​"The bosom of America is open to receive not only the Opulent and respectable Stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all Nations and Religions; whom we shall welcome to a participation of all our rights and privileges"
George Washington speaking to former citizens of the Kingdom of Ireland who arrived to New York City in 1783

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About PURE

Penn Undergraduates for Refugee Empowerment (PURE) is a student organization at the University of Pennsylvania that works through advocacy and awareness to provide displaced persons with the tools needed to successfully assimilate into society and become active citizens. 

Working closely with resettlement centers in Philadelphia, cultural groups on other college campuses, and organizations around the world, PURE aims to increase awareness of refugee issues while influencing individual refugee lives. 

​PURE's solemn mission is to make the immediate Philadelphia community welcoming and to enable refugees to build their own success.

OUr Work

Volunteering
Throughout Philadelphia, PURE volunteers with other organizations to help refugees rebuild their lives and to establish a community within the city. 

Advocacy/ Awareness
PURE advocates for refugees in the United States and around the world. We host panels with experts about the refugee crisis, working to inform the greater Penn community about current events and the politics of displaced people.

Tutoring
Penn students provide language and skills instructions to displaced people in local Philadelphia schools and online via Skype. 
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PURE is unquestionably committed to inclusivity and acceptance. PURE fully accepts all gender identities, sexual orientations, races, religions, disabilities, and creeds, and shall not tolerate any form of prejudice or bigotry within its membership.

​Picture: "Syrian primary school children attending catch-up learning classes in Lebanon" by Russell Watkins is licensed under CC by 2.0