Tracks
Each year, NIIC features a cohort of 8-12 issue area Tracks, addressing core topics impacting immigrant and refugee communities. The issue areas are developed by the NIIC leadership building on feedback from stakeholders and the field, including an annual Call for Proposals. The Tracks and the sessions therein are developed by a national group of experts from NIIC stakeholder groups -- our Track Leads -- and supported by NPNA staff. Each Track includes several distinct sessions. Typically over 125 diverse leaders from over 100 organizations are featured as speakers/presenters in these sessions. NIIC participants may attend any of the Track sessions at NIIC; no pre-registration or pre-requisites are required.
We’re pleased to announce the 2022 Tracks and Track Leads. Stay tuned for additional details later this summer.
To learn more about the 2021 Track Leads see here.
ACCESS TO JUSTICE
As we build upon the challenges and successes of the last few years in fighting back deportation and criminalization of our communities, there is an opportunity to leverage local, state, and federal infrastructure and campaigns to increase access to justice for immigrants across the country while pushing for legalization for all. This track will look into campaigns ranging from universal representation to ending detention; the local and statewide victories that publicly fund the spectrum of legal services; and, the need to continue building capacity across the field to prepare for large-scale legalization programs.
Centering Racial Justice in Cross-Cutting Campaigns in the Criminal Legal and Immigration System
Track Block 1 / Monday Oct 4 / 11:00am-12:15pm
This session will highlight cross-cutting justice campaigns at the intersection of the criminal legal and immigration systems with the backdrop of the changing enforcement and detention landscape. We will share lessons learned from campaigns focused on prohibiting collaboration with ICE, ending detention, criminal legal system reform, and ensuring access to counsel and the critical coordination needed between movements.
Moderator:
Shiu-Ming Cheer, Deputy Director of Programs & Campaigns, California Immigrant Policy Center
Speakers:
Jose Chapa, Senior Policy Associate, Immigrant Defense Project
Yesenia Moya, Community Organizer, Mass Liberation Nevada; Board Member, Arriba Las Vegas Workers Center
Cathryn Paul, Government Relations & Public Policy Manager, CASA
Eréndira Rendón, Vice President, Immigrant Advocacy & Defense, The Resurrection Project
The Movement for Public Investment in Immigration Legal Services: Successful Campaigns and New Budget Advocacy Tactics
Track Block 4 / Tuesday Oct 5 / 2:00pm-3:15pm
Communities continue to successfully demand public investments in immigration legal services and deportation defense across the country as the movement for publicly-funded representation programs, and momentum for federal action grow. Join this panel of organizers, advocates, and government leaders leading this movement at the local, state, and federal levels to discuss recent successful local and state campaign and appropriations advocacy strategies, and new tactics for budget advocacy, including leveraging the new infusion of federal funds to local and state governments for COVID-19 recovery and stability.
Moderator:
Annie Chen, Director, Safety and Fairness for Everyone Initiative, Vera Institute of Justice
Speakers:
Maraky Alemseged, California Organizer, Black Alliance for Just Immigration
Erika Castro, Organizing Director, Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada
Raquel Lane-Arellano, Policy Manager, Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition
Daniel Sharp, Chief, Office of Immigrant Affairs, Los Angeles County
FULL CITIZENSHIP FOR ALL: BUILDING A REFLECTIVE & JUST DEMOCRACY
This track will explore strategies for facilitating the civic participation of all immigrants and refugees in our nation’s democracy, towards the vision of an America that reflects the full diversity of our communities. Discussions will include the ongoing fight to secure a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented individuals who live in and contribute to the U.S.; empowering new citizens to not only exercise their right to vote but to also seek political leadership positions; and rethinking the naturalization process so that citizenship and its civic and economic benefits are truly accessible for all eligible immigrants. With midterm elections looming, these timely conversations will equip NIIC attendees with the knowledge and tools needed to fight for the civic inclusion of all immigrants and refugees in 2022 and beyond.
A Candid Discussion about the Fight to Secure a Path to Citizenship for All
Track Block 2 / Monday Oct 4 / 2:45pm-4:00pm
Almost a year into the 117th Congress and the Biden presidency, efforts to secure legalization and a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants in the U.S. have yet to bring about overdue federal action to protect millions in our communities, despite Democratic control of both chambers of Congress and the White House. During this session, leading advocates and champions will discuss what’s next in our fight for citizenship, including strategies for maximizing the impact of the immigrant rights movement, prospects for passing legalization measures in the 117th Congress and opportunities for administrative action in the absence of legislative solutions. The session will provide NIIC attendees and stakeholders with concrete action items that will help to advance the fight to secure a path to citizenship for all.
