Check out one of the following exciting programs!
- Join us for our weekly Table Talk program, featuring a potluck dinner & informal conversation;
- Connect with a refugee through our Face to Face mentorship program;
- Buy a book from our exciting Storybook Project, which creates illustrated books from the life stories of refugees;
- Serve as a teacher during one of our daily English classes;
- Visit us at the PLACE, our new refugee-focused multicultural community center; or
- Book our Translation Services to meet an upcoming translation need.
Learn more about how these programs get us to our vision of the flourishing of refugee communities.
Refugee Language Project exists so that individuals from refugee communities in the Amarillo area are increasingly flourishing as they confidently interact with the world around them, enabling them to honor God with their lives. RLP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Amarillo, Texas. Launched in 2017, we became a standalone organization in 2020. We are funded primarily by monthly recurring donations, alongside generous one-time gifts and strategic grants. Learn more about our team here.
Understand the broader context from our 2021 Amarillo Refugee State of the Union.
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and you can find some videos on our YouTube channel.
Things to Do in Amarillo :: Karen edition - There are two ways to dive into the Karen culture this month in Amarillo. You'd be missing out if you didn't drive over to Don Harrington Discovery Center and see their gorgeous new exhibit honoring the Karen people! See traditional instruments and rice harvesting methods and let the little ones dress up in authentic Karen clothing. Then mark your calendars for Karen Martyr's Day and join in the festivities! Read this month's e-newsletter for more. Link in bio.
Emily and I (Crystal) are in College Station tomorrow and Tuesday to take part in the Literacy Texas Conference! I will be presenting in a breakout session about the PLACE and the Heritage Language Storybook Project, and we can't wait to soak up all the ideas and inspiration from the fabulous list of speakers this year. #LitTexas2022
You guys HAVE to check out this incredible new exhibit at the @discoverycenter !! With input from the K.C.A. "Karen Community Of Amarillo Texas" and RLP, the incredibly kind and talented team at DHDC has put together a remarkable display of Karen history and culture as the pilot installation of their new series of cultural exhibits called "Beyond". Kids can play in a replica house on stilts, dress in Karen clothing, use a traditional rice harvesting machine and listen to recordings of authentic Karen music. Be sure to stop in and see for yourself, and learn more about the story of this strong community of people that now call Amarillo home! Way to go, DHDC!! 👏👏👏 Head over to their IG page to see more pictures and read about the exhibit.
No Table Talk tonight! As our staff prepares for the Fall semester and evaluates all we are doing at the PLACE, we are taking the rest of the summer off from Table Talk. Stay tuned for updates and find other ways this summer to connect with your refugee friends!
Read this inspiring story of a former refugee from Vietnam who attended Eastridge Elementary and Travis Middle School. In September, Amarillo's own Lo Van Pham will become the first Asian-American official in the NFL. Read his story online through @BrickandElm
https://brickandelm.com/earning-his-nfl-stripes/
It's going to be way too hot tonight, so Table Talk is cancelled this week! Stay indoors with your mentees and find a way to beat the heat!
We loved the bright blue abayas designed to look like the Somali flag that this group of dancers wore when they took the stage at World Refugee Day. Their energy and joy was contagious as all their friends joined in with dancing and singing in the crowd.
Public speaking is something many people are deathly afraid of. Can you imagine having to do it in a language other than your native one? That's just what two of our part-time employees did a few weeks ago at World Refugee Day! Mohammed and Samuel took the stage with Dr. Ryan for an interview in front of a crowd. They each shared a part of their story, opportunities they are thankful for, and some of their hopes for the future - all in English! They did a wonderful job representing themselves and their communities. These two young men have worked hard to be able to get to this point.
Remember all the hours of learning and practicing and making mistakes that your English-learning friends have gone through to get where they are today, and congratulate them at each stage along the way.
Have you ever tried walking on stilts? For some ethnic groups in Amarillo, walking on bamboo stilts is a cherished memory from childhood.
What started as just a couple of people in relationships with refugees has blossomed into something beautiful. Look at how many hours were spent in person by mentors in the first half of 2022! Finite and precious, time is our most valuable resource and can be the best gift. You can read more about our mid-year update in the print newsletter, available digitally under resources on the RLP website!
E-newsletter? Print newsletter? How many newsletters are there?!?
We send out a monthly e-newsletter with some short stories and updates. We ALSO send out a physical, printed newsletter two times each year that gives a broader picture of our development and impact, and has more pictures! Both newsletters went out recently, so be sure to hop on the website and read the latest from RLP. The link in our bio is for the e-newsletter, and the print newsletter (pictured) can be accessed digitally by going to our website and looking under "Resources".
Happy Reading!
Newsletter and Storybooks 📖
This month's e-newsletter has links to pre-order our first storybook, read our bi-annual printed newsletter online, and recap highlights from World Refugee Day! Link in bio...
English class every Tuesday and Thursday at The PLACE means friends from Somalia, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Mexico, Vietnam gather to practice English and learn about our culture. Some walk, some drive, but all of the men and women that join us make sacrifices to come and learn. Many come before or after a long shift at Tyson. We are honored to welcome them to class and help them work toward their language goals.
World Refugee Day part 2: Horns, more face painting, and interviews! We saw so many orgs out there representing! @amarillosymphony the kids love you now 😂
World Refugee Day Part 1: Singing, dancing, face painting and crowds. Did you go on Sunday? What part was your favorite?
Yes it's hot...yes we will still be having Table Talk...yes, there will be water balloons tonight! 💦
Join us at 6 PM at Margaret Wills Elementary School park by the playground. Bring dinner for your family and come sweat with your neighbors 😎
17 students, 22 kids for English class today! We are rapidly outgrowing our classroom... Any guesses on the ethnicities represented in this group? Drop your guesses below in a comment!
Picnic mats, a few balls and some food is all it takes to connect sometimes! Table Talk is in the park this summer, every Tuesday night at Margaret Wills Elementary School starting at 6. Last week we had an impromptu volleyball game, last night was can jam and soccer while littles hit up the playground. Come join us!
Our staff spent today hanging out with a fabulous group from @iladrohingyaprogram at @theplaceamarillo
Our discussions centered around learning from each organization's unique approach to language classes, volunteers, cultural barriers and a myriad of other overlapping topics. We had so much to learn from this fellow small organization, and hope to implement some ideas and methods into our own programs!
A great and encouraging way to spend a Friday!
Did you know that we send out a physical newsletter by mail twice each year? The next one is slated for June 2022. If you would like to sign up to receive those, here's how:
1. Go to refugeelanguage.org
2. Click on "Resources" then "Newsletters"
3. Enter your preferred mailing address
4. Wait patiently by your mailbox...
Ok, maybe you should do other things while waiting, but go ahead and send us your information in order to stay in the loop!
