A New Beginning in Philadelphia
This Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for Asylum Pride House—and for the people whose lives have been changed because this refuge exists.
Refuge America partners with grassroots shelters and legal teams to secure swift exits from detention and long-term welcome for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. When requests for help come through our website, we mobilize immediately; reviewing our network, identifying the right partner, and coordinating the support someone needs to reach safety.
In recent weeks, more requests have come from Philadelphia detention centers. Clients are being transferred from New York to Pennsylvania, and our legal partner Bronx Defenders has sent us cases where judges require proof of safe housing before release. That urgency brought us to Philadelphia to visit our partner, Asylum Pride House.
Ilia .C. at the Pride House
Asylum Pride House is a rare and vital space, a welcoming home where LGBTQ asylum seekers in the Philadelphia area can breathe, recover, and rebuild.
A quick 90 minute train ride from New York brought us to Philadelphia’s main station, and from there we walked to the Asylum Pride House office to understand accessibility firsthand. Inside a Lutheran church undergoing construction and surrounded by a quickly changing neighborhood, we found a place rooted firmly in care. There we met Victoria, the CEO, whose energy and focus embody what it takes to sustain a refuge. Minutes after our interview, she was off to a community outreach event, the kind of relentless commitment that keeps people safe.
After filming, we mapped the walk from the office to the house itself. For safety reasons we will not share the location, but inside we met residents preparing for Thanksgiving shopping with their case manager, Louisa. She navigated French, and English seamlessly and some Spanish, offering comfort in every language. Guests welcomed us into brief conversations, including people from Jamaica, Morocco, Honduras, and Russia. One of them, Ilia C., later sat for an interview.
Case Manager
Ilia’s story is a reminder of why Asylum Pride House exists. Though granted asylum, Ilia remained detained until the house could provide written proof of a place to stay. Refuge America coordinated with Bronx Defenders to issue the housing support letter that ultimately secured Ilia’s release. This is what partnership does. It turns barriers into pathways.
To prepare for Ilia’s video story, we tapped our volunteer language bank. A Russian interpreter joined us on a Google Meet call so we could capture their experience with accuracy and dignity. During the visit, Ilia showed us their room, filled with anime art, quiet warmth, and a handwritten card that read: “You are strong. You are important. You are loved. You have got this.” It was a snapshot of what safety can look like.
We also spent time with Louisa, a dedicated social worker whose own family’s immigrant story informs the compassion she brings to residents every day. Her care, combined with Victoria’s leadership, creates a home where people do not just survive. They begin again.
I was there when the guest returned from grocery shopping with a Giant ball. It's Turkey!
Leaving the house, we felt the power of what these partnerships make possible. In Philadelphia safety has an address: “Asylum Pride House”. And partnership is the ladder that helps people climb out of detention into community.
Join us in making America a place of welcome for all.