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Welcome to our Monthly Newsletter from PCC4Refugees!

In this issue:

Peace Corps Connect 2025

Overview and Resources Shared

Educate

Asylum as an Immigration Path and its Proof Requirements

Inspire

Actions and Networking Across the Country

Mobilize

NPCA Advocacy Day and The Dignity Act of 2025

Calendar

In each issue, you are also able to register for all upcoming events, view recordings of past events, access “Welcoming Refugees: A Guide to Volunteer Opportunities for the Peace Corps Community,” volunteer with our PCC4Refugees team, donate to support our work, link to our website and follow us on social media. All of this is in the issue below!

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Peace Corps Connect 2025

National Peace Corps Association’s (NPCA) first Peace Corps Connect conference post-pandemic was held at American University’s Washington College of Law on July 19-20, 2025. Peace Corps Community for Refugees (PCC4Refugees) led a workshop, “Stand Up for Refugees,” and hosted an exhibit table. Thank you to the many who stopped by to chat, ask questions, let us know how they were helping (see our map for some examples), signed up for our mailing list and/or attended our workshop. You will see much of your input and answers to your questions added to our website and featured throughout our newsletter. Thank you!

These resources were shared in our presentation, at our exhibit table and/or by conference attendees.

“Stand Up for Refugees” Workshop PowerPoint slides
National Immigration Forum’s The Dignity Act of 2025: Bill Summary
Summaries of the impact of the “One Big Beautiful Bill”
American Friends Service Committee: Stronger with Immigrants

Asylum as an Immigration Path and its Proof Requirements

If an asylum-seeker must meet the definition of a refugee, then what is the difference? The key is where they are when they apply. If they have fled their country and are seeking safe haven in a third country, they apply for refugee status before they go to that country. According to the International Rescue Committee, “Asylum seekers must apply for protection in the country of destination—meaning they must arrive at or cross a border in order to apply. Then, they must be able to prove to authorities there that they meet the criteria to be covered by refugee protections. Not every asylum seeker will be recognized as a refugee.”

At our June conversation, lawyer and RPCV Russell Love described what proof is required to get asylum.

Read here to learn more

Actions and Networking Across the Country

As the above image of the United States map from our exhibit at Peace Corps Connect shows, individual members of the Peace Corps community are in action across the country, supporting those seeking refuge in our country. Thank you to all of you – everywhere! – for all you do.

PCC4Refugees is here to educate, inspire, and mobilize you. One key to that is to connect you with others. The map got us started, but here are some ongoing ways to connect and engage with other members of the community.

monthly networking conversations – next on August 13 at 7:30 pm Eastern (see below to register)
Peace Corps Connect + – NPCA’s new networking platform, where you can start a discussion, link with other members, and more.

NPCA Advocacy Day

On Monday, July 21, about 170 National Peace Corps Association advocates were on Capitol Hill urging Congress to support no less than current Peace Corps funding and to honor nearly 250,000 Returned Volunteers with a Congressional Gold Medal. Thank you to our advocates for their incredible work this week!

Congress is on recess in August, which makes it a good time for you to catch up with members in their home offices and to brush up on legislation. We recently learned that the The Dignity Act was reintroduced with bipartisan support. According to the National Immigration Forum, the Dignity Act of 2025 (H.R. 4393) was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 15, 2025, “a bipartisan effort to strengthen border security in the United States, provide undocumented individuals with an opportunity to obtain legal status if they meet certain requirements, and update aspects of the U.S. legal immigration system. … It is a revised version of the Dignity Act of 2023.”

One-pager on the Dignity Act, click here.
Detailed summary of the Dignity Act, click here.
Section-by-section breakdown of the Dignity Act, click here.
The Dignity Act Media Kit, click here.
Full text of the bill, click here.
Listing on Congress.gov

Stay tuned for updates and calls to action.

Register for our Next Networking Conversation

PCC4Refugees Conversation Series continues, with our schedule set for the next three months. Register to join us in sharing resources and information in an informal online setting. No agenda. No recording. But great networking!

Our next conversation is on Wednesday, August 13 from 7:30 to 8:30 pm Eastern.

Our mission

The mission of Peace Corps Community for Refugees (PCC4Refugees) is to inspire and mobilize the Peace Corps community to help those seeking refuge in our country and to advocate and educate on their behalf.

Archived Webinar Recordings

Welcoming Refugees – An introduction to our newly-launched guide and Switchboard, a one-stop online resource hub (recorded Sept. 26, 2024)

Career Pathways in the Refugee Resettlement Sector, co-hosted with RPCVnexus (recorded Oct. 21, 2024)

Advocacy Forum to Review Refugee-related Legislation (recorded Nov. 18, 2024)

RPCV/RPCV Group Showcase (recorded Dec. 11, 2024)

Know Your Rights (recorded Jan. 28, 2025)

Advocating at the State and Local Levels (recorded Feb. 12, 2025)

Serving the Educational Needs of New Immigrant Families (recorded Mar 4, 2025)

Federal Advocacy on Behalf of Refugees, Asylees, and Other Immigrants (recorded April 8, 2025)

(Note: the content of each webinar is as of the dates noted. Some content may now be outdated.)

Webinar Recordings

Updated! Welcoming Refugees: A Guide to Volunteer Opportunities for the Peace Corps Community

This Guide, developed by the PCC4Refugees team, is to inspire more RPCVs and others to use their unique cross-cultural and language skills to welcome refugees and help them resettle in the United States. The guide provides information on a wide range of welcoming services that individuals and groups of RPCVs can provide for refugees in their communities and along the border.

Read the guide

Register for Upcoming Conversations

Wednesday, August 13
Thursday, September 18
Wednesday, October 8

Note that we will add further details on individual sessions as we get closer to their dates. Details subject to change. All conversations are from 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm (note the new time!) in the Eastern U.S. time zone.

PCC4Refugees Needs You!

Volunteer Opportunities with Peace Corps Community for Refugees

Join our Advocacy, Communication, Partnership, and Membership teams! We need writers, editors, graphic designers, reporters, advocates, recruiters, speakers, organizers, relationship builders, and innovators. All around, pinch hitters are welcome too!

Please email info@PCC4Refugees.org to express interest.

Support PCC4Refugees!

PCC4Refugees is run entirely by volunteers, but our website and crucial database are not free. Help us best share key information with you and facilitate networking with your financial contribution.

Donate

Please visit these pages of our website for regularly updated resources and opportunities: