Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants - CERI

CERI witnessed the beauty of art as the Thursday women’s group enjoyed not only painting but also expressing themselves. A painting workshop for the human spirit.
Empowering refugees to express and heal.
COLORS & COURAGE Guided by: Melissa Mahoney -.com

Thank you Roger Remera for beautiful photographs and the creative guidance by Melissa Mahoney.

CERI hosted the Alameda County Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander AANHPI Advisory Committee Meeting on May 28th with delicious Burmese food cooked by a community member as well as wonderful pot luck contributions! We discussed HR1, ACBHD, grant recipients and storytelling. Thank you to all who attended!

We had a beautiful Eid al-Adha (Qurban) celebration today with our Afghan Women’s Group. We had more than 35 women and around 40 children join us for the gathering.

The women enjoyed spending time together, sharing their memories of celebrating Eid back in Afghanistan, and talking about their traditions and experiences. We started the day with Afghan sweets, snacks, and tea, and later enjoyed a delicious Afghan lunch together that was cooked by one of the women from the group.

Everyone had a wonderful time, and many women expressed their thanks to everyone at CERI for their support in making these gatherings possible.
Weeda Rahimi

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CERI proudly celebrates Pride Month 2026 globally this month and always! 🏳️‍🌈

What does healing justice look like in practice?
In this powerful op-ed published by the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, CERI's Tibetan Community Care Coordinator, Ngawang Lama, uplifts the urgent need for culturally rooted behavioral health care and policies that truly serve immigrant and refugee communities.
Advocacy like this is only possible because of supporters who believe in CERI's mission to build healing, belonging, and collective power.
As Give in May comes to a close, we invite you to read the article and consider making one final gift to sustain CERI's community-led work.

https://cpehn.org/about-us/blog/op-ed-ab-2551/

Last week CERI hosted a cultural exchange gathering in partnership with Asian Health Services that was truly unforgettable — one of those rare and beautiful moments that reminds us of the deep humanity that connects us all beyond language, nationality, or history. From the very moment the Chinese elders from Asian Health Services walked into CERI and effortlessly joined the Zumba session (see this fun short video), there was an immediate sense of warmth, familiarity, and belonging. It was difficult to explain exactly what created such an instant connection. It felt less like guests arriving at an organization and more like beloved relatives coming to visit family they had not seen in a long time. It was as though our Cambodian elders’ cousins from another city had come home for the day.

The joy in the room was palpable. Smiles came easily, laughter flowed naturally, and the connection between the Cambodian and Chinese elders felt genuine, spontaneous, and deeply heartfelt. Although many did not share the same language, they shared something far more powerful — warmth, kindness, curiosity, and the universal language of human connection. Our Khmer elders delighted in tasting the Chinese sample dishes, while the Chinese elders warmly enjoyed the traditional Khmer foods prepared by our Cambodian elders for the gathering. Food became another language of love and hospitality, exchanged with generosity and joy.

While live music played by Joe on the keyboard filled the space, it gently opened yet another layer of joy. Many of the Khmer elders began singing familiar Khmer songs, their voices rising with ease and nostalgia. In turn, the Chinese elders were warmly invited to share Chinese songs, and they did so with equal delight, offering melodies that carried their own memories and histories. Soon, the entire room was in motion. Elders stepped onto the dance floor together, following the simple, welcoming steps of a Chinese dance, laughing as they learned from one another in real time. There was no hesitation, no distance — only presence, movement, and shared rhythm.
Throughout the event, staff from CERI and Asian Health Services emceed the program in three languages — English, Khmer, and Chinese — creating a space where everyone felt seen, welcomed, and included. There was something profoundly moving about hearing these languages woven together in one room, united by laughter, music, dance, and care for one another. You could truly feel love in the space.

One of the most touching moments came at the end of the gathering, when saying goodbye became unexpectedly difficult. No one seemed ready for the visit to end. Our elders invited the elders from Asian Health Services to join CERI’s Zumba classes on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and lovingly asked them to promise they would return soon for another cultural exchange gathering. Perhaps what made the day so meaningful was that, for those few hours, the usual boundaries that separate people seemed to disappear. You could no longer see “Cambodian” elders and “Chinese” elders. You simply saw human beings finding joy, companionship, familiarity, and belonging in one another. It was a powerful reminder that beneath nationality, language, and culture, our shared humanity remains far greater than our differences.

CERI is deeply grateful to Asian Health Services for creating this joyous opportunity and to their wonderful staff for coming to CERI with such openness and warmth. We are also especially grateful to Winnie and Yu-shuan for being wonderful emcees and to our very own Sophal for organizing every aspect of this beautiful gathering from the CERI side with such care and dedication.
This was more than a cultural exchange. It was a moment of collective joy, healing, and human connection that will remain in our hearts for a very long time.


https://www.giveinmay.org/organization/Cerieastbay

We are incredibly proud of Ariam Weldeab, CERI staff who represented at the Eritrean Independence Day acknowledgement and celebration at San Francisco City Hall with Mayor Daniel Lurie!

The Celebration at the San Francisco City Hall
“Yesterday, I had the privilege of performing at San Francisco City Hall at Mayor Daniel Lurie's office. It was truly an honor to be part of such a meaningful event and to share a portion of my poem, "I Am an Eritrean-American, which reflects pieces of Eritrean culture and history. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Mayor Daniel Lurie, government officials, the organizers who invited me to perform- friends and all the participants who made the event so vibrant and memorable.”
Ariam Weldeab


From Mayor Daniel Lurie

“Today we came together at City Hall to celebrate Eritrean Independence Day.
The Bay Area is proud to be home to one of the earliest and largest Eritrean communities in the United States. For decades, these families, faith communities, and local leaders have built a strong network centered on looking out for one another and lifting up the next generation.
Thank you for sharing your history and beautifu traditions with all San Franciscans. Happy Eritrean Independence Day!”

CERI celebrates Eid al-Adha today as this holiday is the second major Muslim celebration of the year. It is also known as the Festival of Sacrifice Qurbani. It follows the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage and the crescent moon. The festival celebrates for three to four days with Prayers: thanking God and helping others and the needy. 🙏🏽🌙✨

IWIN is proudly presenting our Healing Circle! We have poured our hearts into building a dedicated four-week experience, and we can’t wait to welcome you into this supportive space.
We are honored to announce that our first session will be facilitated by Pari Mazhar, MSW, LCSW, a skilled mental health professional.

First Session Topic:
Beyond the Chaos: Our Grandma's Heritage -
Read more
🗓️ When: Tuesday, May 26 – Running weekly for 4 weeks
🕗 Time: 8:00 PM Pacific Time
📍 Where: Online via Zoom - https://gqr.sh/5cGc
🎙️Program Language : Farsi - زبان برنامه: فارسی
🎟️ Suggested Contribution: $10 | Venmo | Zelle: [email protected]
Please share this event with your friends, family, and anyone in the Iranian community who might benefit from this space.
We can’t wait to see you on Tuesday evening!
Keep Going Keep Shining
IWIN | Iranian Women In Network | EIN: 90-1008311

Empowering women & communities through Art,
Dina Asna, Founder & Director

📧 [email protected] 🌐 www.iwiniwin.org