TRACK SESSION DETAILS

Details on the 11 issue Tracks that will be featured at NIIC 2022 are below. See here for the schedule day-by-day, and stay tuned for additional updates!

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.

Dismantling Digital Detention

Sunday Dec 11 / Track Block 1 / 2pm-3:15pm 

Detention is not the answer. In response to pressure to halt inhumane detention practices, state and federal governments are increasingly touting “alternatives to detention” that are often little more than digital prisons that survey, track, and trap immigrants in a costly and harmful way. If “digital detention” is not the solution, then what would it look like to recreate the immigration system without relying on detention? This session will explore the real-life ramifications and impact of digital detention on the community and reimagine what abolition looks like for immigrants

Moderator: Seydi Sarr (she/her), Director, African Bureau of Immigration and Social Affairs

Speakers

  • Cynthia Galaz, Senior Policy Associate, Freedom for Immigrants 

  • Mustafa Jumale, Policy Manager, Black Alliance for Just Immigration

  • Amaha Kassa (he/him), Executive Director, African Communities Together

  • Modou Abdoulaye Thiam, Formerly Detained Asylum Seeker



Interrupting the Deportation Pipeline

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 2 / 10:45am-12pm

Over the past 30 years, the deportation system has grown at unprecedented rates due to the convergence of criminal and immigration law, the intertwining of police and immigration officers, the increase in federal funding, and the blatant racial profiling and targeting in Black and Brown communities. Organizing efforts across the country have worked to stop and shut down systems at local, state and federal levels, offering lessons and opportunities to continue momentum to confront the deportation pipeline. This panel will feature leaders from campaigns, advocacy and organizing efforts to share strategies, lessons learned, and ways to engage in the ongoing fight to stop deportations. 

Moderator: Apolonio ‘Polo’ Morales (he/him), Director of External Affairs, CHIRLA 

Speakers

  • Setareh Ghandehari, Advocacy Director, Detention Watch Network

  • Ana Delia Espino, Executive Director, Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice  

  • Andy Kang, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Immigration & Citizenship Coalition 


Building the Movement for Universal Representation

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 3 / 2:15pm-3:30pm

The movement to advance universal representation in communities across the country over the last few years has grown significantly with now over 55 communities funding deportation defense programs. In the context of this momentum, this panel of experts will discuss launching into the next phase of the movement for universal representation.  We will address strengthening the state and local efforts, building towards the passage of federal legislation through the Fairness to Freedom campaign, and the importance of ensuring that universal representation is a strong partner in the broader movement for immigrant and racial justice. 

Moderator: Annie Chen (she/her), Initiative Director Advancing Universal Representation, Vera Institute of Justice 

Speakers

  • Cathryn Paul, Public Policy Director, CASA 

  • Ellen Pachnanda, Director, Immigration Practice, Brooklyn Defenders 

  • Emiliano Rodriguez, Board President Juntos and Regional Director, Unite HERE

  • Nancy Treviño, Associate Director for Network Power, Alianza Américas



Strengthening & Growing Immigration Legal Services: Models and Strategies

Tues Dec 13 / Track Block 4 / 10:15am-11:30am

This session will share strategies, models, and best practices to build and expand immigration legal services programs. Panelists will discuss building a pipeline of community leaders in the legal field, training attorneys and Department of Justice Accredited Representatives, utilizing technology to reach scale and connect with rural communities, program sustainability, and addressing barriers in the field. 

Moderator: Eréndira Rendón (she/her), Vice President of Immigrant Justice, The Resurrection Project

Speakers:

  • Conchita Cruz, Co-Executive Director, Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project 

  • Stephen W. Manning, Executive Director, Innovation Law Lab

  • Michele Pistone, Professor of Law and Founding Faculty Director, VIISTA: Villanova Interdisciplinary Immigration Studies Training for Advocates, Villanova University 

  • Lisa Sherman Luna (she/her), Executive Director, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition


Climate Justice

Immigrants and refugees are on the front lines of climate change. Climate and extreme weather are rapidly becoming one the largest root causes of displacement, and in the United States immigrant communities are among those hit first and worst by climate disasters and impacts. Despite this our communities are often overlooked and left out of efforts to adapt to and mitigate climate impacts, and few tools exist to provide safe pathways for climate-displaced people to migrate. This track will explore the ways immigrants and refugees are uniquely impacted by climate change, both as a root cause of migration and as frontline communities in the United States. 



Climate Displacement and Migration

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 3 / 2:15pm-3:30pm

Accelerating climate impacts are forcing millions of people to leave their homes -both within countries and across borders. Climate change shapes the migration stories of many immigrants and refugees already in the United States, but few legal and policy tools exist to provide safe pathways for climate-displaced people. This workshop will explore climate displacement including emerging narrative, organizing, and legal and policy strategies to expand pathways for climate displaced people in the United States. 

Moderator: Vlad Carrasco, CHIRLA

Speakers:

  • Nisha Agarwal (she/her), International Refugee Assistance Project  

  • Juanita Cabrera Lopez (she/her), International Mayan League
    Krish O’Mara Vignarajah (she/her), Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service  

  • Arturo J. Viscarra (he/him), CHIRLA

  • Thanu Yakupitiyage (she/her), 350.org




Immigrant Communities in the Just Transition to Clean Energy

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 2 / 10:45am-12pm

To combat the climate crisis, the United States needs to cut carbon emissions and transition from fossil fuels to clean energy– creating both opportunities and challenges for immigrant communities. Clean energy is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy and could present an unprecedented opportunity for prosperity for frontline communities, including immigrants and refugees. But immigrants, refugees and all communities of color are underrepresented in the clean energy sector. This session will explore how immigrants and refugees are joining the fight for a just transition and creating opportunities in the green economy.

