Student Coffee Hour with Linda Hartke: Friday, September 25th, 2015

The current flood of refugees from Syria and other Middle Eastern counties has captured the attention of the international community. With hundreds of thousands of refugees seeking shelter in the EU from civil war and economic crisis in their home countries, it has become critical for the United States to take steps to address this growing international predicament.

As the President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), Linda Hartke has engineered a faith-based movement to address refugee crises globally. Rooted in service-based Lutheran values, the organization works to protect and advocate for migrants and refugees worldwide. On Friday, September 25th, the Rockefeller Center will host a student coffee hour with Ms. Hartke in order to discuss what faith-based organizations like LIRS are doing now to serve refugee populations and address international crises.

Linda Hartke, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
Linda Hartke has led the LIRS as President and CEO since February 2010. Linda is driven by a deep commitment to ensuring migrants and refugees are protected, embraced, and empowered. She brings a wealth of leadership experience in faith-based advocacy and social ministry both in the US and abroad. A member of Christ Lutheran Church in Baltimore, Maryland, Linda has also served on national and regional boards of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She currently serves on the Board of the Center for Migration Studies, a Roman Catholic think-tank. Linda’s vision for the LIRS is to be a catalyst in creating communities of welcome where newcomers can thrive.
-Written by Marie Plecha '16, Rockefeller Center Student Program Assistant
Please join us for the student coffee hour with Linda Hartke, on Friday, September 25, 2015 in Morrison Commons from 3:15-4:15 PM. Sign up for the event on Eventbrite at the link below: https://coffeehourlindahartke.eventbrite.com