Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants - CERI

Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants - CERI Our mission is to improve the social, psychological, and economic health of refugees and immigrants affected by genocide, war, and extreme trauma.

CERI is a community-based mental health, non-profit organization founded in 2006 by bilingual/bicultural mental health professionals. We are dedicated to providing culturally competent mental health and other social services to refugee and immigrant families with multiple layers of complex needs, exposure to violence and trauma both in their current environment and in their native countries, and w

eakening intergenerational relationships. CERI's focus is on individuals of Cambodian, Burmese, Lao, Vietnamese, Nepali, Tibetan, Bhutanese, Afghan, Indian, Rwandan descent. We currently serve about 400 families and 300 individuals yearly. Our staff provide services in 15 languages.

CERI was extremely proud to host the Rice Collaborative Round Table Panel with KCCEB on Thursday, March 6th with Funders...
03/11/2025

CERI was extremely proud to host the Rice Collaborative Round Table Panel with KCCEB on Thursday, March 6th with Funders and CBO’s. Thank you to June Lee, Tim Kim, Mona Afary and to all the speakers, panelists, government staff and collaborators! Moragaut Souet-Samonn started our event with her absolutely beautiful Khmer dance! SiFu Victor Lau concluded our successful event with Tai Chi! Thank you to all for continued and ongoing advocacy and support for our beloved communities!! Kcceb Staff

CERI will join Richmond’s first-ever Nowruz celebration! Nowruz, marking the arrival of spring, is a festival that symbo...
03/11/2025

CERI will join Richmond’s first-ever Nowruz celebration! Nowruz, marking the arrival of spring, is a festival that symbolizes renewal, unity, and hope. This vibrant event will take place on Saturday, March 22, from 11 AM to 5 PM at Marina Bay Park, bringing together communities from across the Bay Area to celebrate with music, dance, cultural performances, and more.

Beyond being a cultural festival, this event is a chance to showcase Richmond’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and community building. As Richmond continues to grow as a hub for cultural experiences, Nowruz will highlight the beauty of Marina Bay Park, the city’s welcoming spirit, and our dedication to cross-cultural connections.

CERI was extremely proud to host the Rice Collaborative Round Table Panel with KCCEB on Thursday, March 6th with Funders...
03/11/2025

CERI was extremely proud to host the Rice Collaborative Round Table Panel with KCCEB on Thursday, March 6th with Funders and CBO’s. Thank you to June Lee, Tim Kim, Mona Afary and to all the speakers, panelists, government staff and collaborators! Moragaut started our event with her absolutely beautiful Khmer dance! SiFu Victor Lau concluded our successful event with Tai Chi! Thank you to all for continued and ongoing advocacy and support for our beloved communities!! Kcceb Staff

CERI is grateful to community member Sokhhar for the haircuts for our elders and two staff; Cheam Born, Chatt, Kaoeurn A...
03/10/2025

CERI is grateful to community member Sokhhar for the haircuts for our elders and two staff; Cheam Born, Chatt, Kaoeurn Ang, Mao Chhum, Gracie and J. Everyone loved their new looks!!!

CERI admires, acclaims and respects our International Women today and every day for their genuine compassion, honored co...
03/08/2025

CERI admires, acclaims and respects our International Women today and every day for their genuine compassion, honored commitments and dedicated accomplishments! Empowering, Inspirational & Amazing!! CERI is grateful!!

CERI wishes you and yours a blessed Ramadan Mubarak 🙏🏽 during this holy month of worship, study of the Quran, prayer, an...
03/08/2025

CERI wishes you and yours a blessed Ramadan Mubarak 🙏🏽 during this holy month of worship, study of the Quran, prayer, and fasting.

03/08/2025

CERI is grateful to Molly at Tuff Love Self-defense for empowering us on Fridays with strength, defense, skills, awareness and CONFIDENCE!!!! ⭐️🌟✨💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽

03/07/2025

We’re excited to announce that the Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants - CERI Khmer Youth Dance Troupe will be performing at our International Women’s Day event!

Support us in our efforts to reach a goal of raising $20,000 through Eventbrite so we can continue funding organizations that empower and advance the leadership of Cambodian girls and women. If you can’t make the event, please consider gifting a ticket to one of our community members and/or making a donation via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/devata-giving-circle-2025-international-womens-day-tickets-1126910131539?aff=oddtdtcreator

Join CERI at the Contra Costa Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition presents: Stop the Hate Initiative Multi-Racial ...
03/06/2025

Join CERI at the Contra Costa Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition presents: Stop the Hate Initiative Multi-Racial Collaborative Unity Summit, Saturday March 8th from 2-5pm at the Courtyard Marriott in Richmond.
Heal. Connect. Mobilize.

CERI uplifts International Women’s Day Event Saturday, March 8th, 2025 NWGN-CA, Nepali Community Center @ 369 Chelsey Av...
03/06/2025

CERI uplifts International Women’s Day Event Saturday, March 8th, 2025 NWGN-CA, Nepali Community Center @ 369 Chelsey Avenue, Richmond.

CERI is so proud of our staff Kanley Souet-Pich, former staff Elijah Chhum and their continued work in Cambodia! 🇰🇭
03/06/2025

CERI is so proud of our staff Kanley Souet-Pich, former staff Elijah Chhum and their continued work in Cambodia! 🇰🇭

CERI acknowledges our work in valuation and ethics, but when our work is acknowledged by others; we are touched, fulfill...
03/05/2025

CERI acknowledges our work in valuation and ethics, but when our work is acknowledged by others; we are touched, fulfilled & grateful in our hearts! ♥️
CERI celebrates Claudia’s birthday with a delicious fruit tart purchased from grateful clients T**i & Ruth! 🙏🏽
Flowers for staff Laura Coelho for her outstanding summarization of our lengthy Strategic Plan!

