2026 Refugee Community Building Conference
Thank you to everyone who made our 2026 Refugee Community Building Conference happen!
NAAPR brought together our community, elected leaders, service providers, and advocates for our sold out 2026 Refugee Community Building Conference at the Seattle Airport Marriott.
The Refugee Community Building Conference 2026 surpassed all expectations! Sincere thanks to our 255+ attendees, sponsors, volunteers, and speakers for making this year’s event a remarkable and memorable return after our 2025 hiatus. From engaging breakout sessions, to Mayor Mohamed Egal’s inspiring welcome, and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal’s powerful keynote, every moment highlighted the strength of unity. I am especially grateful to Representatives Sharon Tomiko Santos and Janice Zahn, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, and King County Councilmembers Baron and Mosqueda for joining us at the reception. Thank you all for making this a day to remember!
Thank you to our presenters who offered us all a full day of workshops covering everything from labor rights and housing justice to mental health, storytelling in legislative testimony, and the lived experience of refugee and immigrant communities across Washington State.
And most of all, thank you to our community members who showed up to connect and do the work. To everyone who traveled, registered, volunteered, presented, translated, and came ready to connect: this conference exists because of you. Your stories, your questions, and your presence are what turn a room full of strangers into a community that moves policy.
Here's to another year of turning lived experience into leadership.