Second Annual Ohio Refugee Advocacy Day
Ohioans from across the state came together in downtown Columbus on Wednesday, May 22nd, 2024, for the second annual Ohio Refugee Advocacy Day. These Ohioans gathered in delegations to visit and address 19 state representatives, sharing with these state leaders the strength that refugees and immigrants bring to our state and asking for their support of two pieces of legislation currently being reviewed.
One legislative priority they urged our lawmakers to support is HB 150, a bill that prohibits rental discrimination in rental housing based on lawful source of income, including federal, state, and local government assistance. The passing of this bill could create additional pathways to safe, stable, and affordable housing for many – U.S. citizens and New Americans alike.
The second legislative priority for which the Ohio Refugee Advocacy Day delegations asked for support is HB 247. Across the globe, June 20th of each year is marked as “World Refugee Day,” as designated by the United Nations General Assembly over two decades ago. This day honors the resilience, determination, and courage of refugees worldwide, and celebrates the spirit of welcome many communities display as they welcome refugees as neighbors and friends. If passed, HB 247 will officially designate June 20th as World Refugee Day as recognized in the state of Ohio.
For many of the Ohio Refugee Advocacy Day attendees, their participation was personal as they carry their own stories as refugees and immigrants now proudly residing in Ohio. Originally from nations such as Bhutan, Thailand, South Sudan, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Nigeria, Sudan and more–their voices were powerful as they addressed our state leaders about these issues. Dr. Smoki Musaraj, Associate Professor of Anthropology at Ohio University and a native of Albania was one such voice. She shares, “It was great to meet many of the former refugees and advocate alongside them to the Senators and House representatives of the state of Ohio. The representatives noted how impactful it was to have the refugees and immigrants tell their stories in person. I was glad to help advocate for refugees settled in Ohio and for making their presence and contributions to the state more visible.”
Church World Service Community Organizer and close CRIS partner Blaise Balazire Barak organized the advocacy day and its events. Blaise spends much of his time connecting with and leading trainings for local refugee and immigrant community leaders–for opportunities such as these. He shares, “This year, Ohio Refugee Advocacy Day was a huge opportunity to educate our policymakers about Ohio immigrants and refugees' contributions to the state's development. It was also a prime opportunity to empower immigrants and refugees to talk to legislators about their issues like housing discrimination and recognizing June 20th as World Refugee Day in Ohio–for a better future for Ohioans."