Moderator:
Polo Morales, Director of External Affairs, CHIRLA
Speakers:
Bridgette Gomez, Campaign Director, We Are Home
Ju Hong, Board Chair, NAKASEC
Peniel Ibe, Policy Engagement Coordinator, American Friends Service Committee
Empowering New American Leaders and Shaking Up Politics as Usual
Track Block 4 / Tuesday Oct 5 / 2:00pm-3:15pm
We know that our democracy is stronger when everyone can participate. From city councils to Congress, immigrants are slowly transforming the idea of who can and should run for office. When immigrants get elected, they don’t just change policies, they change political systems, transforming our democracy to reflect the needs and the demographics of our communities. And when voters see someone who speaks to shared experiences and values, this inspires political participation. As we uplift notions of equity and inclusion, this is ground zero for ensuring we have policymakers who understand the impacts on all communities, especially our most vulnerable. Across the country, New Americans are taking action, shaking up politics as usual and changing the face of leadership -- join this session to discuss how we can continue to foster political leadership that reflects our communities.
Moderator:
Ghida Dagher, President, New American Leaders
Speakers:
Carlos Aleman, Executive Director, Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama
Fabian Doñate, State Senator, Nevada Legislature
Kayse Jama, State Senator, Oregon Legislature
Selena Torres, Assemblywoman, Nevada Legislature
Making Naturalization More Accessible Through Partnerships and Proactive Promotion
Track Block 3 / Tuesday Oct 5 / 10:30am-11:45am
The latest federal data shows that more than 9 million Legal Permanent Residents throughout the U.S. are eligible to naturalize but have yet to take the steps necessary to become citizens, due in part to the concerted efforts by the Trump administration to make citizenship less accessible. With new leadership at the helm at USCIS, the time to revitalize and repair the naturalization process is now. This session will highlight critical policies and effective strategies to make naturalization more accessible for everyone, including partnerships that bring together public and private entities to promote naturalization, provide financial assistance, and assist eligible individuals in navigating the final step in their immigration journey.
Moderator:
Pablo Blank, Director of Immigrant Integration, CASA
Speakers:
Phyllis Coven, Ombudsman, Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman
Krystina Francois, Executive Director, Office of New Americans of Miami-Dade
Kelly Ryan, Senior Advisor, Office of the Director, USCIS
Leonard Aguilar, Secretary Treasurer, Texas AFL-CIO
The Power of the Immigrant Vote: Lessons from 2020 and Strategies for 2022
Track Block 1 / Monday Oct 4 / 11:00am-12:15pm
Since 2000, the immigrant electorate in the U.S. has doubled, with naturalized citizens now comprising 1 in 10 eligible voters throughout the country. But despite this growing power, immigrant voting rates still significantly trail those of native-born individuals, and a spate of restrictive state voting laws threatens to further suppress the immigrant vote in future elections. This session will explore the landscape of immigrant civic engagement and how the immigrant vote played a key role in the 2020 elections. Additional focus points include strategies for overcoming barriers commonly faced by our communities when it comes to voting, immigrant voter engagement case studies and preparations for the 2022 midterm elections.
Moderator:
Raymond Partolan, National Field Director, AAPI Vote
Speakers:
Jennifer Chau, Program Director, AZ AANHPI for Equity Coalition
Eric Jeng, Director of Outreach, ACDC
Laura Martin, Executive Director, PLAN
Nse Ufot, CEO, New Georgia Project
Mari Yepez, Lead Organizer, Unite Here Arizona
Track Sponsor
GLOBAL MIGRATION: OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSE TO PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
Sessions in this track will examine timely topics including: global migration and the intersection with climate change; the shifting leadership role of the US, lessons from partners in Europe and Latin America. In particular, this will focus on the impact on especially vulnerable populations, including indigenous people, LGBTI refugees, and refugees fleeing gender based violence.