Moderator: Vivian Yi Huang (she/her), Asian Pacific Environmental Network 

Speakers:

  • Max Bell Alper (he/they), North Bay Jobs with Justice

  • Rahwa Ghirmatzion (she/her), PUSH Buffalo

  • Eduviges Hernandez (she/her), Somos Un Pueblo Unido



Immigrant Communities, Climate Disasters, and Resilience 

Tuesday Dec 13 / Track Block 5 / 11:45am-1pm

Resilient communities are organized communities. Decades of disinvestment and unique vulnerabilities have left our communities under-resourced and vulnerable to extreme weather and other climate disasters. As climate change dramatically increases the frequency and severity of disasters and extreme weather, immigrant and refugee communities are organizing for deep investments, systems and social supports to strengthen our resilience and provide resources in times of crisis.This workshop will explore the conditions facing immigrants and refugees from extreme weather and climate impacts, and strategies for collective responses to disaster through inclusive adaptation, preparation, and recoveries.  

Moderator: Krystina François (she/her), Communities United for Status and Protection  

Speakers:

  • Sandra Ascencio (she/her), WeCount!

  • Claudia Navarro (she/her), WeCount!

  • Vivian Yi Huang (she/her), Asian Pacific Environmental Network

  • Steven Wu (he/they), Woori Juntos


Education & Language Access

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the disproportionate obstacles that our communities face when it comes to education and language access. This track will touch on language access barriers and language justice issues; language acquisition, education and economic mobility; language and workforce opportunity; digital literacy and equity issues, etc. The sessions will look into best practices in inclusiveness and access to public schooling, adult education, workforce development, and language justice and communicating with immigrant communities. 


Language Justice and Localities: Bridging the Gap between Organizations and Local Leadership

Sunday Dec 11 / Track Block 1 / 2pm-3:15pm

In this session, we will discuss how community-based organizations and local governments can work together to provide meaningful language access to public services for immigrant and refugee communities. This session will also explore how government offices charged with language access can assist organizations in obtaining information and resources for their communities. Cities, municipalities, and community-based organizations will present on lessons learned, best practices, and recommendations on how to obtain meaningful and resourceful tools that provide language justice to their communities.

Moderator: Kaori Hirakawa, OneLanguage

Speakers:

  • Ernesto Ajanel, International Mayan League

  • Claudia Castillo, City and County of Denver

  • Andres Echeverri, ACSI Translations



The Fight for Educational Access and Equity for Immigrants in Public Schools

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 3 / 2:15pm-3:30pm

The last few years have been tumultuous for public schools and students across the country. The pandemic has underscored and compounded the existing inequities in our country’s public school systems. Despite our immigrant community's ongoing resilience in the face of systemic injustice, immigrants and their children have been disproportionately affected. In addition, schools are reckoning with the nation’s racial history, at a time when migrants are continuously dehumanized, being utilized as pawns in a political fight between conservative and progressive states and localities. Schools will play an invaluable role as the nation enters a phase of recovery and healing, and comes to terms with its past. Now more than ever, we must center how well schools engage and support immigrants who come to the United States with their hopes and dreams for a new life. This session will highlight some promising practices to engage immigrant families through welcoming school environments, collaboration with community partners, culturally-responsive schools, and a focus on educational equity and access.

Moderator: Andrea Ortiz, New York Immigration Coalition

Speakers:

  • Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez, Deputy Director, Californians Together

  • Vanessa Luna (she/her), ImmSchools

  • Sookyung Oh (she/her), Hamkae Center

  • Ruth Perez (she/her), Parent Leader, ImmSchools  

  • Abeer Shinnawi, Director of Program, Re-Imagining Migration



Breaking Down Barriers in Adult Literacy and Workforce Development

Tuesday Dec 13 / Track Block 4 / 10:15am-11:30am

When part of a unified immigrant inclusion strategy, English acquisition, digital literacy, and workforce development play vital roles in helping immigrants and refugees thrive socially, civically, and economically. However, according to a study by the Migration Policy Institute, the existing adult ESOL system serves less than four percent of those in need of adult education services. Additionally, gaps in access to digital skills, devices, and high-speed internet further stand in the way of immigrants’ access to ESOL and other essential and support services. In this session, we will talk about the critical intersections of ESOL instruction, digital equity and inclusion, and immigrant integration as part of a larger ecosystem with immigrants and refugees at the center. 

Moderator: Roxana Norouzi (she/her), Executive Director, OneAmerica

Speakers:

  • Cesar Bautista, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition

  • Amanda Bergson-Shilcock, National Skills Coalition

  • Shirley Doan, World Education, Inc.

  • Catalina Gonzalez, World Education Inc.


Full Citizenship

From re-defining citizenship to empowering the 5 million+ newly naturalized citizens to become lifelong voters- the Full Citizenship track will unpack timely conversations with nuanced analysis. Discussions will include the ongoing fight to secure a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants; empowering new citizens to not only exercise their right to vote but to also seek political leadership positions; and the fight to expand noncitizen voting. This track will equip participants with tools, insights and knowledge to fight for the civic inclusion of all immigrants and refugees as we gear toward 2024 and beyond. 



Building Grassroots Power with Local, State, and National Voting Initiatives 

Sunday Dec 11 / Track Block 1 / 2pm-3:15pm

By the time we come together, the dust will just be settling over the critical 2022 Midterm Elections. Join us for a deep dive into the national landscape of voting and elections for historically marginalized BIPOC, immigrant, and refugee communities, new initiatives to allow certain noncitizens to vote in certain elections, efforts to expand the electorate and use naturalization as a Democracy-building strategy, and unique perspectives from the Southern United States. In order to build grassroots power, we must find ways to support local and state organizations doing important work in local communities around the nation. This discussion will focus on bringing together national, state, and local practitioners, with a specific focus on lifting up the work, theories, strategies, and tactics of local and state organizers.

