Each year on June 20th, we celebrate World Refugee Day. It’s a chance to reflect on the strife of the world’s 65 million displaced individuals, and the service of Afghan and Iraqi interpreters and translators who face danger as a result of their service to the U.S. mission. But its also a day to celebrate the resilience and to honor their contributions to the United States. It’s a time to listen to and raise their voices.

It can start with something as simple as a cup of coffee.  

Last week we hosted eight "SIV Sips" at local Starbucks throughout the country. These events provide an opportunity for veterans, SIV recipients, refugees, and community members to come together around their favorite brew, whether it be a mug of coffee, a cup of tea, or a frappuccino. The goal is for veterans to connect with refugees in their communities, not just to provide some friendship in their new country, but to also provide benefits such as professional development. See below for a full breakdown of our recent SIV Sips!

On Saturday, June 16^th, our Atlanta, GA chapter kicked off World Refugee Day festivities. Like many of our SIV Sips this month, Atlanta was hosting their inaugural event! Veterans from several of our partner organizations joined as well so they could see the good work we’re up to. All in all, it was a great first time out for the Atlanta crew and they’re already planning future Sips.  

The same day, over on the West Coast, Southern California veterans gathered in El Cajon, CA. With our friends at No One Left Behind, they shared a few cups of coffee with SIV recipients and refugees. The Starbucks Regional Manager talked to the group about job opportunities within the company through Starbuck’s refugee hiring initiative. One VFAI leader remarked, “It was a fantastic opportunity to speak to so many who are caught facing so many challenges, but still persist.”

A few days later, on World Refugee Day, members of the  D.C. VFAI team attended the Richmond, VA Sip. They were joined by SIV recipients and our partners in refugee resettlement, the International Rescue Committee. The district manager for Starbucks, an Air Force veteran, spoke to attendees about  current job openings, and one of the attendees was invited for an interview the following day.

On Thursday, the VFAI D.C. team again met with local veterans, SIV recipients, and their families at a Starbucks in Falls Church, VA. Many of the refugees that joined expressed their desire to find meaningful work that speaks to their individual passions in the United States. The event came full circle when two representatives from a local veteran-owned company looking to hire Afghan linguists exchanged business cards with some of the attendees.

At the same time, over a thousand miles away, our fellow VFAI members in Dallas held their first SIV Sip. The local veteran and refugee community were thrilled to connect. The SIV recipients that were there found the event helpful as they need the benefits of a support network that goes beyond the direct services offered by local resettlement agencies. Everyone there is looking forward to future SIV Sips and can't wait to bring their friends and families along to the next one.

On Sunday, we concluded this round of SIV Sips in Houston, TX. VFAI members and SIV recipients were able to connect with community activists from National Immigration Forum. They also met an an individual who runs a film festivalwith an interest in showing refugee-related films as well as hosting reunions between SIV recipients and the soldiers they served with.

Lastly, in New Jersey, the VFAI NY-NJ team gathered representatives from veteran groups such as the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the local Veterans Affairs office, to learn about the needs of refugee families living in the Garden State.  Staff from Church World Service of Jersey City   introduced veterans to refugee families   including Special Immigration Visa recipients who served  alongside U.S. troops as interpreters in Afghanistan.   
 

Thank you to Starbucks for the community and refreshments!

At Veterans for American Ideals, we are on a mission to ensure this nation keeps its promise to our wartime allies, and that we live up to its tradition of welcome. That work can start in your very own neighborhood. Get in touch with us at [email protected] to plan a SIV Sips in your city!