Refugee Leadership Program
Bringing lived experience to the center of refugee rights advocacy.
In 2026, CGRS launched its inaugural Refugee Leadership Program, fulfilling a pledge made at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum to strengthen refugee leadership in our work. The program brings the expertise and leadership of people who have experienced forced displacement directly into our advocacy, while supporting their continued growth as leaders in the refugee rights field through professional development and networking opportunities. Fellows participate in a seven-month program that combines capstone projects, professional development, and direct engagement with CGRS's advocacy and legal work.
We're thrilled to welcome our new Fellows. A.R. and P.Z. bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team, along with a spirit of creativity and compassion as advocates. We're grateful to the hundreds of impressive and inspiring people with lived experience who expressed interest in the Fellowship. We hope to grow our work in this area and encourage other organizations to undertake similar programs.
A.R. fled Iran as a teenager with her family after her father was targeted by the government as a political opponent. She brings years of advocacy experience to her fellowship, and is focused on research and public education around the experiences of Iranian women in the U.S. immigration detention system.
P.Z. is a human rights activist from Central Asia who was forced to flee due to persecution they faced for their activism and documentation of human rights violations. Their fellowship work focuses on developing resources for organizations to ethically engage people with lived experience in storytelling, and building the foundation for a CGRS Refugee Leadership Program alumni network.
Participation of people who have experienced forced displacement in immigration advocacy is not just important - it is vital. Immigration policies dictate our lives in ways others are fortunate never to experience. They determine when we will see our families again, when we will have the freedom to see the world, and how we must live our lives - while we are told to enjoy freedom as if it were a benefit, not a right. Today, as the systems meant to protect us are being dismantled, that urgency has never been greater. When the voices of those directly impacted are silenced, the normalization of atrocities takes hold. We have learned firsthand what oppression looks like, and our stories carry hard-won lessons. We are here to make sure that what we lived through out there does not take root here. Are you ready to listen and include our voices?
"The Refugee Leadership Fellowship at CGRS introduced me to the power of storytelling and lived experience in political advocacy. Displaced people should be at the center of these conversations, not as subjects, but as leaders, because their everyday realities are directly shaped by the policies being decided."
Applications for future cohorts will be announced on this page. Please check back for updates. We look forward to meeting you!
Your support helps us invest in the next generation of refugee rights advocates.