Climate Induced Migration and Displacement
Track Block 1 / Monday Oct 4 / 11:00am-12:15pm
Environmental stressors have increasingly driven migration and displacement, forcing individuals to leave their homes to seek refuge in other parts of their countries and, in some cases, outside of their borders. Drought, flooding, temperature change, inconsistent rainfall rates, and unreliable crop yields have been consistent and pervasive manifestations of climate change. The current international protection framework and immigration and refugee policy responses have been grounded more in deterrence or containment, rather than exploring broader opportunities for protection or durable solutions.This session will explore how climate change factors into migration or displacement, disproportionately impact vulnerable populations, and the U.S. government’s role in responding -- including identifying opportunities for complementary pathways for those displaced by climate change.
Moderator: Oscar Chacon, Executive Director, Alianza America
Speakers:
Denise Bell, Amnesty International
Maxine Burkett, U.S. Department of State
Harjeet Singh, Action Aid India
Tom K. Wong, Associate Professor of Political Science, USIPC Director, University of California, San Diego
Investing in the De-militarization of Border Communities and Building a Global Humanitarian Reception System for People Seeking Safety
Track Block 3 / Tuesday Oct 5 / 10:30am-11:45am
As the number of people seeking asylum continues to rise and the need to serve asylum seekers, unaccompanied children, and refugees grows, it is a critical moment to respond with a humanitarian approach that welcomes people seeking safety. This session will review perspectives from Europe, Middle East & Northern Africa, Asia, and the Western Hemisphere in building a humanitarian reception system and de-militarizing borders. This session will also include the U.S. response to asylum seekers and unaccompanied children at the U.S. southern border and the harmful impacts of Title 42 - and lift up examples of how community-based organizations welcome children, families, and immigrants with dignity.
Moderator:
Isabel Vinent, Co-Executive Director, Florida Immigrant Rights Coalition
Speakers:
Daniella Burgi-Palomino, Latin American Working Group
Meghan Lopez, International Rescue Committee
Yael Schacher, Refugees International
HEALTHCARE FOR ALL
Access to quality, affordable healthcare is an ongoing challenge for millions across the U.S., and immigrant communities often face additional barriers to healthcare due to restrictions encased in federal and state policies. While the past year greatly exposed the gaps in access to healthcare as well as the devastating lack of resources for mental health and trauma, immigrant rights coalitions also advanced groundbreaking systemic change and investment in healthcare for immigrants. The sessions throughout this track will discuss the realities of healthcare access and the mental health and trauma immigrant communities face and elevate effective campaigns and long term visions to change the way healthcare is accessed for millions of immigrants.
Expanding Immigrant Access to Health Care: Updates from Around the Country
Track Block 1 / Monday Oct 4 / 11:00am-12:15pm
2021 is the 25th anniversary of the 1996 welfare law that dramatically restricted immigrant eligibility for federal assistance programs. Since then, immigrant and health advocates have made small steps, driven by intensive advocacy, to undo the harm. After a pandemic that has exposed disparities and an administration that weaponized immigrants’ health against them, we are seeing new actions both at the state and federal level to further unravel or bypass the policy barriers to everyone having access to a healthy life, no matter where they were born. This panel will feature updates from some of those states, as well as the national perspective, identifying where progress has been made and how immigrant advocates can help push it further.
Moderator:
Rita Medina, State Policy and Advocacy Manager, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights
Speakers:
Katia Daley, CT Students for a Dream
Graciela Guzman, Campaign Organizer, Healthy Illinois
Gabrielle Lessard, Senior Policy Attorney, National Immigration Law Center
Lessons Learned from COVID-19 & Maintaining Grassroots Momentum to Build a More Inclusive Healthcare System
Track Block 2 / Monday Oct 4 / 2:45pm-4:00pm
COVID magnified and exposed existing divisions in access to healthcare, housing and quality employment, disproportionately placing immigrants and people of color at risk. The federal government responded to the pandemic by creating and expanding various public assistance programs, but many immigrants were excluded from eligibility. Even when they were eligible, immigrants often did not participate in the programs because of difficulty accessing them or fears of immigration consequences, including public charge. In response, state and community-based groups organized quickly, under immense pressure, and in a radical way that has not been seen before in immigrant access to health services. In this session we will hear from national and state groups about how COVID exposed the ugly inequality of our current healthcare system and how communities mitigated the harm caused by government inaction and the historic and structural racism embedded into public health programs. In the second half of the session, we will engage with participants to identify what systemic barriers and problems impacted them the most and how we can use this knowledge and momentum to fight for a more inclusive healthcare system.
