On Sunday, November 20, the African Community Center - DC Metro (ACC-DC), the local branch of ECDC working with refugees in the DMV, is hosting its 10th annual Refugees' First Thanksgiving event from 3 - 7 PM at its community hall in Arlington, Virginia.
On October 21, 2022, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced a designation of Ethiopia for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. While the designation will go into effect on the publication date of the forthcoming Federal Registry Notice, the following is a guide on applying and receiving TPS.
Over glasses of Chai tea, Gul Rahman shared the story of his family’s arrival to the US and their journey with their co-sponsorship team in Brattleboro, Vermont. Gul Rahman, his wife Sakina, and their two sons and daughter first arrived during the winter and it was scary because they couldn’t speak English.
Today, the Ethiopian Community Development Council Inc. (ECDC) applauds the Biden Administration for its decision to designate Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for Ethiopians. “We welcome President Biden's and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas’s decision to grant Temporary Protected Status for Ethiopia. This critical action will offer relief to Ethiopians in the United States who faced a possible return to a country experiencing one of the most devastating wars and humanitarian crises in the world today, said Tsehaye Teferra, Ph.D., President and CEO of ECDC.
“We were in search of friendly communities that would welcome newcomers, and Brattleboro was recommended as a perfect site for a new branch office,” said Tsehaye Teferra, Ph.D., President, and CEO of ECDC, addressing an audience gathered at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center to celebrate the first anniversary of ECDC’s Multicultural Community Center in this southern Vermont city.
ECDC applauds the Administration’s objective to restore the U.S. resettlement program. “To make this practical, we call on the Administration and Congress to follow up with investments that will strengthen the program and meet the goal. Doing so can only be met with significant expansion of the U.S Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and backing it up with a corresponding budgetary increase," said Tsehaye Teferra, Ph.D., President and CEO of ECDC.
For two days, September 8-9, ECDC gathered 13 staff from 10 local resettlement offices across the country who have been piloting co-sponsorship programs over the past year. The workshop was held in Arlington, Va., and was facilitated by ECDC national staff.
Local news covered the announcement that Joe Wiah, ECDC's Multicultural Community Center - Brattleboro Director, will be honored by the Vermont Community Foundation with the Con Hogan Award for Creative, Entrepreneurial Community Leadership.
Every year on August 19, World Humanitarian Day pays tribute and homage to the brave hearts who leave no stone unturned to come forward and work towards a humanitarian cause. The day marks the sacrifice of humanitarian workers who lost their lives while working for humanitarian needs and causes.
ECDC welcomes the bi-partisan introduction of the Afghan Adjustment Act in both houses of the 117th Congress this week. “This is a step in the right direction, which, once passed, will give lasting protection to Afghans who risked their lives to support the U.S. mission overseas,” said Tsehaye Teferra, Ph.D., President and CEO.”
