Community Outreach in Cleveland

One important role of a refugee resettlement agency is to educate the Cleveland community about the refugee population and the barriers they often face in the resettlement process. Liv Randall, one of US Together’s new AmeriCorps VISTA members, has assumed the role of Community Engagement and Development Specialist and one of her responsibilities is to present educational materials to the community. When asked what it’s like to educate the community about refugees as well as advocate for refugees during a pandemic, Liv responded:

“Since I started my position in July, there have definitely been some hurdles regarding how to educate the community about refugees in a safe and remote way. In the past, my predecessor would go to community events, faith-based organizations, and educational institutions to educate the community, however this is not going to be an option for the foreseeable future. So I decided on two things, I would educate the community through social media, by creating infographics that provide information about refugees and the refugee community in Cleveland, as well as present all this information more in-depth to any group willing to learn more via zoom.”

The highly informative PowerPoint presentation Liv gives virtually!

So far, Liv has been giving virtual presentations to institutions such as Kent State University and Case Western Reserve University, Ohio State University, Fairmont Temple, and various churches in the Cleveland area.

If you or a group you are a part of is interested in a presentation on refugee resettlement and what US Together does as an agency, don’t hesitate to reach out to Liv Randall at orandall@ustogether.us. She is also more than willing to tweak her presentations to include whatever a particular group would like to learn more about, such as a particular conflict in the world, the economic impact of refugees in Cleveland and more. 

Check out the US Together Cleveland Instagram (ustogether_cleveland) to see these educational posts!

If you would like to learn more about refugees in the community on a daily basis, please follow our social media accounts:

Twitter: @USTogetherCLE

Facebook: Us Together Inc. – Cleveland

Instagram: ustogether_cleveland

One of the most important ways that community members can advocate for and support refugees is to take the time to learn more about refugee issues and experiences, and then advocate for our new neighbors. At US Together, we appreciate everyone who takes the time to learn more about those in their community!