RCAM

On this Valentine's Day, we want to take the time to spread the love and say a big "thanks" to those who have donated goods to RCAM. Multiple donations of clothes and household items to the clients have been an ongoing activity in the past trimester. Over the recent months, we have been receiving large donations from community members, staff, volunteers, and local stores. Donations were organized, shelved and distributed among the clients by the RCAM staff members. We are so

Last month, the Russian Community Association of MA and the rest of the New American Center extended community came together to give thanks. On November 16, 2016, there was much joy to be had as the adult clients and staff of the New American Center celebrated Thanksgiving. The community commemorated the day with food and impromptu, zealous storytelling from a few of our staff about their own transitions to the United States, and the importance of gratitude. Natasha Soolkin,

Today, a refugee community meeting was held at the New American Center. We met with the state representative Brendon Crighton and ORR representative in MA Lisa Rafanelli. The topic: Islamophobia. Our guest speakers discussed Islamophobia as a form of prejudice, local community/governmental officials’ response, immigration policy on refugee arrivals, and visas regulations. Rep. Crighton shared his concern about message of hatred coming from certain political leaders and offer

Today, the New American Center celebrated World Refugee Day. About 100 clients from Afghanistan, Iraq, Bhutan, Burma, Haiti, Eretria, Somalia, Congo, CAR, Dominican Republic, Burundi, and many other countries were present at the event. Among the guest speakers were Mary Truong, Executive Director of MA Office for Refugees and Immigrants, Brendan Crighton, State Representative, and Dan Cahill, President of the Lynn City Council. They were overjoyed to be present for another Wo

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sabbah Aljurani and Adnan Aljuboori, two former RCAM clients originally from Iraq. These two young men are soon leaving Massachusetts for Texas, hoping to achieve their dream of owning their own land and starting a farming business. I asked both Sabbah and Adnan about their experience here at the Russian Community Association of MA, and they had nothing but excellent remarks. "They treated me better than the people in my own