Moderator: Raymond Partolan (he/him), National Field Director, APIAVote  

Speakers:

  • Ishraq Ali (he/him), Organizing Director, MPower Change 

  • Theodore Moore (he/him), Vice President of Policy & Programs, New York Immigration Coalition

  • Lovette K. Thompson (she/her), Lead Organizer, Black Alliance for Justice Immigration

  • Laura Vazquez (she/her), Associate Director of Immigrant Integration, UnidosUS 



Empowering New American Leaders and Shaking Up Politics as Usual

Session timing to be announced

If there is anything the midterms taught us this year, it is that it will take all of us working together to create a more inclusive democracy and counter the mounting attacks on our rights. 

From local offices to Congress, immigrants are challenging and changing the idea of who can and should run for office, even in the face of rising white nationalism and extreme policies. When immigrants are elected, they don’t just change policies, they change political systems—transforming our democracy so that it reflects the needs and the demographics of our communities. And when voters see someone who speaks to their shared experiences and values, it inspires political participation, creating a stronger, more inclusive democracy for us all. 

Join this session to hear from New American elected officials and community leaders as they share their experiences on the campaign trail, upcoming policy priorities, and opportunities to foster political leadership that reflects our communities and defends progressive policies that protect our communities.

Moderator:  Aamina Ahmed, Regional Program Manager, New American Leaders

Speakers:

  • Gabriel Acevero, Delegate, Maryland House of Delegates (District 39)

  • Carlos Aleman, Executive Director, Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama & City Council Member, Homewood, AL (District 2)

  • Homayra Yusufi, Deputy Director, Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans 




Winning Full Citizenship Through Registry 

Session timing to be announced

It has been over 36 years since the last large-scale immigrant legalization. 1986 was also the last time that the Immigration and Nationality Act's "registry date" was updated. This panel will explain registry and explore how an update to registry would put millions on a path to citizenship, and what full citizenship would mean for these communities and the country.

Speakers:

  • Luz Castro, Deputy Director of National Policy & Advocacy, CHIRLA

  • Imani Cruz, Policy Advocacy Coordinator- Migration, American Friends Service Committee 

  • Haddy Gassama, Esq., Policy and Advocacy Director, UndocuBlack Network


Healthy Communities

Since 2020, BIPOC, immigrant, and refugee communities have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States due to various forms of structural inequality, including barriers encased in federal and state policy that restrict access to quality, affordable, and culturally responsive healthcare. In 2022, these issues have coupled with unprecedented attacks on our basic rights, such as the overturn of Roe v. Wade by the United States Supreme Court. Despite all obstacles, immigrant rights coalitions all over the country continue to advance groundbreaking systemic change to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all, regardless of immigration status. The sessions in this track will discuss recent state victories and ongoing efforts for coverage expansion, the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on immigrant and refugee communities, culturally responsive mental health care within our communities as well as how immigrant women of color are leading the fight for abortion access.



Unwinding COVID-19: Addressing Inequities & Sustaining Momentum for Health Equity

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 2 / 10:45am-12pm

The COVID-19 pandemic brought many challenges and highlighted systemic barriers to equitable healthcare, but it also brought new possibilities. During the pandemic, we saw health insurance rates increase as more people became eligible for Medicaid under the Public Health Emergency (PHE), and states took steps to ensure that immigrant families had access to care. New and innovative ways of thinking were welcome as communities sought new approaches to take care of one another. But as we begin to move beyond COVID, how do we sustain the positive outcomes that came out of the pandemic? How do we prepare and lower the health risks for immigrant communities when pandemic funding is reduced and the PHE comes to a close? Panelists will discuss the challenges immigrants and their families faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, lessons learned and sustainable responses, and how to keep the momentum moving towards health equity for immigrant communities as we prepare for the closing of the PHE. 

Moderator: Azizah Ahmad, Policy & Community Advocacy Manager, APIAHF

Speakers:

  • Ben D’Avanzo, Sr. Health Policy Analyst, National Immigrant Law Center

  • Stan Dorn, Director, Health Policy Project, UnidosUS

  • Shelby Gonzalez, VP of Immigration Policy, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities




Ending the Exclusion of Immigrants from Health Coverage

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 3 / 2:15pm-3:30pm

While undocumented immigrants remain excluded from accessing health coverage through federal programs, several states have begun to extend coverage to undocumented immigrants through state-funded programs. In this session, we will learn about the in’s and out’s of some of these campaigns across the country. A panel of advocates who have recently won coverage expansions in California, Illinois, and New York will share their insights about policy, legislative strategy, coalition building, organizing and media tactics, and narrative strategy. Attendees will leave with applicable lessons that can help them win similar campaigns in their own states and localities.

Moderator:

Speakers:

  • Sarah Dar (she/her), Health & Public Benefits Policy Director, California Immigrant Policy Center  

  • Luvia Quiñones (she/her), Senior Director of Health Policy, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights  

  • Tovia Siegel (she/her), Campaign Director, Healthy Illinois Campaign 

  • Theresa Thanjan (she/her), Senior Manager of Organizing and Strategy NYC, New York Immigration Coalition  




Building Comprehensive & Accessible Systems & Communities of Care

Tuesday Dec 13 / Track Block 4 / 10:15am-11:30am

It is imperative for immigrants and refugees to receive adequate health care in order to ensure their wellbeing. Experts in the field discuss how organizations serving immigrants and refugees can work together in order to remove barriers to providing accessible health care. Panelists from across the nation provide their first-hand experience and knowledge of the barriers that immigrants and refugees face and the need for improved resources, training, and systems in health care and mental health care. Speakers will discuss best practices for improving mental health resources, cultural connections, language access and legal representation for immigrants and refugees. Additionally, panelists will highlight barriers encountered at the intersections of disability rights, reproductive rights, and LGBTQ rights within the immigrant and refugee community. 

