[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 91 (Tuesday, May 25, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E576]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING IRIS TUN AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CYNTHIA AXNE

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 25, 2021

  Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding 
member of our community, Iris Tun, by naming her for Iowan of the Week.
  Iris is a co-founder and a family advocate at the Ethnic Minorities 
of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center (EMBARC) of Iowa, which is Iowa's 
first and only refugee-led service provider that strives to address 
shared issues and uplift all refugee communities.
  Refugees from Burma began arriving in Iowa in 2007 and 2008 as a 
priority class of refugees, part of the nearly 1.5 million refugees 
that have fled Burma since the early 1960s. EMBARC was created in 2012 
to help these new refugees settle into Iowa. At first, Iris helped the 
team provide resources and videos translated from English to Burmese 
and Karen, but their operation has since expanded.
  When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, EMBARC Iowa got to work creating 
videos and informational resources about the COVID-19 virus and aid 
that was available in 13 different languages to help those who had lost 
jobs, facing eviction and struggling with virtual schooling. Over the 
past year, more than 8,000 refugees and immigrants have received 
support from EMBARC and RISE AmeriCorps members--95 percent of whom 
were essential workers.
  When Iris is not making videos for EMBARC Iowa, she translates voter 
registration forms at her church for free. In Iowa, it's illegal for 
the state to translate official government forms, including election 
forms, which makes it hard for non-fluent English speakers to collect 
voting information.
  As we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 
it's important to note the difficulties the Asian American and Pacific 
Islander communities still face here in America. This week, the House 
passed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to highlight the increased violence 
Asian American and Pacific Islanders have encountered since the 
beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  Iris's work is vital to putting an end to these hate crimes because 
her work as a translator allows folks to communicate and better 
understand each other. That's why I would like my colleagues to rise 
with me and recognize this exemplary woman, Iris Tun, as our Iowan of 
the Week.

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