2025 Golden Door Awards

Each spring, HIAS Pennsylvania celebrates immigrants and the people who support them in extraordinary ways through our annual Golden Door Awards.

It is more important than ever to recognize the individuals and organizations who are standing strong for immigrants as they face urgent challenges. That is why we are incredibly proud to present the 2025 Golden Door Awards to the honorees listed below for their extraordinary support of immigrants.

Honorees

2025 Golden Door Award Recipient

Minqing Xu

for her compassion, advocacy, and resilience

We are thrilled to honor HIAS Pennsylvania client, Minqing (Min) Xu, with a Golden Door Award. Min, originally from China, is a survivor of labor trafficking and is receiving the award for her compassion, advocacy, and resilience.

Min came to HIAS PA while she was in high school. At just 18-years-old, she bravely reported her traffickers, which enabled our Immigrant Youth Advocacy Program to help her apply for and receive a T visa (a special legal status for victims of trafficking.)

To be eligible for a T visa, immigrant victims of trafficking are expected to cooperate with law enforcement in building a case against their traffickers. This can be especially intimidating for youth, who often fear authority figures after they’ve been trafficked.

Furthermore, these young victims do not have the legal right to an attorney. They are often forced to navigate this unfamiliar and intimidating process alone, no matter their age. Fortunately, HIAS PA is able to provide pro bono legal support to immigrant youth in PA, like Min.

Despite being trafficked and not knowing any English when she was first brought to the US, Min thrived academically, was named valedictorian of her high school, and was awarded HIAS PA’s Klasko Family Scholarship for her post-secondary studies — her lifelong dream.

Min’s leadership and resilience are apparent through her advocacy work, as well. After overcoming so many challenges, she is now a voice for other young victims of trafficking as a member of the Philadelphia Youth Anti-trafficking Coalition’s survivor advisory board. With the group, she has participated in a number of events raising awareness of youth trafficking and has toured the White House.

Min recently graduated with her Associate Degree in Art and Psychology and will soon begin to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree. In her career, she hopes to combine two of her passions — children’s advocacy and art. Art has helped Min express herself (her artwork is featured in the video), even through times when she’s felt silenced. Now, she wants to empower other youth who have experienced trauma through art therapy.

“Min has touched the hearts of so many of us at HIAS Pennsylvania…Min is truly special and deeply empathetic and driven. I’m excited to see where her bright future takes her.” 

– Noelle Lemon, Immigrant Youth Advocacy Program Staff Attorney

HIAS Pennsylvania is honored to recognize La Colombe for supporting local refugees through employment. For newcomers, an employment opportunity is more than a job; it is a crucial step in their journey towards thriving in their new community.

Adjusting to life in a new country is a daunting task for many immigrants and refugees. Without knowing the local language, having family or friends to help, how do you find a job? In just 90 days from their arrival in the US, refugees who have been abruptly forced from their homes by wars, persecution, and other dangers are expected to find employment.

This task, though challenging, is not impossible for newcomers thanks to supportive members of Pennsylvania’s welcoming community like La Colombe. La Colombe’s commitment to providing not only employment, but sustainable career growth for immigrants, is a shining example of how to welcome new members into our society.

Through a steady partnership, La Colombe has been able to provide gainful employment to 11 HIAS PA clients. One of these clients is Josue, a refugee from Guatemala, who arrived in Philadelphia with his family. After a challenging start to his career journey in the US, with irregular hours, insufficient pay, and a considerable language barrier, HIAS PA was able to place Josue at a position with La Colombe. They provided him with training and consistent, full-time hours that has allowed him to support his family.

La Colombe, is a member of Tent, an international network of businesses who are committed to empowering refugees through employment. Members of Tent not only offer employment with exceptional benefits, but also career development and mentorship to all of their refugee employees. Through their commitment to opportunity, La Colombe has provided Josue and other immigrant families with stability after experiencing so much uncertainty. Now, Josue often shares how happy and fulfilled he feels through his experience at La Colombe.

“It’s a different life from where I used to live. I support my family more. I go out with my children. I like living here. I would like to have a future here.” 

– Josue, HIAS Pennsylvania Client and La Colombe Employee

Success stories like Josue’s would not be possible without the welcoming and a community-focused culture of employers like La Colombe. We are proud to recognize everything they do to empower our refugee and immigrant neighbors as they begin successful new lives in our region.

2025 Resa Rudney, Golden Door Award Recipient

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

for its congregational support in welcoming new families to Pennsylvania

HIAS Pennsylvania is honored to recognize The Church of Latter-day Saints with the Resa Rudney Award. The Church’s congregants live by the belief that all humans are our neighbors. This belief is the driving force behind their compassionate care for the local immigrant community.

Many of our clients arrive in Philadelphia with only the clothes on their backs. Due to violence and persecution in their home countries, these newcomers are often forced to flee with no time to prepare for their basic needs in the journey ahead.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has generously provided our immigrant and refugee neighbors with essential items that have helped them adjust to life in the United States. Many of our clients come from areas with much warmer climates, and are not used to harsh winters. The congregation has provided them with warm coats to protect them from the dangerous cold. “I’m in heaven now,” said one client from West Africa upon receiving a winter coat.

The Church has also provided household essentials like mattresses that have finally given refugees a comfortable place to sleep after so many sleepless nights with no bed, and kitchen items that have allowed newcomers to prepare meals from home for their families, which can be a comfort in a new country where familiar food can be difficult to find.

The Resa Rudney Award is given by HIAS PA each year to a congregation who supports Philadelphia’s immigrant community in extraordinary ways. Resa Rudney, a Golden Door Award recipient herself, believed strongly in HIAS Pennsylvania’s mission, was passionate about welcoming the stranger and helping refugees to settle in Philadelphia, and was relentless in getting others to help. As one refugee from Myanmar described her, “she was the light” that shared love and hope to many who had none.

Paul Brown, President of the Valley Forge Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, visited HIAS Pennsylvania’s office to see all of the goods for refugees that were purchased through a grant from the Church.

“…you will have a time when you realize how big it is, how many needs there are out there in aggregate. And it’s best to just step back and realize that it’s not an all-or-nothing thing. Every one little thing you do, to help someone else, to render aid, is good. Every single little piece.”

– Apryl Martin, Self Reliance Leader at The Church of Latter-day Saints

We are proud to honor The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with this year’s Resa Rudney Award for everything they do to embody the interfaith value of welcoming the stranger.

Congratulations to all of our 2025 Golden Door honorees!