Everett refugee advocacy nonprofit will “stay in the fight” in 2025

“A few people told me not to talk to the news,” Van Dinh-Kuno chuckled. “They said to watch out, because Trump’s people might see it and go after us! But I don’t care…it’s important to speak.” Dinh-Kuno is the Executive Director of Refugee and Immigrant Services Northwest (RISNW), a nonprofit “multi-service organization” that provides a […]
Public invited to celebrate World Refugee Day at Edmonds College

EDMONDS—Refugee & Immigrant Services Northwest invites the public to join the celebration of World Refugee Day 2024 in collaboration with Edmonds College. This event is proudly sponsored by Snohomish County, Snohomish County Health Department, and Lynnwood Food Bank. World Refugee Day is observed globally every year on June 20. It was first celebrated in 2001 […]
World Refugee Day celebrated thanks to RISNW and EvCC

EVERETT, Wash., July 3, 2023—On Tuesday, June 20, Everett Community College (EvCC) in partnership with Refugee and Immigrant Services NW hosted a World Refugee Day celebration. The event featured speakers including Snohomish County Councilwoman Megan Dunn, Lynnwood City Councilwoman Julieta Altamirano-Crosby and keynote speaker Phuong Vu. Performances were by Destinee Fijian Dance Troupe, Yolihuani Aztec […]
More than 2,600 Afghan and Ukrainian refugees now call Snohomish County home

Snohomish County, Wash., February 14, 2023 – Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers announced that since October 2021, when the United States saw a significant influx of refugees from conflict zones, the County in partnership with local nonprofits have provided resettlement services and support to over 2,600 Afghan and Ukrainian refugees. “For decades, Snohomish County has […]
Day of the Dead remembrance returns to Lynnwood

LYNNWOOD, Wash., November 25, 2022—The annual Day of the Dead celebration hosted by the WAGRO Foundation returns to Lynnwood, October 29, offering everything from music, to dancing, to artwork, and of course food. On display were the works of Photographer Mary Gomez Camba, featuring portraits of women dressed up as La Catrina. Camba began photographing […]
Public invited to Day of the Dead event in Lynnwood

Please join us for this FREE event to celebrate the Day of the Dead, one of the most important Mexican holidays. Traditionally celebrated on November 1st or 2nd, it is a time for families to honor and celebrate their ancestors. People also dress as catrinas (skeletons) and write poems (often satirical) called calaveritas literarias (literary skulls). This Day of […]
Helping over 400 Ukrainian families find peace in Snohomish County

ARLINGTON, Wash., August 21, 2022—Farhad, his wife Natalia, and two children, lived relatively simple lives in their home city of Odessa, Ukraine. Farhad worked as a cabinetmaker and Natalia worked teaching English at a nearby elementary school. They were your typical Odessan family but, on February 24, 2022, everything changed. Farhad was on his way […]
Lynnwood Times Person of the Year: Executive Director Van Dinh-Kuno

LYNNWOOD Wash., January 6, 2022 – The Lynnwood Times proudly presents the 2021 Person of the Year Award to Van Dinh-Kuno, the Executive Director of Refugee & Immigrant Services Northwest (RISNW). For over three decades, Dinh-Kuno has helped thousands of immigrants and refugees across Snohomish, Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan, and Island Counties. Dinh-Kuno’s efforts have […]
Lynnwood recognizes December 18 as Refugees and Migrants Day

LYNNWOOD Wash., December 15, 2021 – Monday was a historic day for the City of Lynnwood. For the first time in its history, the city issued a proclamation making December 18th Refugees and Migrant’s Day in Lynnwood. Councilwoman Altamirano-Crosby read the proclamation aloud during Monday’s City Council Business Meeting, first in English, then in Spanish. […]
Afghan Refugees’ Plight in Lynnwood

As refugees from Afghanistan arrive in Washington, the Lynnwood Times took the opportunity to speak with the Executive Director of Refugee & Immigrant Services Northwest, Van Dinh-Kuno, a beacon of hope and strength to so many on their journey to rebuilding their lives. For more than thirty years, Director Dinh-Kuno has led refugee services in […]