The Program for Torture Victims (PTV)

** URGENT CALL FOR ASSISTANCE ** GROCERIES AND MEDICINE Marginalized and vulnerable refugees in the LA and OC area need your immediate help with food and medicine. The immigrants we serve were tortured and persecuted in their home countries and now many of them have been laid off or had hours reduced and are struggling to pay for food and medicines. Most are ineligible for government assistance. If you are in a position to help, please give to our Client Emergency Fund and s...hare this with your SoCal neighbors! https://app.etapestry.com//ProgramForTortu/urgentgift.html

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3 and this is one of the most consequential elections in history. Our immigrant community is especially concerned about the future of this country and their futures. Their future is at stake- please make sure you vote with them in mind since they cannot vote at this time! All voter centers will open starting tomorrow, Friday, October 30 Please be sure to drop off your ballot at a ballot box or vote in person if you feel comfortable doing s...o. Election officials highly encourage people to not mail their ballots now sincethere is no longer enough time to ensure ballots will be delivered in time, especially given service delays with the U.S. Postal Service. Track your ballot at:https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/ Los Angeles County Voting Voter Centers Near You:https://locator.lavote.net/locations/vc Ballot Drop Off Locations Near You:https://locator.lavote.net/locations/vc Orange County Voting Voter Centers or Ballot Drop Off Locations Near You:https://www.ocvote.com//voting-and-dropoff-locations-by-el #vote #GOTV #elections2020

We support refugees check out "Lift the Welcome Torch" featuring community and faith partners who support welcoming refugees along with testimonies from former refugees who have made the US their new home. Our amazing survivor advocate Andrik is featured in this video at the 11:10 timestamp. Watch their powerful statement on why welcoming refugees is what makes the US a better country. https://www.facebook.com/npnewamericans/videos/979632902557362/?sfnsn=mo... Thank you to Interfaith Immigration Coalition, We Are All America, Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries, and Refugee Council USA for sponsoring the event. Also, today, October 27, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fourth District is holding oral arguments in a lawsuit against the Trump administration's attempt to restrict refugee resettlements in the United States by requiring states to affirmatively agree to accepting refugee residents (Executive Order 13888). The lawsuit was brought by the International Refugee Assistance Project on behalf of HIAS, Church World Service, and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services. The Trump adminstration and Congress is poised to finalize refugee resettlement numbers for FY 2021 this week which is expected to be the lowest resettlement number in the program's history. #RefugeesWelcome

On Oct. 27, refugee resettlement organizations will be back in court defending the program from the Trump administration’s attacks. Join us at 1 pm ET/10 am PST for an "action-ar" to hear from refugee leaders and see what you can do to keep ensuring #RefugeesWelcome in US! http://bit.ly/Oct27Refugees

"While asylum has long been denied to people convicted of particularly serious crimes, the new rule adds a litany of crimes that would be disqualifying. They include convictions for domestic violence whether a felony or misdemeanor assault or battery, re-entering the country illegally, identify theft, public benefits fraud, immigrant smuggling and driving under the influence. The rules would also deny asylum to people convicted of crimes that an adjudicator knows or has reason to believe was committed to support a criminal street gang." https://www.pbs.org//trump-administration-adds-criminal-di

PTV expresses support and stands in solidarity with our Armenian survivors and the greater Armenian community We strongly condemn the violence instigated by Azerbaijan and its allies towards the Armenian people. If you know anyone of Armenian descent who could use more support during this difficult time, please contact us since we are starting up a support group

"Appreciate, love each other, be kind to each other, we need to help and support, because love is our treasure, he intones. A few bars later Aura, a refugee musician from Myanmar, belts out the chorus, swaying to the beat: It is time, it’s our time, let’s do it, it is time to shine a light The pair are among 24 refugee and asylum-seeking musicians finding their groove again in India with the help of composer and Grammy award winner Ricky Kej."... https://www.unhcr.org//refugees-join-voices-song-hope-kind

""In the case of many Cameroonians seeking asylum in the U.S., they have fled the country fearing attacks from the government. Many are from the conflict-ridden anglophone region, supported opposition parties, or have been vocal about the authorities' poor human rights track record. Regardless of why they came, most of them will undoubtedly face retaliatory attacks from the government upon their return," Lamarche said. " https://www.voanews.com//supporters-cameroonian-asylum-see

Belated congratulations to our survivor from El Salvador and his partner on their lovely wedding earlier this month It's always beautiful to hear stories of finding love a new country and we wish them a healthy and happy life together. Love overcomes all We hope you both are enjoying the wooden frame wedding present from all of us at PTV! You two are a picture perfect couple

Happy Indigenous Peoples Day! We honor indigenous people today and everyday. Our PTV offices are on Chumash, Kizh, and Tongva land ... Find out whose native land you're on by going to https://land.codeforanchorage.org/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com//indigenous-peoples-day-20/

Happy Ugandan Independence Day October 9, 1962 is the day when Uganda became independent from the United Kingdom. Our clinical director, Carol Gomez, spoke on a panel today "Let's Talk Mental Health: Trauma, Depression, and the Pandemic" with Joy Gihana, LLB, MC Mental Health and Family Therapist and Noah Mugenyi, M.Div., RP Trauma, PTSD, and Addictions Specialist at the Ugandan Independence Summit. The panel was co-moderated by Michael Mugambe, Immigrant Guide and George... Kakaire, business and IT consultant. It was a wonderful panel discussion with compassionate, community-oriented leaders sharing the space to discuss how the pandemic has impacted us all. Community support is what keeps us together and it's an important piece of healing and staying well in the wise words of our clinical director, "We need to hold onto stuff that keeps us unique, vibrant, rich in creativity, rich in love, rich in human kindness and their way stuff that harms people and is about "Me first"." The summit can be viewed at http://ugandasummit.org/live-stream

"The 15,000 cap is the latest step in one of the central aims for Mr. Trump during his first term: to close the United States to immigrants. The broad effort has included restricting travel from African and Muslim-majority countries and sealing the land borders of the United States to migrants fleeing persecution, even as the United Nations reported this year that nearly 80 million people have been displaced by oppression and war." https://www.nytimes.com//01/us/politics/trump-refugees.html

#tbt to our 40th anniversary virtual gala last Thursday, Sept. 24! Huge thank you to everyone who joined to celebrate with us , share a cocktail with us donate to us to further our work in helping survivors , perform incredible music/dance in our gala , and so much more. You're all part of the big, loving PTV family Scroll through to see some of our guests in their pajama finery and screenshots from our gala If you were unable to make it to our gala, you can view it on our YouTube channel at: https://youtu.be/h2OFmcwkNFo

Sept. 25 is the Global Day of Climate Action At one of the recent Monday groups at PTV, we shared about how we have been affected by the poor air quality from the fires as California is experiencing more catastrophic fires due to climate change. We are living in the midst of a pandemic, but climate change is just as much of a crisis as it was before and it disproportionately impacts the most vulnerable populations including refugees and asylum seekers. We all have a part i...n protecting the planet to mitigate the number of environmental migrants displaced as a result of climate change Members of our PTV family know they have a voice even if they don’t (yet) have the vote. They know how to express their opinions to Senators and Representatives on any issue that matters to them. You can make your voice heard today too. Swipe for how you can contact your representatives (your immigration status does NOT matter and won't be asked!)