Moderator:
Mireya Reith, Executive Director, Arkansas United
Speakers:
Santcha Etienne, Miami Organizer, Black Alliance for Just Immigration
Arcenio Lopez, Executive Director, Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project
Edelweiss Solano, Director of Family Services, Asian Community Development Council
Maria Fernanda Rivera, Community Education Manager, Comunidades Unidas
NATION OF REFUGE
This track will discuss the current state of refugee, asylum, and other humanitarian protections and successful advocacy strategies towards expanding and re-envisioning those protections during the current administration. It will also explore how the refugee resettlement infrastructure should be rebuilt in a way that recognizes refugees' various identities and addresses community needs in an intersectional manner. Ultimately, the track will discuss models of community organizing, leadership development, civic engagement, so that refugees and other directly impacted communities are in the forefront of narrative building and the movement.
Community Organizing and Building Collective Power with Refugee Leaders
Track Block 4 / Tuesday Oct 5 / 2:00pm-3:15pm
U.S. refugee resettlement programs generally focus on integration and self-sufficiency, but may not address the multi-layered reality of challenges and discrimination refugees face during their integration process and the need for greater systemic change. This session will explore how community organizing models can harness the power of refugee leaders to become active change makers and movement builders impacting local, state and federal level policies that make concrete improvements in refugee community members' lives. This session will further explore key components of this including bridging the gap between direct service and community organizing, effective training on leadership development, storytelling and communications with the media so that refugees can lift their voices and tell their own stories to impact the public narrative. Finally, this session will integrate aspects of civic engagement and opportunities for refugees to serve or hold elected offices, as well as the challenges and benefits in obtaining full citizenship. Attendees will leave with tools and learn best practices on how to harness refugee power and build leadership to move naturalized refugees into mainstream civic engagement structures.
Moderator:
Adamou Mohamed, Community Organizing Coordinator, Church World Service
Speakers:
Ahmed Ahmed, Pennsylvania Leader, Church World Service
Javier Hernandez, Executive Director, Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice
Representative Tram T. Nguyen, State Representative for 18th Essex District, Massachusetts Legislature
Sylvia Nyamuhungu, State Lead, Refugee Advocacy Lab
Dauda Sesay, Delegate, Refuge Congress
Reconstructing Refuge, Asylum, Other Humanitarian Protections and Successful Strategies
Track Block 1 / Monday Oct 4 / 11:00am-12:15pm
This session will explore the transition period between federal administrations, where certain pledges have been met while others have not, and discuss what this means for potential refugees, asylum seekers, Temporary Protected Status holders, Special Immigrant Visa holders, stateless people, unaccompanied children, and other displaced people. It will discuss where the current administration has fallen short of upholding humanitarian protections on refugee resettlement, asylum protections, and border enforcement and "management." It will also highlight successful advocacy strategies, led by directly impacted communities, that include organizing, communications, and legislative and administrative advocacy tactics.
Moderator:
Nejra Sumic, National Field Manager, We Are All America
Speakers:
Bilal Askaryar, #WelcomeWithDignity Communications Coordinator, Women’s Refugee Commission
Ellen Beattie, International Rescue Committee
Sunil Varghese, International Rescue Assistance Project
Ephrem Vitya, Congolese Community of Washington Metropolitan
Re-envisioning Refugee Resettlement through Welcoming Communities
Track Block 3 / Tuesday Oct 5 / 10:30am-11:45am
President Biden campaigned on a promise to “build back better,” and with the US refugee resettlement program having endured such terrifying cuts under the previous administration, they are poised to do just what Biden promised. US humanitarian protection programs are not immune from the struggles the country faces on the whole such as the urgent need of safe and affordable housing, income inequality, systemic anti-Blackness, anti-AAPI violence, and a rise in bigoted anti-trans legislation across states. As we rebuild ways to serve such as refugee resettlement, asylum services, and TPS, how can the systems themselves rise to address these community needs and ensure that newly welcomed immigrants are equipped to navigate the realities of their new homes? This session will explore spaces where US humanitarian programs can and should grow in order to help build more welcoming, just, and accessible safety for all; re-envisioning these programs through an intersectional approach. Panelists will include program experts and community leaders and organizers for a discussion on how to build more equitable resettlement services. Attendees should leave with an understanding of where there are opportunities for growth, and identify a number of paths to advocate for programmatic change.