Moderator: Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition

Speakers

  • Mayra Cedano (she/her), Executive Director, Comunidades Unidas

  • Jennifer Cedor(she/her), Staff Attorney, Health Law Advocates

  • Michelle Garcia (she/her) Manager of Organizing and Community Development, Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago

  • Cynthia Stewart (she/her), Ramirez June Developmental Disabilities Navigator, New York State Office for New Americans

  • Sina Uipi (she/her, Policy Associate, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities




Centering Immigrant Voices in the Reproductive Justice Movement

Tuesday Dec 13 / Track Block 5 / 11:45am-1pm

People of color, especially immigrants, face some of the most significant barriers to accessing reproductive care, on top of other threats to their health and status. Especially in the wake of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the landscape around abortion access is confusing and poses risks for immigrant people. This conversation aims to showcase strategies for centering immigrant voices in the reproductive justice movement and uplift the experiences immigrants face when accessing reproductive health care. We will talk through the ways in which we mobilize our communities around reproductive justice through grassroots organizing and messaging as well as h ow we uplift our voices and the voices of our communities into the national dialogue around abortion rights and access.

Moderator: Sheena Matthews, Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Speakers:

  • Christine Nguyen (she/her), Policy Manager, NAPAWF 

  • Lucie Arvallo (she/ella), Policy Analyst, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health 

  • Aliza Kazmi (she/her), Executive Director, HEART Women and Girls

  • Camille Kidd (she/her), Policy Manager, In Our Own Voice


LGBTQIA+ Migrants in Focus

Over 250,000 Black, Indigenous, AAPI, and other POC LGBTQ+ migrants in the United States are at risk for detention and deportation. As this number grows, so has the anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric across the country. It’s critical at this moment to respond to negative sentiments surrounding LGBTQ+ migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and other forcibly displaced persons. Sessions within this track will amplify key areas of intersection across the movement including: detention of trans migrants and asylum seekers, LGBTQ+ folks seeking refuge, undocumented LGBTQ+ folks, transnational organizing, and how organizations can center BIPOC LGBTQ+ voices to build a sustainable and liberated future. 


Journey of Inclusion for LGBTQ Black & POC Migrants 

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 2 / 10:45am-12pm
Join us for a conversation that centers Black & POC  LGBTQ+ migrant voices on ways that global anti-Blackness perpetuates cycles of violence. What are the ways that we hold ourselves accountable to one another as an immigrant community? What are some of the policy/legislative actions that harm or help Black & POC  LGBTQ+ migrants as they journey into the US? And what are the ways to create a future where the global LGBTQ+ movement conversation focuses on revolution not just mere inclusion? 

Moderator: Dr. Kim Tabari, Organizational Development Director, USC Equity Research Institute 

Speakers:

  • Uchechukwu Onwa, Co-Director, Queer Detainee Empowerment Project  

  • Nekessa Opoti, Black Alliance for Just Immigration  

  • Aneiry Zapata, Garifuna Committee Organizer, Black LGBTQIA+ Migrant Project  


LGBTQ Black and POC Migrants Across Intersections

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 3 / 2:15pm-3:30pm

Intersectionality is a framework rooted in feminist theory of power and difference, credited to law professor Kimberley Crenshaw in 1991, and critical race theorists on whom she drew, who rejected the notion that class, race and ethnicity are separate. Crenshaw and others use intersectionality to draw attention to the interconnections, interdependence, and interlocking of these categories.

Intersectionality of Black & POC LGBTQ+ migrants aim to analyze how different forms of identities intersect and offer specific experiences of migrants on the basis of gender, race and class simultaneously.  As migrants move from one place to another, they destabilize fixed borders, boundaries, and families. We hope to share a framework of intersecting axes of oppression (heterosexism, sexism and racism), its impact on Black & POC  LGBTQ+ migrants, and strategies for our collective work.

Moderator: Tessa Petit, Executive Director, Florida Immigrant Coalition

Speakers:

  • Sophia Chu, African Bureau of Immigration & Social Affairs  

  • Amasai Jeke, Regional Community Organizer, Utopia Washington

  • Jacqueline Thanh, Executive Director, VAYLA New Orleans


LGBTQ Black & POC Migrants Advocacy and Resources

Tuesday Dec 13 / Track Block 5 / 11:45am-1pm

This session brings together a range of organizations and stakeholders (grassroots, direct-services, and policy advocacy) to share culturally competent and sensitive best practices and resources available in advocating for and providing services to LGBTQ+ migrants in the United States. We will interrogate our shared narrative and organizing strategy that advances solidarity across communities and across movements.

Moderator: Kenrick Ross, Executive Director, National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance 

Speakers:

  • Ava Benach, Founding Partner, Benach Collopy 

  • Francisco Cortes, Co-Executive Director, Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement 

  • Liza Doubossarskaia, Staff Attorney, Immigration Equality

  • Noah Gabigogo, Program Officer, Rainbow Railroad 


Narrative & Messengers

The narrative track will provide expert advice, and case study analysis that challenge long-standing assumptions about messaging, storytelling, and narrative-building. 

Participants will have the opportunity to pause to reflect on the ways storytelling is an innate tool gifted by ancestors and elders and how indigenous ways of knowing can help deepen the impact of our narratives. Participants will come away with tools and knowledge on how to build narrative power for the long term.

A Future for All of Us: Narrative Tools & Strategies for A Pro-Immigrant World

Sunday Dec 11 / Track Block 1 / 2pm-3:15pm

Utilizing groundbreaking narrative tools the Lab has tested and taught extensively, this session will give participants an opportunity to explore tools and approaches to narrative strategy grounded in our work and recent research conducted with The Opportunity Agenda. Participants will learn how to build an aligned narrative strategy for the pro-immigrant movement. Race Forward’s Butterfly Lab for Immigrant Narrative Strategy was launched in 2020 to build power for narratives that honor the humanity of migrants, refugees, and immigrants, and advance freedom and justice for all. Our work culminates in February 2023 with the final sharing of all our learnings.

