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The ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ in Atlanta was honored to host U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Brian P. McKeon, and Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, Nancy Izzo-Jackson, for a first-of-its-kind visit by the U.S. State Department to a local refugee resettlement community in honor of World Refugee Day!

Alongside coalition and community partners, health and education partners, local government officials, and community leaders with lived experience of the resettlement program, we shared our perspective on what it takes to ensure refugees and immigrants can truly integrate and thrive here in America. Georgia’s refugee resettlement community received this national recognition and attention thanks to our spirit of collaboration, our rapid and adaptive response to the COVID pandemic, our wide network of volunteers and faith partners, and the incredibly successful and resilient new American community in our state.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Brian P. McKeon, and Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, Nancy Izzo-Jackson, met with community leaders with lived experience of the resettlement program.

Photo: ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Atlanta

Deputy Secretary McKeon and Ms. Izzo-Jackson arrived in Atlanta on Thursday, June 24 and started their visit with a tour of the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ in Atlanta and offices and a roundtable with Georgia resettlement agency leaders—including our executive director, Justin Howell—and state officials. Attendees enjoyed coffee from and pastries from —both employer partners of the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡, who provide gainful employment for new Americans in our community.

Deputy Secretary McKeon and Ms. Izzo-Jackson arrived in Atlanta on Thursday, June 24 and started their visit with a roundtable with Georgia resettlement agency leaders—including our executive director, Justin Howell—and state officials.

Photo: ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Atlanta

Later in the morning, the senior diplomats met with leaders from refugee serving organizations based in Clarkston who offer a variety of specialized programs and services to help community members integrate and thrive, as well as representatives from local education institutions and the . Among many topics discussed was the need to address the gaps in mental health service provision for the refugee community.

After spending the morning at the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ in Atlanta’s Northlake area office, our guests traveled to Clarkston to visit the satellite office of the resettlement agency and meet with staff—many of whom are themselves former refugees—and clients receiving services.

Our next stop was Refuge Coffee Co. in Clarkston—our gracious hosts for the afternoon—where Deputy Secretary McKeon and Ms. Izzo-Jackson met with local elected leaders including , and DeKalb County Commissioners, and . This working lunch focused on the need for diverse and bipartisan collaboration at the state and local level to support refugee integration—including fostering partnerships with Georgia’s thriving business community.

Refuge Coffee Co. in Clarkston were our gracious hosts for the afternoon sessions, where Deputy Secretary McKeon and Ms. Izzo-Jackson met with local elected leaders and community leaders with lived experience of the refugee resettlement program.

Photo: ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Atlanta

We closed the day’s events with the most important meeting of all—a roundtable discussion with community leaders with lived experience of the refugee resettlement program, moderated by the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ in Atlanta’s Deputy Director, Ayaz Ahmed. The senior diplomats heard from ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Resettlement Caseworker and Congolese community leader, Dede Shimiyimana, and ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Voice and future nurse, Joyeuse Muhoza, who courageously and candidly shared their personal experiences of being welcomed to Georgia.

The senior diplomats heard from ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Resettlement Caseworker and Congolese community leader, Dede Shimiyimana, and ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Voice and future nurse, Joyeuse Muhoza, who courageously and candidly shared their personal experiences of being welcomed to Georgia.

Photo: Pouya Ramzi

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who made this important visit a success and look forward to continuing our work of welcoming refugee families to rebuild their lives here in Georgia in partnership with the US government.

To learn more about the work of the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ in Atlanta and for information on how you can get involved with the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ as a donor or volunteer, please contact Development Director, Heloise Ahoure, at [email protected] or 678-636-8941.

Stay connected to the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ in Atlanta! , and for announcements and upcoming events!