Moderator:
Sarah Seniuk, Advocacy and Communications Manager, Refugee Council USA
Speakers:
Ola Osaze, Co-Director, Black LGBTQIA+ Migrant Project
Kimahli Powell, Executive Director, Rainbow Railroad
Anahita Panahi, Organizer, We Are All America
USING NARRATIVE TO WIN: MAXIMIZING THE IMPACT OF OUR MESSAGES, MESSENGERS & CREATIVE CONTENT
The “Using Narrative to Win” track will provide several different types of learning experiences intended to spark thought provoking and dynamic engagement. We will be focusing on three different types of content: Case study presentations, exhibits about narratives that are working and not working; and hands-on workshops focused on practice upgrades and specific challenges participants are facing. Our goal is for track participants to come away with compelling insights that reveal new opportunities to use narrative as a winning strategy for our movement.
Building A Narrative Strategy For Immigrant Justice: Lessons from Year 1 of Race Forward’s Butterfly Lab
Track Block 4 / Tuesday Oct 5 / 2:00pm-3:15pm
In its first year, Race Forward’s Butterfly Lab for Immigrant Narrative Strategy brought together a select cohort of sixteen movement leaders to build a strategy to advance narratives that honor the humanity of migrants, refugees, and immigrants. Cohort members analyzed the narrative landscape, did extensive audience research, developed prototype projects (spanning art installations, video, animation, music, digital and social media, and more), and produced a system of deep narratives for a movement-wide strategy. This workshop will discuss the Butterfly Lab’s theory, praxis, and process, reveal results of original research done for the Lab, and reveal the Lab’s recommendations for the narrative field and pro-immigrant movement.
Speakers/Presenters:
Jeff Chang, Senior Advisor, Race Forward / Butterfly Lab for Immigrant Narrative Strategy
Nayantara Sen, Director of Narrative and Cultural Strategies, Race Forward
Meeting the Moment: Campaigns that Show How Each of Us Can Break Past Narrative Sticking Points and Ramp up Effectiveness
Track Block 3 / Tuesday Oct 5 / 10:30am-11:45am
Through various campaign pivot points, narrative has been instrumental in shifting perspectives and behaviors. In this session presenters will discuss some narrative “sticking points.” and how their campaigns broke beyond those challenges with new and different types of experiments: their rationale, approach and results. We’ll conclude with a Q&A on those experiments, with the facilitator focusing on the sticking points we need to get past in terms of practice, assess short and long term narrative strategies.
Moderator:
Astrid Silva, Executive Director, Dream Big Nevada
Speakers:
Kara Fink, Outreach & Partnership Manager, Idaho Office of Refugees, Bridging and Belonging
Matthew Rordriguez, Deep Canvassing Manager, People’s Action
Nili Sarit Yossinger, Executive Director, Refugee Congress
Viridiana Vidal, Communications Manager, National Day Laborer Organizing Network
Messaging and Narrative Research Round Robin
Track Block 1 / Monday Oct 4 / 11:00am-12:15pm
Across our movement, data driven strategies make our work more focused and effective. When it comes to narratives centering immigrants and refugees, we have our work cut out for us. Join us as we unpack some compelling narrative research finds. This session will feature a showcase of actionable narrative research insights in the style of pecha kucha: In the first 30 minutes participants will hear a series of presentations on interesting research/testing observations or actionable learnings. This will be followed by facilitated break-out groups. Attendees of this session will come away with digestible, accessible applications for their local narrative work and campaigns. This session will be an interactive showcase of actionable research insights from leaders working across the field and using narrative to win.
Moderator:
Denzil Mohammed, Director, Public Education Institute
Speakers/Presenters:
Kimberly Serrano, Messaging Research Project Manager California Immigrant Policy Center
Lan Kolano, Chair & Professor, UNC Charlotte
Sil Ganzo, Professor, Executive Director, Our Bridge for Kids
Lisa Sherman Luna, Executive Director, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition
SHARED PROSPERITY: REBUILDING OUR ECONOMY THAT WORKS FOR ALL
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen immigrants and refugee communities being the hardest hit yet continuing to play a vital role in rebuilding our economy. This track will focus on equitable recovery for all communities; innovations, strategies and government policies and programming that have been implemented to help rebuild our economy including workforce development, education, English-language acquisition; worker justice and organizing and advocacy strategies.
