Refugee Shabbat 2021is a moment for congregations, organizations, and individuals in the United States and around the world to dedicate a Shabbat experience to refugees and asylum seekers.

Our guest speaker will be Kathy Tran. We hope you can join us to support this important cause.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER
Promise and Hope: From Vietnam to the United States—A Refugee Story with Kathy Tran

Delegate Kathy Tran serves the 42^nd House of Delegates district, in Virginia. Kathy Tran and her parents fled Vietnam as boat refugees when she was just seven months old. Although many other countries offered them asylum, they waited 13 months for the United States to accept their application. Kathy's family risked everything to come to America because this country has always represented hope, opportunity and freedom. Delegate Tran will share her vision of the dream of the United States and our sacred obligation to help refugees.

Kathy Tran was first elected to office in 2017. She is the first Vietnamese American elected official on any level in the Commonwealth. She currently serves on the Privileges and Elections and the Science and Technology committees in the Virginia House of Delegates

Prior to her election to the House of Delegates she worked for the National Immigration Forum, one of the nation’s leading immigration advocacy organizations, and the U.S. Department of Labor.

Kathy graduated from Duke University and earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan. She and her husband Matt live in West Springfield with their five children.