CERI is committed to improving the social, emotional, psychological, economic, and physical health of refugees and immigrants from Southeast Asia affected by war, torture, genocide, or other forms of extreme trauma.
Impact Highlights
- New Light Program: In 2021, CERI launched the New Light Program: a mental health outreach program serving those deported to Cambodia seeded by a grant from New Breath Foundation. In its first year alone, New Light outreached to over 40 participants and provided over 60 individual sessions to 16 enrolled members—and those numbers continue to grow every year. One participant shared that the psychological, physical, and spiritual care they received from the New Light Program made them feel truly seen and valued. In the sacred, safe space of the New Light Program, participants can unravel the many decades of trauma caused by genocide camps, the refugee and resettlement experience, their courageous journey in the prison pipeline, ICE detention, and deportation to Cambodia. Many participants describe to New Light Program team members how they feel isolated, rejected, and forgotten once in Cambodia. They also feel they cannot disclose their deported status to the locals there, for fear of persecution and further isolation.
- Path to Unity: Since August 2020, CERI has hosted six town halls in the U.S. where 50-60 elders join virtually to share space and learn how to strengthen solidarity across racial lines.
- SEADLinG (Southeast Asians Developing and Learning in Gardens): An intergenerational youth program in the U.S. intended to cultivate relationships and healing within ourselves, our elders, and our land.