Speakers/Presenters:

  • Jeff Chang, Butterfly Lab for Immigrant Narrative Strategy at Race Forward


Building Immigrant & Refugee Led Narrative Power

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 2/ 10:45am-12pm

Our diverse group of panelists will share the role that narrative has played in their advocacy strategies and campaign wins. They’ll offer their insights on how to transfer decision-making and leadership to those whose lived experiences make them the best agents for change. We’ll hear from an asylum seeker who was separated from his daughter at the border and then became a committed advocate for other families who have faced similar trauma,  as well as from a host of fierce movement organizers who started as activists advocating for themselves and other immigrants in their communities. The panelists will illustrate the power of storytelling as a catalyst for a meaningful and lasting culture shift on immigrants.

Moderators:

  • Conchita Cruz (she/her), Co-Executive Director, Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project  

  • Rosa Valderrama (she/her), Communications Director, Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project 

Speakers:

  • Erika Andiola (she/ella), Communications Director, Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights

  • Daniel Tse (he/him), Co-founder, Cameroon Advocacy Network under the umbrella of the Haitian Bridge Alliance 

  • Megha Lama (she/her), Senior Immigration Organizer, Adhikaar 

  • Daniel Paz (he/him), ASAP member and national advocate for separated families and asylum speakers 


Lifting the PI in AAPI

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 3 / 2:15pm-3:30pm

Our shared learning spaces are a canoe and we voyage our diaspora together. In this session, folx will engage in storytelling processes innate to Pacific Islander (PI) communities, passed down from our elders and ancestors. Throughout the session, facilitators will introduce learners to Pacific Islander ways of knowing and being. As we navigate PI narratives, participants will (1) increase their cultural-competency around NH/PI issues and (2) gain an understanding of cultural values. Simultaneously, facilitators will nurture the space and relationship between all those in the room. 

Speakers/Presenters

  • Estella Owoimaha-Church (sher/uso), Executive Director, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities

  • Kiki Rivera (we/they), Storyteller, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities


Building Beyond the Base: Evidence-Based Messaging Strategies to Expand Pro-Immigrant Support

Tuesday Dec 13 / Track Block 4 & Track Block 5 / 10:15am - 1pm

The last several years have seen a groundswell of interest in the role that evidence-based messaging has to play in growing support for humane U.S. immigration policies. Research shows this support is within reach, with up to 70% of registered voters open to pro-immigrant policy change. Despite that potential, a number of narrative challenges remain, from the rhetoric of “invasion” at the southern border and the resurgence of law/order sound bytes, to the deepening of zero-sum and scarcity-based thinking. Overcoming these narratives is key to unlocking new audience support – and will require a radical expansion in our ability to think, act, and communicate across difference. This practical two-hour workshop helps meet that need, by equipping frontline communicators, advocates, and organizers with evidence-based messaging strategies to communicate and connect beyond the base and across a range of immigration issues. The content leverages a groundbreaking research collaboration that synthesized 100+ public opinion studies by 62 organizations, to distill concrete recommendations for cultivating values-based communications, telling effective stories, emotionally countering opposition narratives, and proactively framing the debate. The session will examine case studies and tested language, and include ample time for participants to workshop current challenges and practice applying evidence-based messaging.

This is a 2-part session; to register and for more information see here.

Speakers/Presenters:

  • Anita Vukovic (she/her) Messaging & Engagement Strategist, California Immigrant Policy Center

  • Thaís Marques (she/ella), Communications Director, RAICES


Nation of Refuge

The Nation of Refuge track will take a comprehensive approach to our collective advocacy efforts to rebuild and re-envision refugee resettlement and protection infrastructures, engaging critically with the many disparate barriers forcibly displaced people face when seeking refuge in the United States. We will also highlight the field's approach to community organizing through an intersectional lens that recognizes root causes of migration as well as the diverse and multifaceted identities among displaced diaspora. As part of this work, we will explore the need to build solidarity across forcibly displaced populations, centering the need for equity and utilizing explicitly anti-racist/classit/ableist tools  to dismantle systemic barriers that perpetuate anti-Blackness,and disparate treatment to LGBTQIA+ and disabled persons when seeking care. The track will showcase emergent state and local policies that create opportunities for a proactive approach to resettlement in moments of crisis and a vision for moving beyond traditional infrastructure. 

Addressing the Challenges in the Moment 

Sunday Dec 11 / Track Block 1 / 2pm-3:15pm

As we continue to rebuild and strengthen our humanitarian protection programs in the United States, it is critical that we assess the challenges and opportunities of the current moment. In this session, we will explore how to balance the necessity of responding to rapidly unfolding mass displacement while also addressing protracted crises. We will examine how to best meet the needs of refugees, humanitarian parolees, asylum seekers, and migrants, while exploring how traditional western narratives of “refugee crisis” or “border crisis” have impacted our global response to migration. The session will conclude with an interactive discussion on opportunities and reimagining solutions to rebuild and strengthen our humanitarian protection systems.

Speakers to be announced


Reinforcing Solidarity Within the Immigrant & Refugee Rights Movement Through a Racial Justice Lens

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 3 / 2:15pm-3:30pm

National, state, and local refugee and immigrant rights advocacy is deeply connected to the broader movement for racial justice. The previous administration issued a series of anti-refugee and anti-immigrant executive actions designed to grind resettlement to a halt and to discriminate against refugees and immigrants from several Black-majority and/or Muslim-majority countries. We have not seen a corresponding investment by the current administration to fully dismantle these discriminatory policies. As the U.S. continued to welcome tens of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing war, the country has continued to deport thousands of Black migrants back to violent conditions. This session will explore how refugee organizing efforts are part of the larger struggle for racial justice and emphasize the need for collaboration and collective power building across movements and communities. We will not only explore how immigrant and refugee rights organizations can build intersectional solidarity across immigrant and refugee rights movements but also find common cause on issues such as affordable housing, racial justice, disability justice, women & marginalized gender’s rights, and LGBTQ+ organizing. 

