About Refugee Congress
Built and led by former refugees, asylum seekers, and other forcibly displaced leaders.
Refugee Congress is a national nonpartisan organization built and led by refugees, asylum seekers, and other forcibly displaced people to promote the well-being and dignity of all forcibly displaced people.
With members across 50 states and the District of Columbia, we use our voices and experiences to inform and influence decision-makers on critical issues that affect our communities.
Our Story
Refugee Congress was established in 2011 when UNHCR brought together former refugees and asylum seekers from across the US (called “Delegates”) for a convening focused on ensuring refugee and asylee input in planning and programming impacting our communities. Two years later, UNHCR organized another convening.
As conversations evolved, Delegates to the Congress raised awareness of the critical need for refugees – the main stakeholders - to be at the table for all decision-making conversations. The idea to establish a permanent Refugee Congress was born, and we have been growing ever since.
Beginning with a Refugee Advisory Board, Refugee Congress incorporated in 2017 and established its first Board of Directors, and formed committees and caucuses to further our work. We hired our first full-time Executive Director in 2019 and today, we have three full time staff.
Refugee Congress is a registered 501(c)3 organization, and is currently fiscally sponsored by CWS.
We are also grateful to USA for UNHCR, whose partnership and financial support has helped Refugee Congress to formalize and grow, and to our generous funders including Open Society Foundation, Dr. Bronners Foundation, Hilton Foundation, and an anonymous foundation.
Our Structure
Refugee Congress core members are former refugees, asylum seekers, and other who are nominated and elected to be the Delegate — the lead representative — for their states.
Delegates work with Associate Delegates and other team members in their states on national, state, and local events focused on advocacy, outreach, assistance, and capacity-building.
Refugee Congress Honorary Delegates are former Delegates who have completed their term limits but continue to be active volunteers with Refugee Congress.
With more than 100 members from 35+ countries across five continents, Refugee Congress Delegates are community leaders with professional expertise in education, medicine, nonprofit management, advocacy, and more. Their talents, stories, and lived expertise represent the diversity of experiences of forcibly displaced populations in the United States.
Our Governance
Refugee Congress is governed by a Board of Directors composed entirely of people who have experienced forced displacement, and are elected by Refugee Congress Delegates.
In addition to the governance of the Board of Directors, Refugee Congress Delegates, Honorary Delegates, and Associate Delegates serve on committees that provide direction on advocacy and communications, fundraising, and member recruiting and retention.
Refugee Congress members along with outside volunteers also join together to work on issues and areas of interest in caucuses. Current active caucuses focus on youth and education.