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REFUGEE
SAN DIEGO

Maya Lê Espiritu

Ocean Refuge 

Gouache on canvas

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

This space amplifies the work, stories, and visions emerging from San Diego’s refugee communities. It brings together community-led events, creative submissions, and ongoing projects that reflect the richness and complexity of refugee life in the region. Community members are invited to contribute to any of these pages to share their perspectives and experiences.

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PROJECTS

San Diego's long history as a hub for refugee resettlement has given rise to numerous initiatives that center refugee experiences and concerns. This page highlights projects showcasing the lived experiences of refugee communities in San Diego.

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SUBMISSIONS

San Diegan's submit original pieces in this repository, sharing their experiences as and with newcomers through artwork, essays, reports, interviews, and more.

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EVENTS

This page features gatherings, programs, and moments that bring people together around issues connected to refugee life in San Diego. These events reflect the ongoing presence, contributions, and connections within and beyond refugee communities.

Ehber Klo Lah Moo

Untitled

Watercolor on wood

CULTURAL HERITAGE CHAMPION
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On October 15, 2024, Refugee San Diego was recognized by the County of San Diego Archives for our contribution to cultural heritage and historic preservation in San Diego! 

WHO IS A REFUGEE?

Following the Critical Refugee Studies Collective, we define refugees as human beings forcibly displaced within or outside of their land of origin as a result of persecution, conflict, war, conquest, settler/colonialism, militarism, occupation, empire,  and environmental and climate-related disasters, regardless of their legal status. Refugees can be self-identified and are often unrecognized within the limited definitions proffered by international and state laws, hence may be subsumed, in those instances, under other labels such as  "undocumented".

OUR GOALS

San Diego has the distinction of being home to one of the largest concentrations of refugees in the United States. Learn when, how, and why refugees from all over the world have resettled in San Diego and how they have adjusted to their local schools, jobs, and living environments. Refugee San Diego is committed to showcasing the rich and multifaceted lives of refugees in the region. 

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We at Refugee San Diego hold great respect for the land and the original people of the area where San Diego is located. The county of San Diego is built on the unceded territory of the Kumeyaay Nation. Today, the Kumeyaay people continue to maintain their political sovereignty and cultural traditions as vital members of the San Diego community. We acknowledge their tremendous contributions to our region and thank them for their stewardship.​ This acknowledgment draws upon language vetted by Kumeyaay community members through the UC San Diego Intertribal Resource Center.

 

We recognize that visitors to this site may join us from many places. To learn whose land you reside on, visit native-land.ca.

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