Moderator: Adamou Mohamed, Church World Service

Speakers:

  • Hans How, AsylumConnect

  • Kosar Kosar, Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition

  • Paula Monuz, Florida Immigrant Coalition

  • Dauda Sesay, African Communities Together

  • Homayra Yusufi, Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans 

 

Creating Communities of Welcome: Welcoming Newcomers through Sponsorship

Tuesday Dec 13 / Track Block 4 / 10:15am-11:30am

Communities across the country are supporting and welcoming newcomers more than ever through a diversity of sponsorship programs, from new programs to welcome Afghans, Ukrainians, and Venezuelans to programs that have existed for decades to support resettled refugees through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. As more sponsorship opportunities become available over the next year, people across the country can mobilize their communities to participate in directly supporting and welcoming newcomers seeking refuge in the United States. 

We will discuss what sponsorship is, hear directly from sponsors and newcomers about the difference sponsorship makes in the lives of newcomers seeking refuge here, and the variety of ways you can engage your community to get involved.

Moderator: Denise Bell, Partnerships Director, Welcome.US

Speakers

  • Community Sponsorship Hub

  • Sponsor (REACT DC securing a sponsor)

  • Afghan newcomer (REACT DC securing a beneficiary)

  • Ukrainian newcomer (REACT DC securing a beneficiary)


Envisioning and Realizing Hope: Being the Change

Tuesday Dec 13 / Track Block 5 / 11:45am-1pm

In these challenging times of erosion of rights and polarization around immigration, too often we focus on negative rhetoric, action and policies that shape the debate. In this session, we flip the lens to focus on hopeful, inspiring actions, and local wins, and also hone our skills to be agents of change and radical welcome.  We will hear from people on the frontlines of rallying communities to provide humanitarian reception of asylum-seekers and migrants, both along the border and in cities receiving busloads of newcomers from Texas in the wake of Gov Abbott’s actions.We will also hear from youth organizing to protect the rights and dignity of some of the most marginalized immigrants and learn how they inspire support for their cause. Then, we will help solidify practical skill-building, by workshopping how we can take the methods and approaches used by these groups and apply them in our own communities.

Moderator: Sarah Seniuk, Refugee Council USA

Speakers:

  • Dr. Diya Abdo, Guilford College, Every Campus a Refuge

  • Amy Fischer, Amnesty International USA

  • Daniel Tse, Cameroon Advocacy Network


Resourcing Our Movements

Money can often change the playing field fast, especially in politically and economically challenging times. Powering our movements requires durable, diversified, innovative, long-haul resources, investment and partnership. This Track will provide expert guidance and insights on several core fundraising concerns for our movements: 1) growing and engaging individual donors; 2) trends, perspectives and analysis from institutional funders; and 3) lessons from a successful state-wide case-study in public-private partnership that puts movement and community-based leadership at the center.  


Legal Services Equal Legalization: Research & Funding Strategies to Expand Legal Services

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 2 / 10:45am-12pm

For the millions of immigrants residing in the United States without status, legal services are essential. Through such services, immigrants can feel more secure, gain economic security for their families and more fully participate in their communities. Approximately, 15 percent of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. are eligible for some form of legal relief. However, without legal services, they may never have opportunities to apply. Given the challenges of navigating the complex immigration legal system, legal services are a lifeline. Unfortunately, demand for low-cost, culturally and linguistically appropriate legal services continue to outpace the capacity of the sector. This session will highlight recent reports on legal services needs and will offer recommendations and examples that address gaps and strengthen the immigration legal services infrastructure. 

Moderator: George Escobar, Chief of Programs and Services, CASA 

Speakers:

  • Eréndira Rendón, Vice President of Immigrant Justice, The Resurrection Project 

  • Kevin Douglas, Senior Director of Programs, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees 

  • Anna Gallagher, Executive Director, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.

  • Don Kerwin, Executive Director, Center for Migration Studies

  • Navin Moul, Program Officer, Safety and Belonging Program, Zellerbach Foundation


State of Field: A Conversation with Immigration Funders

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 3 / 2:15pm-3:30pm

Coming off of a consequential midterm election the political, social, and economic landscape for immigrants and refugees is of key importance to funders, organizers, advocates

and service providers. In this session you’ll hear from a diverse panel of immigrant rights funders and get insights on what their funding priorities are and why, what they are optimistic about, and what worries them. We will conclude with a robust discussion about the future of immigration rights and funding for 2023 and beyond. 

Moderator: Marjorie Fine, Consultant, Four Freedoms Fund

Speakers:

  • Sara Campos, Grove Foundation

  • Rini Chakraborty, Four Freedoms Fund

  • Adey Fisseha, Unbound Philanthropy

  • Mayra Peters-Quinteros, Abundant Futures Fund  

  • Ivy Supira, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees 


Digital Fundraising 101: Building People Power with Small-Dollar Donors

Tuesday Dec 13 / Track Block 4 / 10:15am-11:30am

Folks all over the country have banded together to fight the impact of the pandemic, combat racism and systems of oppression, and protect our democracy. Small-dollar donors are an important part of this work, forming a powerful base of supporters who are ready to engage in your cause and become agents for progressive change. As a final push for your end-of-year giving and getting ready for the new year, join digital fundraising experts at ActBlue to craft a strong fundraising ask, build a sustainable recurring program, and employ cutting-edge digital fundraising tools.