Catalyst for an Inclusive Recovery: The Role of State & Local Governments in Long-Term Response
Track Block 3 / Tuesday Oct 5 / 10:30am-11:45am
As cities and states rebuild their economies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and even prior to the pandemic, state and local governments have an opportunity to play a central role in ensuring an inclusive economic recovery. Drawing on programmatic and policy models from the 10-member ONA Network, city leaders in immigrant integration, and local advocates, this moderated panel will include state policymakers from the Nevada and New Jersey’s ONAs, The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs in Atlanta, and CHIRLA and will equip policymakers and advocates with strategies, tools, and resources to advance state-level/city-wide, cross-sector immigrant and refugee inclusion initiatives, including concrete ways in which state and local communities can ensure that funds from the American Rescue Plan are dedicated to an equitable recovery for immigrants and refugees.
Moderator:
Leani Garcia Torres, Associate Director, State and Local Initiatives, New American Economy
Speakers:
Charina de Asis, Director, Nevada Office for New Americans
Esperanza Guevara, Policy and Advocacy Manager at CHIRLA
Eduardo Munoz, Project Coordinator, Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, City of Atlanta
Innovative Solutions to Workforce Barriers: Finding a Path to Equitable Recovery
Track Block 1 / Monday Oct 4 / 11:00am-12:15pm
Although the recent pandemic was not the cause of the workforce barriers that immigrants and refugees face, it did shine a brighter spotlight on the issues. Join us to hear about how workforce barriers such as occupational licensing, workplace integration, ELL, digital literacy, accessing workforce services and career pathways are being tackled by non-profit organizations, government agencies and service providers.
Moderator:
Katherine Gebremedhin, Director, Partnerships & Program Development, World Education Services
Speakers:
Rochelle Cooks, Director Employer Engagement, The Welcoming Center
Annie Fenton, Program Director of the Michigan International Talent Solutions, Office of Global Michigan
Tadd Wamester, Director Partnership Development, Voxy EnGen
Organizing Excluded Workers to Build Power and Rebuild our Economy
Track Block 4 / Tuesday Oct 5 / 2:00pm-3:15pm
The COVID pandemic has highlighted the essential role of immigrant and low-wage workers in our economy and created new, urgent and ongoing opportunities for innovative organizing and advocacy to improve the conditions of and build power for workers excluded from the mainstream economy.
Moderator:
Jackie Vimo, Economic Justice Policy Analyst, National Immigraiton Law Center
Speakers:
Rovika Rajkishun, Deputy Director, American Business Immigration Coalition
Mario Sandoval, UNITE HERE, NV Culinary Union Binion’s Horseshoe
Yadira Siqueiros, Nevada State Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance, Care in Action
Angeles Solis, Lead Organizer, Workplace Justice Team, Make The Road New York
SOLIDARITY IN ACTION
This Track will amplify the work being done across movements led by marginalized communities with the aim of modelling the solidarity needed to address the most pressing issues currently impacting our immigrant communities. Sessions will shed light on applying multi-racial solidarity and an intersectional approach to modern movements impacting our immigrant populations, contextualizing the lessons learned in organizing and policy advocacy to current efforts and crises, including ongoing developments in immigration policy, rising anti-Asian violence and xenophobia, the criminalization of Black immigrants, the movement for gender justice, the movement for queer liberation, and more. The Track will also uplift rising leaders and highlight ways to cultivate new leadership that will focus on building multi-racial, multi-issue solidarity and power-building.
Building Power in Solidarity: Black - AAPI Solidarity & Lessons for Our Movements
Track Block 2 / Monday Oct 4 / 2:45pm-4:00pm
What does solidarity look like in practice? This session will focus on how API and Black solidarity is rooted in the deep connection these communities have to anti-imperialism and abolition. Examining anti-Blackness and the recent rise in anti-Asian violence as nothing new, but the continuation of longstanding racism beyond individual acts, Panelists will share how they are building power and organizing across API and Black communities to address systemic racism and the need for a shared narrative and organizing strategy that advances solidarity across communities and across movements, from immigrant rights to economic justice to criminal justice.
Moderator:
Kim Marie Tabari, Organizational Development Director, USC Equity Institute
Speakers:
Courtney-Savali Andrews, Co-Founder, Black Pacific Alliance
Jason Finau, Co-Founder, Black Pacific Alliance
Seydi Sarr, Co-Founder, African Bureau for Immigration and Social Affairs
Kabzuag Vaj, Co-Executive Director, Freedom, Inc.
