One Of A Kind Vermont Symposium Held In June
On June 14, several CVRAN members attended a symposium at the Vermont Law and Graduate School in South Royalton focused on asylum seeker resettlement and assistance. Organized by the Vermont Asylum Support Network (VASN), the Vermont Asylum Assistance Project (VAAP), and the Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS), this first-of-its-kind event in Vermont drew in more than 400 people during the day. Many of those watched online, but at least 100 were there in person!
This amazing event has been in the works for quite some time. VASN has long wanted to raise awareness of asylum seeker needs and create discussions among different parties about how to ease the many difficulties asylum seekers face. (CVRAN is a proud member of the VASN.) VGLS and its offshoot, the Center for Justice Reform Clinic, and VAAP also work with some of the same populations. Pam Walker of CVRAN had the wonderful idea to bring many parties together in one place to learn and brainstorm together. This idea, written into an application to the Canaday Family Charitable Trust three years ago, has just born wonderful fruit. Other partners assisting make this event a reality were the Vermont State Refugee Office, the Clowes Fund, and the Vermont Bar Foundation.
Rachel Walker, CVRAN President noted that “it was so good to meet people in person whom I only knew through email, and to hear fresh perspectives from so many panelists who do similar work. I think the momentum of this event will carry this work with asylum seekers forward in new ways.”
Hope Crifo, current CVRAN board member, direct services coordinator, and past CVRAN president, was a panel member for the Community Case Management workshop. Her direct experiences assisting CVRAN families was important for symposium attendees to hear and an opportunity for them to learn from someone boots on the ground for many years.
Read more about the New American Symposium on the VAAP website or watch the WCAX coverage.