Speakers/Presenters:

  • Dan Michaels, Community-Based Organizations Associate, ActBlue

  • Jeovany Quintanilla, Community-Based Organizations Associate, ActBlue


Case Study: CA Dignity for Families Fund (title in development)

Tuesday Dec 13 / Track Block 5 / 11:45am-1pm

This session will share learnings from the CA Dignity for Families Fund, a public-private partnership designed to help migrant families and unaccompanied children at the U.S.-Mexico border receive urgent humanitarian relief and assistance as they request asylum and resettle in communities throughout the state. Panelists will discuss how the Fund was implemented, including assembling a movement-led advisory committee, and learnings from our grantee partners.

Moderator: Marissa Tirona, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees 

Speakers:

  • Ola Osaze, Four Freedoms Fund 

  • Odelia Romero, Comunidades Indigenas en Liderazgo 

  • Dan Torres, Elyse & Walter Haas Jr Fund


Shared Prosperity: Building an Inclusive Economy that Works for All

Despite experiencing disproportionate economic hardship as a result of COVID-19, immigrant and refugee communities continue playing a vital role in rebuilding our economy through the pandemic’s third year. In fact, the pandemic highlighted that the work/contributions of immigrants and refugees in the U.S. is/are critical to rebuild the country’s economy. The sessions in this track will discuss policies, programs, and tools that support an equitable economic recovery for immigrants and refugees. Topics will include: economic mobility, workforce development, worker justice, organizing and advocacy strategies, equitable access to financial tools, plus more.


Strategies for Economic Justice “Post-Pandemic” for Undocumented Workers

Sunday Dec 11 / Track Block 1 / 2pm-3:15pm

For many state and federal lawmakers, they believe the economic crisis of COVID-19 is over; workers are back at jobs and the economy is in motion. But for undocumented workers, the financial impact and crisis of COVID-19 is far from over, and the gaps in the social safety net only highlighted longstanding structural inequities. What are ways communities are building long-term advocacy strategies for economic inclusion of undocumented workers, beyond pandemic cash assistance? This session will explore advocacy campaigns around unemployment for undocumented workers, Working Families Tax Credit Guranteed Basic Income, and other state and local strategies that are being piloted across the country that are building off advocacy and program infrastructure strengthened during the pandemic. It will also look at the narrative around the role of state and local governments in building thriving economic homes for undocumented immigrants as the federal fight for citizenship continues on.

Moderator: Eli Goss, Policy Director, OneAmerica 

Speakers:

  • Pablo Blank, Director, Immigrant Integration, CASA

  • Zulema Chavero, Community Organizer, Somos un Pueblo Unido 

  • Marcela Diaz, Executive Director, Somos Un Pueblo Unido

  • Elaine Waxman, Senior Fellow, The Urban Institute


Financial Inclusion of Refugee and Immigrant Communities

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 2 / 10:45am-12pm

As recents international events have shown, war, famine, and natural disasters can befall any country or communities and force thousands of people to abandon their homes in search of peace, stability, and prosperity. As refugees and migrants look to build a new future in the United States, their inclusion into the U.S. financial system is critical for them to build wealth and integrate into our economy and society. There are hundreds of financial institutions, credit unions (Juntos Avanzamos),  loan funds, cities, and municipalities that are working to serve and empower immigrant communities. They accept alternate forms of ID at account opening, offer financial counseling, and provide low cost consumer, citizenship, and mortgage loans. They partner with consulates, community organizations, non profit organizations that focus on financial education, and immigrant service organizations throughout the United States.  

This session will explore how financial institutions, credit unions, loan funds and localities are working towards the financial inclusion of immigrant & refugee communities, offering affordable and relevant financial services.The types of strategies they have deployed, financial products that have been and are being developed, their  impact in our communities and ways to partner and work together to promote asset building and generational wealth in communities. 

Moderator: Rene Vargas Martinez, Director, Puerto Rico Network, Inclusiv

Speakers:

  • Kenia Calderon Cerón, Green State Credit Union, Iowa 

  • Petra Falcon, Promise Arizona

  • Edmundo Lijo, Assistant City Attorney, Welcome Saint Paul, Immigrant & Refugee Program, Minnesota

  • Silvia Rincon, SVP, Member Experience, Latino Credit Union

 

Equitable Access to the Workforce for an Inclusive Recovery 

Tuesday Dec 13 / Track Block 4 / 10:15am-11:30am

Immigrants and refugees face disproportionate and unique barriers in entering the workforce. Some of these barriers include discriminatory immigration status requirements, inadequate access to workforce development training and adult education classes, and a lack of recognition of international credentials.  In this session panelists will highlight policy and programmatic efforts to address these barriers. Some examples include efforts to facilitate access to the workforce for immigrants and refugees by tackling unique barriers to occupational licensing, creating tailored career pathways, and ensuring impacted communities are aware of and have access to programs.  The panel’s diverse perspectives—as service providers, employers, researchers, and advocates—will spotlight the importance of collaboration among a range of stakeholders to achieve an inclusive recovery.  

Moderator: Fatima Sanz, Senior Policy Manager, Global Talent Bridge, World Education Services 

Speakers:

  • Erika Castro, Organizing Director, Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada  

  • Leani García Torres, Deputy Director, State & Local Initiatives, American Immigration Council 

  • Jina Krause-Vilmar, President & CEO, Upwardly Global

  • Carmen Saenz, Welcome Back Center Maryland


Investing in Undocumented Communities: Strategizing to Provide Funding Opportunities for Immigrant Youth Without Work-Authorization

Tuesday Dec 13 / Track Block 5 / 11:45am-1pm

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, also known as DACA. The DACA program has protected more than 825,000 immigrant youth in the past ten years from deportation. The DACA program has helped many so-called Dreamers reach their educational and career goals and stay with their families and loved ones. However, DACA is consistently getting attacked and at risk of termination at any given moment. For immigrant youth, a pervasive fear ruled their lives as they awaited the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals' decision to end or continue DACA protections. In addition to looming fear and uncertainty of immigrant youth's future, there is a new wave of young undocumented students who are ineligible for DACA due to arbitrary requirements. Nearly 100,000 undocumented students graduate high school annually, but only a quarter of undocumented students graduating high school are estimated to be eligible for DACA. Thus, increasing the number of undocumented of youth that face financial uncertainties due to lack of work authorization and/or paid opportunities. In light of uncertainty, undocumented immigrant youth advocated for themselves to find funding opportunities while organizing to push for a permanent solution for the 11 million immigrant community. Led by undocumented immigrant youth and allies, the session will provide NIIC attendees and stakeholders with an open dialogue that can yield strategies to provide undocumented immigrant youth without work-authorization with funded opportunities in the various workforce and through entrepreneurship.

