American Romanian Coalition on Human and Equal Rights (ARCHER) recently held their virtual symposium, Telling Our Immigrant Stories, a huge success that attracted students and audience members from across the United States. Romanian American novelist, playwright, and professor Dr. Domnica Radulescu and Yemeni American associate professor, Dr. Waleed Mahdi delivered inspiring and powerful talks underscoring the value of immigrant stories in imparting human and equal rights. During the event, attendees were also treated to music by Ana Everling, and were encouraged to unleash their creative storytelling by the award-winning Romanian American poet and writer, Alina Stefanescu.

The dialogue that ensued was so inspiring that the live video of the symposium received an impressive 293 views. In addition, the symposium also featured the reveal of the winning entries in the contest held by ARCHER during the last quarter of 2022. We were excited to organize a raffle and to gift books and works authored by the speakers above mentioned to two lucky contest participants.

But perhaps the most significant aspect of the symposium was the support it received from individuals and organizations that shared our values and goals. One such organization is Romanian United Fund (RUF). This support allowed us to make a real impact and to showcase the importance of immigrant stories to a wider audience.

Overall, the symposium was a powerful reminder of the value of diversity and the importance of sharing immigrant stories. We are grateful for the support of all those who made it possible and look forward to continuing to bring together people from all walks of life to celebrate and appreciate the richness of immigrant experiences.