May 28, 2025

National Immigrant Heritage Month event 6/1/25

Happy National Immigrant Heritage Month! Hear about an event at Refugee & Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE) on Sunday, June 1st, to kick off the month. Daniel Butterworth, RISSE director, explains how the celebration acknowledges the contributions of immigrants both new to our country and in our ancestry. He notes that RISSE works with clients from 90 different countries, speaking a total of 45 different languages. The organization’s 30 staff members speak about 15 languages, with supplemental support from over 150 active volunteers as well as numerous translators. Daniel also overviews the many challenges faced by our newest neighbors beyond language, including housing, transportation, English learning, and food insecurity, especially given the many cutbacks in government programs. Daniel notes that helping newcomers is not a government issue, but a humanitarian one, and encourages listeners to “put yourself in the shoes of a newcomer.” For more details on the event, the organization, and ways to support RISSE by donating time or money, visit www.risse-albany.org. And to hear more about the immigrant experience, listen to the “Everybody Moves” series on our website. Produced by Brea Barthel for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

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