Moderators

  • Gaby Gil, UCLA Dream Resource Center

  • Jessica Olivares, UCLA Dream Resource Center

Speakers:

  • Miriam Felblum, President's Alliance on Higher Education

  • Sharet Garcia, UndocuProfessionals 

  • Iliana Perez, Immigrants Rising 

  • Eddie Taveras, FWD.US

  • Nicole Wesley, Dream.us


Organizing Immigrant Tenants Against Displacement

Tuesday Dec 13 / Track Block 5 / 11:45am-1pm

The U.S. is in the midst of a housing crisis, and communities of color, including immigrant communities, are disproportionately affected. With average rent increases of 12% earlier in the year, residents are spending most of their income on rent, homeownership is becoming increasingly out of reach, and finding affordable housing is becoming more of a rarity as valuable real estate is being bought up by private equity firms seeking to make a profit at the expense of working-class communities. Local, state, and federal governments have a vital role to play in ensuring safe and stable housing for those in need, but migrant groups are finding themselves left out of the conversation when they should be protected and guaranteed a seat at the table. 

This panel will gather housing advocacy groups to explore and discuss: the unique housing challenges faced by the immigrant community, campaign strategies that have proved successful, what it takes to empower and mobilize the immigrant community to fight against powerful corporations, and how to build resistance to protect vulnerable communities. Advocates shall also discuss how immigrant communities can come together and what action is needed from allies to ensure families are not displaced and forced out of their homes.

Moderator: Amaha Kassa, Executive Director, African Communities Together

Speakers:

  • Jorge Benitez-Perez, Maryland Community Organizer, CASA 

  • Santra Denis, Executive Director, Miami Workers Center 

  • Soseh Prom, Esq, State Policy Manager, African Communities Together


Welcome, Inclusion & Belonging

As many local communities across the country continue to find best practices to be welcoming and inclusive, speakers in these sessions will address how they’ve created and continue to create communities where everyone can belong. Discussions will address ways to ensure the safety, dignity, and justice of all our neighbors. From local government actions to innovative nonprofit work, this track will explore how we can welcome through policies and programs at the local level, and breakthrough ideas that are uniting communities and creating a space of belonging for all. 

Creating an Inclusive and Accessible Welcome for People with Disabilities

Sunday Dec 11 / Track Block 1 / 2pm-3:15pm

Disabled or able-bodied, we all have the power and responsibility to make society more inclusive and welcoming for everyone. From lived experiences to listening to the disability community, we have a responsibility to ensure welcome and inclusion for all, including those with differences in factors like vision, hearing, speech, and mobility. In this session, you will learn how your community can ensure representation to ensure everyone has a “seat at the table”. The session will also explore how to shift the narrative of those with disabilities as  important contributing members to our society and how awareness of their contribution brings a lasting impact on the lives of others. 

Moderator: Tobin Williamson, Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition 

Speakers:

  • Michelle Garcia, Access Living 

  • Martha Jackson, New York City Mayor’s Office

  • Abdurazak Kedir, African Community Outreach 

  • Johan Alberto Trujillo Loaiza, Arkansas Delegate, Refugee Congress 

Always Welcome: Building Long Term Welcoming Infrastructure with Immigrants and Refugees 

Monday Dec 12 / Track Block 2 / 10:45am-12pm

At a moment when organizations and localities are powerfully choosing to welcome new arrivals and activating existing infrastructure to support newcomers, the work of welcoming has never been more necessary. The work of welcoming is an ongoing, long term practice that is best created when immigrants, refugees and directly impacted communities are organized and at the table creating the strategies, policies and practices that will create a more just pathway of welcoming, inclusion, and belonging. This session will discuss ways in which welcoming infrastructure has been created and sustained by immigrants and refugee communities with speakers sharing their strategies, best practices, and policies from campaigns and programs across the country.

Moderator: Lisa Sherman Luna, Executive Director, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition  

Speakers:

  • Adama Bah, Community volunteer, ABISA

  • Jesús A. Del Toro, Office of New Americans, Chicago Mayor’s Office 

  • Jessica DeVries, Director of Programs, YMCA New American Welcome Center  

  • Sokthea Phay, YMCA 

  • Fatima Saidi, Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition  

Co-Designing Programs with Community

Tuesday Dec 13 / Track Block 4 / 10:15am-11:30am

As organizations, governments, and private sector entities grapple with questions of equity and inclusion, it is increasingly critical that solutions be guided by those who are directly impacted. When working with marginalized populations especially, this shifting pedagogy will help build solidarity across populations in our communities and center the voices of those with lived experience in shaping the priorities, programs, and services that are intended to serve them. This session will highlight the importance of moving away from designing programs for a community and will offer techniques and examples of how to co-create programs with a community. Hear from practitioners who have made this shift as they discuss what it means to "co-design' and share their successes and challenges in implementing co-design strategies.

Moderator:  Daniel Valdez, Welcoming America 

Speakers:

  • Amer Al Faydah, USAHello

  • Taif Jany, RCUSA

  • Claudette Ndayininahaze, Co-Founder & Executive Director, In Her Presence

  • Maria Torres, Migrantes Unidos 

  • Diane Vu, Office of Community Partnerships, Montgomery County, MD