CIRI's Dinner by the Sea a Magnificent Evening

Black Rock, CT - Enjoying perfect weather, 250 guests gathered at Black Rock Yacht Club on Sunday evening Sept. 24 for Dinner by the Sea, benefitting the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI) and celebrating the organization known as the International Institute of Connecticut since its founding 99 years ago. After the serious business of presenting awards to two significant supporters, the fun began. Guest auctioneer Jack Leslie offered several unique experiences and items that raised “far more than expected,” CIRI’s President and CEO, Claudia Connor, commented, as she thanked the evening’s guests.

Board member Robert Smith opened the event, noting the importance of Connecticut’s immigrants: 13 percent of the state’s population of 3.6 million, who spend $13.8 billion and pay $5.1 billion in taxes. 

Many, he commented, come for the same reasons as the Puritans 400 years ago, to make better lives. CIRI is here “to help them realize their dreams,” and “we’re here to help CIRI help them.”

Ms. Connor spoke about the just completed two year program to rebrand the organization and create its new, more contemporary logo. She then framed CIRI’s mission — resettling refugees and immigrants. There are 65.6 million displaced persons around the world today, she said, many whose lives are in danger for who they are or what they believe. 

The U.S., which took in 85,000 refugees last year, is on target to allow only 53,000 this year. And CIRI, which resettled 158 refugees last year, projects only 97 this year, due to the “suspension of the program by the government.”

She set the stage for the event’s focal point — human trafficking — noting that 20.9 million people are “trapped in some form of slavery today, victims of a $150 billion global industry.” And Connecticut, as the link between New York and Boston, is a “prime location.”

Sharon Prince, Chair and Co-Founder of New Canaan based Grace Farms Foundation, a social justice organization that, among its initiatives, works to end child exploitation and human trafficking, followed. She introduced Krishna Patel, General Counsel and Justice initiative Director at Grace Farms, as the recipient of CIRI’s initial Legacy Award.

For almost 20 years Ms. Patel has demonstrated “exceptional commitment” to eliminating human trafficking. She served as a US Attorney for 19 years prosecuting trafficking cases; she drafted amendments to Connecticut legislation that seeks to make this the “first slave free state;” and she was active in formulating UN Resolution 2331, which condemns global human trafficking in the strongest terms.

Ms. Patel called this a “particularly grueling year because of what’s happening in our country,” and added “now is the time for all of us to get to work.” She thanked CIRI for the award and expressed “deep gratitude for organizations like CIRI.”

The evening was capped by the auction, whose offerings included VIP tickets to the Daily Show with Trevor Noah, tickets to the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, a behind the scenes tour at Nickelodeon and a one of a kind week’s vacation at a large and lovely ocean front home in Nova Scotia.

Altogether an enlightening, enjoyable and rewarding evening.

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Submitted by Fairfield, CT

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