Paris Barraza, Iowa City Press-Citizen
If the Iowa City Foreign Relation Council’s latest program, "Refugees and Immigrants in Iowa," creates a more “empathetic populace,” project director Peter Gerlach would take that as a success.
Gerlach is a board member of the nonprofit, which promotes understanding international issues through programs for the community. He’s also a University of Iowa adjunct assistant professor in International Studies.
And he is leading a project that connects leaders from organizations providing assistance to refugees, state agencies and more for conversations related to the refugee and immigrant experience in Iowa.
"Refugees and Immigrants in Iowa" is a six-part educational series that touches on topics from pursuing higher education to COVID-19’s effect on immigrant and refugee populations. These virtual discussions will carry on through May, and ICFRC will release a final report shaped by the series, research and additional resources that are learned in the process.