The Montana Refugee Experience

Additional Information

Who are refugees? Although the global refugee crisis may seem far away, refugees are here, living in our local, Montana communities. They are your neighbors, your leaders, and coworkers. To better understand who refugees are and how they arrive and succeed in Montana, Gallatin Refugee Connections presents The Montana Refugee Experience: a reception and panel discussion featuring refugees and advocates telling their stories about starting a new life in our mountain west state. Panelist members include Mayor Wilmot Collins of Helena, a refugee originally from Liberia, two refugees recently resettled to Missoula originally from Iraq and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Jen Barile, Director of the International Rescue Committee in Missoula.

The event will be held at Wild Joe's Coffee Spot on Thursday, September 20 at 7:00 pm. Refreshments will be available for purchase, with limited free beverage tickets available to those who arrive early!

The Montana Refugee Experience is held in celebration of Welcoming Week, a national movement to recognize contributions by New Americans to our communities. Welcoming Week demonstrates that in places large and small, rural and urban, people of all backgrounds are coming together to create stronger communities. It is a time to celebrate the values that unite us as neighbors, parents, and colleagues, and to make our towns more welcoming to newcomers and to everyone who calls our community home.

The Montana Refugee Experience is hosted by Gallatin Refugee Connections (GRC), a Bozeman organization committed to cultivating a welcoming environment for refugees in Gallatin Valley. To learn more about GRC or for questions about the event, visit facebook.com/gallatinrefugeeconnections or email gallatinrefugees@gmail.com.