March 2022 DEI Committee Blog

WGR’s DEI Committee met for its March meeting on Tuesday, March 8, featuring a discussion centered around the issue of Refugee Support and Allyship.

DEI Committee Co-Vice Chair, Vieshnavi Rattehalli kicked off the discussion by providing some background and context on the issue area: refugees assistance and humanitarian aid. In the case of the crisis unfolding in Ukraine, we are again watching in real-time how conflict creates both internal displacement of people and mass migration. Refugee policy has historically enjoyed bipartisan support, and so, the United States will accept some of these refugees to be resettled here. As government relations professionals and as residents of the host country, it is important to be aware of the issues facing people as they start their lives over again in a new country and try to rebuild their lives.

She then introduced guest speaker Vasuda Nandu of the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Vasuda provided the Committee Members with an overview of her work with the IRC, which focuses on a number of services provided to those displaced by conflict ranging from providing shelter and job placement assistance to providing child care and mental health services. Vasuda also provided insights into the equity issues that often come into play for refugees—highlighting the fact that those fleeing conflict are oftentimes targeted for mistreatment and/or discriminated against, a burden adding to already difficult circumstances. In addition, crisis reporting in mainstream media tends to play into fears and stereotypes - we have seen how coverage of refugee crises in the Middle East or Central America is wildly different from the present-day coverage of the crisis in Eastern Europe. As the general public, we tend to develop “selective sympathy[1]” based on our beliefs and opinions.

A robust conversation amongst Vasuda and the Committee Members continued with some sharing their personal stories around displacement and resettlement, as well as a reminder to all to keep an open mind regarding the plight of refugees, in addition to reaching out to share grief and trauma support services and seeking opportunities for allyship and advocacy.

We welcome all WGR members to join us each month at our DEI Committee Meetings! The next meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 12 from 11:30 AM–1 PM (ET). For more information on WGR’s DEI Committee, please reach out to dei.wgr@gmail.com.

This month’s blog is authored by DEI Committee Chair Gamble Hayden.

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