The ERICA office is just one room with three desks. There’ s one desk for each of the staff members and one desk for me. As far as nonprofits go, ERICA is tiny. But being in that office for the last eight weeks meant that I was a first-hand witness to the enormous impact ERICA has on the lives of refugees and asylum seekers in Baltimore. It meant that whenever participants would come in and meet with Betty, ERICA’ s executive director, about everything from their application for asylum to their search for a job, I was there. It meant that at any point during the day I could have a conversation with my other supervisor, Zayid, about anything ranging from the progress of my work to the wording of an email to political issues regarding immigration and refugees in the United States. It meant that I developed a new perspective and a profound appreciation for the work that Betty and Zayid do, and a sense of gratefulness that I got to witness and be a part of it.
One thing that stood out to me this summer was that the participants I talked to all mentioned the importance of the personal connections they forged with others through working with ERICA. One man told me about how in the aftermath of the travel ban in early 2017, he was feeling unwelcome and scared he would never see his mother again. But after he told his story at a march organized by ERICA, he was met with an outpouring of support. People came up to him and told him that they loved his speech, that they were happy he was here, and that they were there for him. He said that this was one of the first times he felt welcome in the US, and it helped him start to feel like this was his home. Another man told me how the thing he was most grateful for was the social support he got from ERICA volunteers, who did things like take him shopping, invite him over for dinner, and bring him to a game at Camden Yards. There is a lot I’ m going to take away from my summer working at ERICA. It was an incredible experience, and I’ m leaving my placement feeling more motivated and passionate than ever. But the thing that has stuck with me the most throughout the entire eight weeks and the biggest thing I’ m going to take away is that when you’ re trying to make a difference, one of the easiest but most important things you can do is show someone that you care.
• Helped plan and organize ERICA’ s annual fundraising event
• Helped develop ERICA’ s social media presence and manage its social media accounts
• Conducted interviews with program participants and volunteers in order to evaluate ERICA’ s volunteer program
• Recommended new procedures and worked to develop a new volunteer management strategy
Community Partner: ERICA- Episcopal Refugee and Immigrant Center Alliance Intern: Ted Oh Site Supervisor: Zayid Douglas
What is ERICA? ERICA honors and ministers to the dignity of our brothers and sisters fleeing oppression, persecution, and poverty in other countries. We pledge to provide immediate, practical, and material assistance to refugees, asylum seekers, and other immigrants, regardless of race, religion, or language; partner with other civic, community, and faith groups to provide direct services such as casework, educational workshops, and referrals for legal assistance, healthcare, and housing; empower the refugee community; connect volunteers and civic leaders with refugees and other immigrants; and provide small grants and zero interest loans for immigration-related legal fees to smooth the journey to stability in the US.
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