Join CERI at the Oakland Khmer New Year Festival Saturday, April 5th from 10am-4pm at Peralta Hacienda Park, 2465 34th A...
03/05/2025

Join CERI at the Oakland Khmer New Year Festival Saturday, April 5th from 10am-4pm at Peralta Hacienda Park, 2465 34th Avenue.

Congratulations to CERI’s community member Chy Chun for obtaining his U.S. Citizenship with the help of Dr. Gracer and o...
03/04/2025

Congratulations to CERI’s community member Chy Chun for obtaining his U.S. Citizenship with the help of Dr. Gracer and our CERI Staff! We are so proud of you!!! 🇺🇸 🌟⭐️✨

CERI is so very grateful to Ming Sokkhar for her generosity in giving five Free haircuts to our community members (5 peo...
03/03/2025

CERI is so very grateful to Ming Sokkhar for her generosity in giving five Free haircuts to our community members (5 people per month). Today, she cut hair for; Meyleng Ul, Tim Im, Kong Yath, Sokley pen and Sophanith Nok. They were all so grateful for the hair cuts and CERI thanks Ming Sokkhar!! 🙏🏽 .

CERI’s next Self-care Group will be next Friday March 9, 2025 from 2 to 4 pm. Our dear Tiffany Castillo will be facilita...
02/27/2025

CERI’s next Self-care Group will be next Friday March 9, 2025 from 2 to 4 pm. Our dear Tiffany Castillo will be facilitating this group! Please, share with your community and come join us to embrace pause and redefine rest.

To register click on the link below. We do need to register so we can organize materials accordingly. Thank you and I hope to see you there!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/too-tired-for-self-care-tickets-1261732689439?aff=oddtdtcreator

Self-Care Fatigue: Embracing the Pause and Redefining Rest

In a world where the pressure to “do self-care” is everywhere, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and even exhausted by the constant messaging. What happens when you feel too tired to even take a bath, can’t afford a gym membership, or simply feel too worn out to care for yourself in the ways we're told we "should"?

This group is a safe space to come together and unpack the idea of self-care, especially when it feels like yet another thing to do on an already long to-do list. We’ll reflect on the frustration of trying to meet everyone’s expectations of what self-care should look like, and explore the feelings of burnout that come with it. We'll also dig deeper into what self-care really means to each of us—whether that’s not doing anything at all, finding small moments of rest, or learning to forgive ourselves when we can’t do it all. Self-care is not a one-size-fits-all prescription, and it’s time to release the pressure to conform to an ideal.

Together, we will explore the deeper meaning of self-care—not as a performance or expectation, but as an act of kindness and compassion toward ourselves. In this space, we will:

Reflect on how the constant push for self-care can leave us feeling drained rather than restored, and share our frustrations without judgment.
Release the idea that self-care always looks like luxury or extravagance. We’ll redefine it in ways that feel attainable and real—whether that’s through stillness, simplicity, or surrender.
Connect with the essence of rest, honoring that true rejuvenation comes not from doing more, but from allowing ourselves to be.
Practice small acts of self-care together, creating space for rest and rejuvenation without the pressure to “perform” or do it perfectly.
This gathering is a gentle invitation to let go of what no longer serves us in the realm of self-care and to find solace in the quiet moments of release. Come as you are, with your tiredness and your frustration, and together we will create a space to reconnect, reflect, and redefine what self-care truly means. A place where it’s okay to not have it all figured out—and where the simple act of being together is enough to heal.

About the Facilitator

Tiff Castillo (She/They) Born and raised in New Jersey, I am a Bay Area transplant that is now happily living in Oakland with my two cats Sam and Papaya, dog Milo, and fiancé Blaire. I am a first-generation Honduran-American, and love to spend time outside in nature, cooking with friends, and making art. I am also deeply passionate about mutual aid, abolition, harm reduction, community building, and restorative justice. As a Master in Public Health and Master in Social Welfare candidate at UC Berkeley, my focus has been working with marginalized communities of color, and looking at intergenerational trauma as well as race/class/gender as social determinants of health.

CERI’s Yoga Classes with Premlata are wonderful stretch and body strengthening sessions! Thursdays at 9am!
02/26/2025

CERI’s Yoga Classes with Premlata are wonderful stretch and body strengthening sessions! Thursdays at 9am!

CERI’s Rooted in Community: Herbal Remedies for Mind & SoulsThis self-care group was designed to help participants unwin...
02/21/2025

CERI’s Rooted in Community: Herbal Remedies for Mind & Souls
This self-care group was designed to help participants unwind, learn, and grow in community. We explored the world of medicinal herbs, discovered their healing properties, and learned how to prepare our own custom tea blends to support our well-being.

We had some time to relax, share stories, and dive into the calming practice of making tea. By the end of the session, people left with their own hand-crafted tea blend to take home and enjoy, along with new knowledge to incorporate into your self-care routine.

It was really rewarding to see people so interested in learning more about medicinal teas and leaving the workshop so happy with their tea blend!
Wellness In Action
Georgia Young

Address

554 Grand Avenue
Oakland, CA
94610

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+15104441671

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