Roots Program.

Food security is a Human Right. Everyone no matter where they are, where they come from or how much money they have should be able to access fresh, nutritious, and safe food.

Unfortunately, our food systems are not always as accessible as they should be, and the most accessible food can be less than nutritious.

New Roots helps recently relocated refugees to understand and navigate these food systems and make sure they have access to a sufficient amount of nutritious food.

Donate today to help keep IRC Oakland's New Roots program running by visiting https://help.rescue.org/donate/us-northern-california-ca

For more ways to help out with the New Roots program, please keep following our page in the month of February!

Image Description: "New Roots Vocabulary - Food Security (Noun) The state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food." on a floral background.

#FoodSecurity #IRCOakland #NewRoots #HumanRights #FoodIsAHumanRight #Gardening #FreshFood #HelpRefugees #DonateToday

02/03/2021

Find ways you can help support IRC Oakland and our New Roots Program by following along on our page this February!

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Image Description: Photo of seed trays sprouting with new baby plants in the background. Text reads "The New Roots program enables refugees to reestablish their ties to the land, celebrate their heritage and nourish themselves and their neighbors by planting strong roots—literally—in their new communities."

#Gardening #Community #RefugeesBelongHere #FoodSecurity #IRCOakland #NewRoots

02/02/2021

As #BlackHistoryMonth begins in the U.S., we’re paying tribute to Bayard Rustin, one of the individuals who played a crucial role in our IRC history and in advocating for racial equality.
Bayard Rustin was the chief architect of the March on Washington—and a beloved board member of the IRC. He was a proud Black man, a proud gay man, a master organizer, a public intellectual, a tireless resister, teacher and enactor of change.
His entire life was spent confronting injustice and refusing to accept the status quo. As a young man he campaigned against racial discrimination—including labor inequality and segregation in the military—while laying plans for boycotts, early Freedom Rides, and the March on Washington years before they took effect.
By the time Rustin met Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he was already well-versed in Gandhi's tactics. He was the person who taught Dr. King about India's independence mobilization strategies. Rustin's ability to think critically and cross-culturally proved invaluable. The March on Washington garnered over 200,000 participants and was a turning point in the Civil Rights movement. Rustin coordinated everything from logistics, to messaging, to handling of press, to delivering action items to the current administration.
He saw human progress and the fates of oppressed individuals as linked: Civil Rights inextricable from LGBTQ Rights, inextricable in turn from the rights of refugees. He wrote op-eds on behalf of refugees, wrote letters to U.S. presidents, and traveled with the IRC to refugee camps worldwide.
Bayard Rustin stood for humanity. He showed us that this work is interconnected and long term.
We are committed to doing this work—this #BlackHistoryMonth—and always. Read more about his legacy: https://www.rescue.org/.../bayard-rustin-amplifier...

As #BlackHistoryMonth begins in the U.S., we’re paying tribute to Bayard Rustin, one of the individuals who played a crucial role in our IRC history and in advocating for racial equality.

Bayard Rustin was the chief architect of the March on Washington—and a beloved board member of the IRC. He was a proud Black man, a proud gay man, a master organizer, a public intellectual, a tireless resister, teacher and enactor of change.

His entire life was spent confronting injustice and refusing to accept the status quo. As a young man he campaigned against racial discrimination—including labor inequality and segregation in the military—while laying plans for boycotts, early Freedom Rides, and the March on Washington years before they took effect.

By the time Rustin met Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he was already well-versed in Gandhi's tactics. He was the person who taught Dr. King about India's independence mobilization strategies. Rustin's ability to think critically and cross-culturally proved invaluable. The March on Washington garnered over 200,000 participants and was a turning point in the Civil Rights movement. Rustin coordinated everything from logistics, to messaging, to handling of press, to delivering action items to the current administration.

He saw human progress and the fates of oppressed individuals as linked: Civil Rights inextricable from LGBTQ Rights, inextricable in turn from the rights of refugees. He wrote op-eds on behalf of refugees, wrote letters to U.S. presidents, and traveled with the IRC to refugee camps worldwide.

Bayard Rustin stood for humanity. He showed us that this work is interconnected and long term.

We are committed to doing this work—this #BlackHistoryMonth—and always. Read more about his legacy: https://www.rescue.org/article/bayard-rustin-amplifier-organizer-humanist