Communities of Rooted Brilliance
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Mission Statement
Founded in 2009, the mission of Communities of Rooted Brilliance (formerly Coalition for Refugees from Burma) (CRB) embraces traditional customs and values and provides newcomers with community-inspired educational opportunities that create pathways for self-determination as they weave into the fabric of their newfound home.
About This Cause
CRB partners with immigrant and refugee families from the diverse, multi-ethnic communities of Afghanistan, Angola, Burma, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Iraq, Mexico, Rwanda, and Somalia, among others. CRB was founded in 2009 to bridge service gaps experienced by recently arrived refugees from Burma. Since then, CRB has implemented high-quality, accessible programs that serve communities in the right way, at the right time. Programs center three foundational concepts: (1) Families are partners in our work; (2) Programs are education based, because we believe knowledge is power, and; (3) We recognize that dedicated leadership exists within each community, and we partner with these leaders to provide culturally responsive services. All CRB’s programs incorporate components focused on advocacy, community building and systems change. We intentionally build authentic partnerships with our communities, and our programs are designed to reflect and build on the strengths of the families we work with. Equity is a focus of CRB’s work and is woven throughout program design and service delivery. We are committed to equitable hiring practices, compensation, and decision-making. Over 75% of CRB staff and board members identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black/African/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern/North African, and speak over 10 languages combined. CRB’s staff are members of our communities; they share lived experiences, cultures, and/or languages with those we support. Relationships, cultural humility, and respect are prioritized; as such, families develop a deep level of trust with our staff, and are highly engaged in program activities, including providing valuable feedback on a consistent basis that helps us fine tune our services as well as understand how to evolve our programs over time. These aspects make us a truly community-led and community-informed organization that is reflective of and embedded in the communities we serve. CRB’s work falls into three program categories: Early Learning Program (ELP): CRB provides the Leadership, Early Learning, Access Program (LEAP) and Learn, Integrate, Network, Collaborate (LINC) to families living in King County. LEAP is a home-based early learning program where home visiting staff visit families that share their native language and cultural background. During these visits, parents are engaged in conversations about child development and children are engaged in play. These activities enhance promote healthy child development, school readiness, and parent-child attachment; encourage cultural knowledge sharing between home visitors and support staff; prioritize parent network and relationship building, and; provide opportunities for children to play and learn together. LINC provides wrap-around, holistic support to Early Learning families by providing linkage and referral to community services, programs, and other opportunities when requested. LINC services are delivered with a focus on quality relationships, building trust, effective communication, and client comfort, control, and satisfaction. Youth Education Program (YEP): CRB’s YEP offers programs for students in grades K-12 in the Kent School District, including reading support, homework support and enrichment, high school graduation support, and college access and scholarship application support. The YEP also steers the Refugee and Immigrant Youth Advisory Council, who use advocacy to address community challenges, promote systems change and inform CRB’s work. System Navigation Program (SNP): CRB’s SNP provides intensive case management through two programs. SPARK is a systems navigation program to support and build the capacity of families living in the city of Seattle. Promoting Refugee Integration, Mobility, and Empowerment, or PRIME, is a program supporting refugees and asylees by providing intensive case support and referral for basic needs in King County. In addition to these three program arms, CRB is involved in several local partnerships with service providers, regional government, and other community-based organizations to help connect us to the communities we serve and craft innovative programs to serve them.