Ken Whitaker, Executive Director, Michigan United
Building Cross-Movement Intersectional Solidarity
Track Block 4 / Tuesday Oct 5 / 2:00pm-3:15pm
In this session, attendees will hear from organizers and movement builders in different geographic, political and issue contexts to discuss: what strategies work when you’re trying to move an intersectional issue across movements? How do organizers working across multiple focus areas build trust so that we can get closer to cross-racial solidarity in our work? Attendees will hear about what the movements of today can learn from previous organizing and advocacy efforts in terms of solidarity and sustainability.
Moderator:
Andy Kang, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Immigrant Coalition
Speakers:
Sulma Arias, Community Change/FIRM
Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, NY Immigration Coalition
Laura Martin, Executive Director, PLAN
Building our Bench: Cultivating Leadership for our Movements with Solidarity at the Center
Track Block 1 / Monday Oct 4 / 11:00am-12:15pm
What does solidarity leadership look like? Why is this so essential to power-building for our communities and movements? How do we cultivate leadership across our movements? What is the step-by-step process? How has this work been successful and what more needs to be done? Attendees to this session will learn from leaders working across our sector -- perspectives from organizing and advocacy, elected officials, philanthropy and more -- and join in a conversation about how we can cultivate movement and solidarity leadership from within directly-impacted communities.
Moderator:
Roxana Norouzi, Executive Director, One America
Speakers:
Kevin Douglas, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees
Stephanie Greenlea, Executive Assistant to the Secretary Treasurer, UNITE HERE
Emily Persaud-Zamora, Executive Director, Silver State Voices
Jumanne Williams, Public Advocate, City of New York (Invited)
Track Sponsor
WELCOMING & INCLUSIVE SOCIETY
As we come through a challenging year of crisis on multiple fronts, we now have the opportunity to re-engage and re-create our communities into places of belonging. The challenges of the past year taught us a great deal about what is working and what isn’t in communities, and we are now reimagining ways to ensure the safety, dignity, and justice of all our neighbors. This track will revisit lessons learned, as well as examine breakthrough ideas and interventions that are helping reshape communities into the more just and united spaces we want them to be.
From Crisis to Opportunity: Building Welcoming Communities
Track Block 2 / Monday Oct 4 / 2:45pm-4:00pm
This session will examine how a welcoming infrastructure demands a larger equity framework. We will explore the policies, relationships, and values that lay the groundwork for equitable communities, and highlight lessons learned from the racial reckoning of the last few years as well as the pandemic. With speakers from local government and the nonprofit sector, this session will provide firsthand testimony from advocates that are operating with a larger equity framework to co-create a vision of equity and belonging together.
Moderator:
Krystina François, Executive Director, Office of New Americans of Miami-Dade, Florida
Speakers:
Federico Rios, Assistant Director, Office of Equity, Mobility and Immigrant Integration, City of Charlotte, North Carolina
Elizabeth Roscoe, Executive Director, Western Union Foundation
Colin Triplett, Director of Migration and Refugee Services, Catholic Charities of Louisville, Kentucky
Gloria Yen, Director of the New American Welcome Center, University YMCA of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois
Immigrant Integration through AmeriCorps Service and Funding
Track Block 1 / Monday Oct 4 / 11:00am-12:15pm
Every year Congress allocates $1.4 billion to the AmeriCorps Agency, which provides grants to nonprofit organizations nationwide. Organizations can apply for grants directly to the AmeriCorps Agency or through the State Commissions. Currently, preparing citizenship applications is not a primary deliverable that AmeriCorps would accept, but organizations can apply for grants for related deliverables (called performance measures) such as financial literacy, education, and workforce development. Currently a tiny portion of this funding is focused on promoting immigrant integration. There is a great opportunity for organizations attending NIIC to learn more details on organization's eligibility to apply for grants, who is eligible to serve as AmeriCorps and the benefits they receive, how to structure a grant application, and obtain contact information for the 50 State Commissions. Panelists will present their points of view on why AmeriCorps is a great partner for Immigrant Integration. As this is a new topic for many attendees, the Q&A section may be the most important, so we would allocate a big portion of time to this part.
Moderator:
Mayra Cedano, Executive Director, Comunidades Unidas
Speakers:
Jessica Chicco, Director, New Americans Initiative, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition
Maureen Ecceleston, Executive Director PennSERVE;Chair of the Board, America’s Service Commissions
Pablo Blank, Director, Immigrant Integration, CASA