Refuge America

Refuge America Refuge America "Strengthening America as a place of Welcome for LGBTQ displaced people."

At World Refugee Day Chicago, we highlighted an important reality: while nearly 90% of Chicagoans support welcoming refu...
06/17/2026

At World Refugee Day Chicago, we highlighted an important reality: while nearly 90% of Chicagoans support welcoming refugees fleeing persecution, support drops significantly when newcomers are identified as LGBTQ. Building truly welcoming communities means ensuring safety, dignity, and belonging for everyone, regardless of where they come from or who they are. That is why Refuge America is investing in Communities of Care for LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers.

Happy World Refugee Day from Chicago.We gathered at Daley Plaza to celebrate the contributions, resilience, and humanity...
06/17/2026

Happy World Refugee Day from Chicago.

We gathered at Daley Plaza to celebrate the contributions, resilience, and humanity of refugees, asylum seekers, and newcomers who continue to strengthen our communities.
For Refuge America, this day is also a reminder that safety alone is not enough. Every person deserves the opportunity to belong.

As LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers continue to seek protection around the world, we remain committed to building Communities of Care that connect people to housing, friendship, opportunity, and community.

Chicago has always been shaped by people who arrived from somewhere else. Every neighborhood tells a migration story. Today, we honor those journeys and recommit ourselves to creating a city where newcomers are welcomed, supported, and empowered to thrive.

Because the question is not whether refugees will arrive. They already have. The question is whether we will build communities that allow them to flourish.

Today I joined Council Member Alexa Avilés, the New York Immigration Coalition, and fellow advocates for New York City’s...
06/15/2026

Today I joined Council Member Alexa Avilés, the New York Immigration Coalition, and fellow advocates for New York City’s first LGBTQIA+ immigrant services roundtable. Ten years ago, I arrived in New York seeking protection after fleeing anti-gay persecution in Nigeria. What I learned then, and what remains true today, is that safety and belonging are not the same thing.

The challenge for LGBTQ immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees is not simply finding safety. The challenge is finding community, housing, opportunity, and a place to begin again. If we are serious about making New York a welcoming city, we must move beyond crisis response and invest in long-term belonging.

Thank you to everyone working to build a city where LGBTQ newcomers can not only survive, but thrive.

This Pride Month, we celebrate more than survival.After fleeing persecution because of his LGBTQ+ identity, Nature Brian...
06/10/2026

This Pride Month, we celebrate more than survival.

After fleeing persecution because of his LGBTQ+ identity, Nature Brian found safety in the United States and continues to advocate for both people and the planet. Today, he is building community, protecting the environment, and showing what becomes possible when LGBTQ+ displaced people are welcomed and given the opportunity to thrive.

Pride is about living openly, building belonging, and creating a future where everyone can flourish. 🌈🌱

We’re tabling at the LGBTQ Community Center for the 25th anniversary of Houses on the Moon and the reading of Tara’s Cro...
06/09/2026

We’re tabling at the LGBTQ Community Center for the 25th anniversary of Houses on the Moon and the reading of Tara’s Crossing.

The energy in this room must be matched with action. LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers continue to seek safety, dignity, and belonging. We hope this moment inspires more people to support trans and LGB newcomers rebuilding their lives in our communities, just as the story portrays a transgender woman who flees persecution in Guyana only to end up detained within the U.S. immigration system.

Thank you to everyone making this powerful gathering possible.

Refuge America’s LGBTQ Safe House is officially open in Portland, Oregon. ❤️Thank you to everyone who joined us as we be...
06/07/2026

Refuge America’s LGBTQ Safe House is officially open in Portland, Oregon. ❤️

Thank you to everyone who joined us as we begin this new chapter.

We’re building safety, and community for LGBTQ asylum seekers, refugees, and displaced people across the Pacific Northwest.

06/04/2026

Today, Refuge America officially opened our LGBTQ Safe House in Portland, Oregon.

This new home will provide safety, stability, and community for LGBTQ asylum seekers, refugees, and other displaced people rebuilding their lives in the Pacific Northwest.

We were honored to welcome community members, partners, and supporters into the space and are especially grateful to our Board Member, Ryan-Ashley, for helping welcome guests and sharing remarks about the importance of building communities of care. We also extend our sincere thanks to our Board Secretary for her thoughtful words and leadership.

Today we celebrate not just a house, but a community of welcome.

From a small village in Lebanon to rebuilding his life in the United States, Youssef has navigated rejection, displaceme...
06/01/2026

From a small village in Lebanon to rebuilding his life in the United States, Youssef has navigated rejection, displacement, and uncertainty while refusing to give up on himself or his dreams.

Through every challenge, he carried with him a love for animals, music that reminded him he was not alone, and the belief that somewhere in the world he could live openly and authentically.

Today, his story reminds us that LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers are not simply fleeing danger they are searching for belonging, dignity, and the chance to build a future.

We are celebrating the wins we secured in the New York State budget while continuing the fight to make a more welcoming ...
05/22/2026

We are celebrating the wins we secured in the New York State budget while continuing the fight to make a more welcoming city for new immigrants.

At the same time, the New York City Immigrant Resettlement Initiative (NYC-IRI), led by the and coalition partners, is still calling for $5 million in the city budget this June to strengthen support for newly arrived immigrants and refugee communities across the city.

For LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers and displaced people, funding like this is not abstract. It means access to housing, legal support, case management, community sponsorship, and the ability to rebuild life with dignity and safety.

remains committed to building communities of care and ensuring New York continues to lead with humanity, welcome, and solidarity.

Tickets are on sale for ’s House Party reading of Tara’s Crossing at the on Monday, June 8th. One of the first plays to ...
05/20/2026

Tickets are on sale for ’s House Party reading of Tara’s Crossing at the on Monday, June 8th. One of the first plays to center the lives and journeys of transgender asylum seekers, this powerful reading brings urgently needed stories to the heart of NYC’s q***r community.

We’re honored to be tabling at this special 25th Anniversary celebration. Come meet the team from and learn how you can support LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers and refugees rebuilding their lives in New York.

Stories like Tiffany Jade Munroe’s remind us why visibility and community matter. From surviving violence and transphobia in Guyana to becoming a bold advocate for trans justice in New York City, Tiffany’s journey is a testament to resilience, courage, and the right to live authentically without fear.

Join us in celebrating displaced LGBTQ people, storytelling, and the power of chosen family.
RSVP today: https://bit.ly/TaraHouseParty

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