Fereshteh Ganjavi stood before a crowd gathered at Cielo Banquet Hall in West Haven and asked them to turn on their cellphone flashlights. The lights in the hall dimmed completely — and then the room lit up again as hundreds of small beams illuminated the space.
“Together, your lights shine brighter,” said Ganjavi, founder of Elena’s Light, a nonprofit based in New Haven that supports refugee and immigrant women through education and community programs.
The shared glow marked the start of Lighting the Future, an emotional and powerful award ceremony held recently to celebrate refugee and immigrant advocates from across Connecticut. Elena’s Light honored four recipients and raised $20,000 in a single night to fund English and driving classes for women rebuilding their lives.
Tabitha Sookdeo, executive director of Connecticut Students for a Dream, was honored with the Social Justice Award. As she stepped onstage, she became visibly emotional about what refugee resettlement programs have been able to achieve in the state.
“I saw people I used to work with — kids who came in as clients,” she said. “Now they’re in master’s programs at Yale. I was bawling in the corner.”
She called the award “deeply validating,” especially because it came from fellow immigrants “This is more than recognition,” she said. “It’s acknowledgment.”
Sookdeo urged the next generation of immigrant advocates to stay disciplined and collaborative as they face fresh challenges from the Trump administration, which suspended refugee admissions to the U.S. on January 27th, and has increased efforts to deport undocumented immigrants. The fate of the refugee resettlement program is currently making its way through the courts.
“Be strategic. Be disciplined. Work together — not just in your own communities, but with others too,” she said. “We can’t afford to stay fractured.”
The Welcoming Heart Award went to Chris George, the longtime former executive director of IRIS (Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services). The crowd stood in ovation as he took the stage.
“This award really isn’t for me,” George said. “It’s for them — for all of them.”
He used his moment to name many of the refugees he had worked with over the years, sharing their success stories and attributing the organization’s legacy to them. In recent weeks, IRIS, the organization he founded, has had to lay off 20 percent of its staff in the face of a federal funding cut of $4 million.
In an interview after the ceremony, George reflected on his nearly two decades of work.
“I still remember meeting families at JFK, helping them into the van, offering them tea,” he said. “Making them feel safe — that was always the priority.”
Though retired, George continues to teach refugee resettlement at Yale and remains active in immigration advocacy.
“Welcoming refugees used to be America’s most noble tradition,” he said. “But now, it’s under threat. I’ll never forgive the Trump administration for trying to destroy refugee resettlement. They shut down so many organizations across the country — and lied to the American people about who refugees really are. We have to educate and engage people. That’s how we push back against the lies.”
His advice was simple: “Find out how you can meet the refugees arriving in your community — and help them.”
The keynote speaker, Lina Rozbinh, joined virtually via Zoom. Rozbinh, a former journalist with Voice of America, spoke of displacement, education, and the difficult conditions faced by people who can no longer count on a safe haven in the U.S..
“In Afghanistan, twenty million women stop school at Form Six,” she said. “It’s been four years since any college in Afghanistan has admitted women.”
She ended with a message that resonated throughout the evening: “Our struggles are intertwined.”
Jane Kinity, a refugee from Kenya, received the Leadership and Social Service Award for her consistent dedication to supporting families across Connecticut. Beaming as she lifted her award into the air, she thanked the crowd and reflected on the impact of community care and service.
Nieda Abbas, who received the Education and Advocacy Award, delivered her acceptance speech in Arabic with a translator by her side. Her tone was gentle and humble — even pausing to say she did not want to take up too much time, because others deserved the spotlight, too.
The fundraiser portion of the evening began with a surprising announcement: $10,000 had already been pledged before the event even began. When the first live donor offered $5,000, the room erupted in applause. The $20,000 goal was reached in minutes.
For Ganjavi, the night was a milestone.
“I came to the U.S. as a refugee with my mother,” she said. “I saw women unable to access classes, stuck at home. So we started one-on-one tutoring — now we’re partnered with over 120 universities.”
The funds raised will support two full cycles of Elena’s Light’s permit and driving classes — a critical step toward independence for many refugee women.
“It’s not easy,” she said. “I have sacrificed a lot — my health, my time, my family. But this is what I am meant to do. This is what brings me joy.”
Board members Chris Raminger and Jaden Harris reflected on the organization’s beginnings.
“We started this because people needed help — and people stepped up,” Raminger said.
“After 90 days, refugees are on their own,” said Harris, chair of the board. “That’s why this work is urgent.”
Also in attendance was Trudy Milburn, associate vice president for academic affairs at Southern Connecticut State University and a member of Elena’s Light’s board.
For her, the opening flashlight moment was unforgettable.
“It symbolized everything,” she said. “That we all have something to offer — and together, we shine brighter.”
The ceremony closed with a group photo as the flashlights returned one final time. The awardees, organizers, and community members stood shoulder to shoulder, the soft light from their phones illuminating their smiles.
“That’s why this night matters,” Jaden Harris said. “That’s why this work is urgent.”
RoselynMartin Somtochukwu Ilo is a journalism student at Southern Connecticut State University. This story is republished via CT Community News, a service of the Connecticut Student Journalism Collaborative, an organization sponsored by journalism departments at college and university campuses across the state.