Dear Friends of Refugees and REP,
Seeds we planted and have nurtured for a decade were in full bloom this summer at REP! Refugee youth who arrived in Memphis years ago are reinvesting in the next generation. Four young men from Burundi are leading a children's soccer team. Y
oung women
from the community are helping to run the same
programs they once attended. We are immensely proud of our participants' commitment to service and community!
Now, we are wrapping up a whirlwind summer program! Adults are already eager for the next round of ESOL classes, and BELLA pre-K students are eager to begin Kindergarten. Our summer youth programs
focused on literacy, STEM, arts and creative expression, mental health, leadership, mentorship, and learning to swim!
As always, we could not do what we do without the support of our volunteers and community partners. In particular, we recognize the following groups for their outstanding commitment: the University of Memphis, Rhodes College, Hutchison School, Dixon Gallery & Gardens, and Shelby County Schools Nutrition Services.
We are especially excited about Trauma and Healing Club, our newest joint venture with the
University of Memphis and Center for the Advancement of Youth Development. THC is research-based endeavor that provides youth a space to express themselves and address the impact of violence, stress, and displacement in their lives.
In closing, I would like to share the following mantra attributed to Lao Tzu that continues to inspire us and our work everyday: "Go to the people. Live with them. Learn from them. Love them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have. But with the best leaders, when the work is done, the task accomplished, the people will say 'We have done this ourselves.'"