The Importance of Multiculturalism Towards a Sustainable Future | Interview with Cache Valley Refugee and Immigrant Connections
Just after graduating college, Megan Davenport forwent a range of career opportunities and formed Cache Refugee and Immigrant Connections (CRIC) in May of 2024. She is CRIC’s Communications and Development Coordinator and is dedicated to her work in the nonprofit realm within a career that changes people's lives for the better. In this month’s blog, we asked Megan to share more about CRIC, the importance of multiculturalism in our communities, and how we can support CRIC’s goals:
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What are some examples of ways Cache Valley Refugee and Immigrant Connection (CRIC) has helped refugees and immigrants integrate with the Cache Valley community?
Everything we do at CRIC centers around helping people become self-sufficient and feel like Cache Valley is their community. To help community members integrate, we offer office Walk-In Hours where we help with literally anything. People come in needing help applying for jobs, figuring out how to pay bills, making medical appointments, and so much more.
We also offer a variety of education programs at no cost. One is a Financial Literacy course, where students learn about budgeting, scams, credit, bank accounts, and more. Another is our Driver’s License course, which covers Utah driving laws and helps people gain the knowledge needed to pass the driver’s license test. We also make a lot of community referrals because there are so many great resources and organizations in Cache Valley that can help refugees and immigrants rebuild their lives.
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What’s something you wish more people in Cache Valley knew about our immigrant population? What might surprise people?
I wish people knew how much effort refugees and immigrants put into integrating into the community. It has been eye-opening to see a father with young kids work long hours and still make it to the ELC for English classes because he knows it will help his family. And there are so many other stories like this. These people come with so little, yet their hearts are so big. Nothing makes me happier than seeing families we serve thrive in the community, and the community welcoming them with open arms.
At CRIC we do our best to help newcomers get on their feet. We offer so many resources, but at the end of the day, how their neighbors treat them, or classmates choose to welcome kids who might look different to them, that makes all the difference in the world. The true feeling of community is not something CRIC can sign them up for. That is why our vision of Community for Everyone is so essential.
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In your eyes, why is multiculturalism important in a community?
I believe that multiculturalism builds stronger communities. When people from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences come together, it creates opportunities to learn from one another and challenge assumptions.
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The CRIC used to have a community garden - why did that effort discontinue and are there plans to offer that again in the future?
The community garden began as a partnership with local landowners who generously shared their space with CRIC. As the garden evolved, it transitioned into a more independently managed effort with a more hands-on approach to its operations. Although it’s no longer an official CRIC program, we still refer clients to the garden, allowing them to have the same opportunity.
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What’s one action people in Utah could do in their own life to support the goals of CRIC?
If I could ask people to do just one thing, it would be to learn more about the refugees and immigrants in their community. That could look like attending cultural events, getting to know a neighbor from a different background, volunteering at an organization that serves refugees, or taking time to understand the resettlement process in the U.S. As we grow in our understanding, it naturally leads to greater kindness, patience, and a deeper sense of connection with the people around us.
To learn more about Cache Refugee and Immigrant Connection, visit their website here.