national immigrant integration conference 2010, boston ma

2 National Immigrant Integration Conference September 29 - October 1, 2010 Boston, Massachusetts

Four Freedoms Fund

Fish Family Foundation

Suzette Brooks Masters

David and Susanna Place

Sponsors of the 2010 National Immigrant Integration Conference

elcome to the second National Immigrant Integration Conference. This event brings together over 300 stakeholders: policymakers, community-based organizations, immigrant & refugee service providers,

researchers and government agencies in a way that is seldom experienced– to advance multifaceted immigrant integration efforts at the local, state, and national level.

Our four plenary sessions will address the relationship between the foreign-born and the state of our nation’s economic, social and civic health. An outstanding collection of leaders will delve into twenty-one strategy sessions, emphasizing promising practices around integration initiatives, including citizenship, language access, workforce development, education, and civic and economic empowerment. While the media focuses on the border, we gather to focus on the 17% of the American workforce that is foreign born, the 25% of American school children who have an immigrant parent, and the organizations that support and share in the process of moving millions of newcomers toward becoming Americans.

The breadth and depth of Massachusetts’ immigrant community, the 7th largest overall immigrant population in the nation, provides a distinctive setting for inclusion and integration discussions, particularly the challenges of adapting integration policy to a socio-economically and linguistically diverse immigrant population. Massachusetts has a rich history of providing quality social and integration services via faith-based organizations, public-private partnerships, community-based organizations as well as state- programs. In 2009 Massachusetts launched the New American Agenda, a leading example of an Executive Order to unite public and private efforts to advance immigrant integration.

We also welcome you to Boston with our rich immigrant stories as old as America itself. We invite you to discover our vibrant ethnic neighborhoods and historic sites that remind us of the meaning and ideals of American identity and citizenship. Over 24% of the residents of Boston are foreign born and they speak more than 140 languages. This diversity is a vital part of making Boston the vibrant, prosperous and globally connected city we welcome you to today.

We thank the National Partnership for New Americans, a coalition of state-level advocacy groups and the National Center of Immigrant Integration Policy at MPI. We also acknowledge the successful effort by the Spring Institute and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights in hosting last year’s conference in Denver and our chance to build on that momentum. Last but not least, we are tremendously grateful for the generous contributions from foundations and individuals without which this gathering would not be possible. We would like to thank the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Four Freedoms Fund, Hunt Alternatives Fund, The Herman and Frieda L. Miller Foundation, The Boston Foundation, Western Union Foundation, Families United in Educational Leadership, Fish Family Foundation, The Hyams Foundation, David and Suzanna Place, Burgess Urban Fund, Suzette Brooks Masters, Citi, and Legal Sea Foods. Their steadfast support for immigrant integration initiatives, many of which are showcased at the conference, are also unmatched.

We know your time and energy are precious, and we very much appreciate your decision to come and share your experience and expertise with us to expand the knowledge base, strengthen networks, and facilitate a cross-pollination of efforts amongst different sectors. We are charting the course for a growing national effort in fostering and redefining what it means to become an American.

Together we are helping shape the future of our country, fostering the economic and civic health of our society and bolstering the work of naturalization.

Eva A. MillonaCo-Chair, National Immigrant Integration ConferenceExecutive DirectorMassachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition

Westy Egmont Westy EgmontCo-Chair, National Immigrant Integration Conference PresidentAssociation of New Americans

National Immigrant Integration Conference September 29 - October 1, 2010 Boston, Massachusetts 3

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2010 National Immigrant Integration Conference – Becoming Americans!

9:00 am – 3:00 pm Pre-Conference Symposium (Invitation-Only) Language Access Policy: Program Management and Funding

Hosted by Migration Policy Institute

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Registration & Check-in

5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Opening Reception featuring Naturalization Ceremony Special Location: The Exchange Conference Center, 212 Northern Avenue

Mayor Thomas Menino, Damian Thorman (John S. and James L. Knight Foundation)

Paul Grogan (Boston Foundation), Eva Millona (MIRA Coalition)

Master of Ceremonies: Westy Egmont (NIIC Co-Chair)

7:30 am – 8:30 pm Registration & Breakfast

8:45 am – 10:15 am Morning Plenary Grand Ballroom

Immigrants & the Economy: the role of immigrants in economic growth Governor Deval Patrick, Michael Fix (MPI), Esther Lopez (UFCW),

Kevin McCarthy (Chairperson and CEO of the Dunkin' Donuts Independent Franchise

Owners organization)

Moderated by: Bianca Vázquez Toness, WBUR-FM/National Public Radio

10:30 am-12:00 pm Strategy Sessions - Block A• Professional Re-credentialing - Grand Ballroom D • Welcoming Initiatives - Commonwealth A

• Youth Programs - Grand Ballroom C • Labor Rights - Commonwealth C

• Urban Revitalization - Commonwealth B

12:15 pm – 2:00 pm Luncheon Plenary Grand Ballroom Immigrants & Democracy: promoting naturalization and greater civic engagementAlejandro Mayorkas (USCIS), Jorge Mursuli (Democracia), Arturo Vargas (NALEO)

Felicia Escobar (The White House Domestic Policy Council)

Moderated by: Damian Thorman, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

2:15 pm – 3:45 pm Strategy Sessions - Block B

• Language Access - Grand Ballroom C • Naturalization - Commonwealth B

• State Initiatives - Commonwealth A • Public Safety - Commonwealth C

• Immigrant Entrepreneurship - Grand Ballroom D

3:45 pm - 4:00 pm Afternoon Break with light refreshment

4:00 pm – 5:30 pm Strategy Sessions - Block C • The New American Vote - Commonwealth B • Civic Leadership - Commonwealth A

• Expanding Adult ESOL - Grand Ballroom E • Public Schools - Grand Ballroom C

• New Americans & Finance - Grand Ballroom D • Current Research - Commonwealth C

5:45 pm – 7:15 pm American Dream Fund Special Session Commonwealth B

7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Documentary Screening - Integration Stories Grand Ballroom

Faces of America “Becoming American”Preview: Tony & Janina’s American Wedding


WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2010

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2010

2010 National Immigrant Integration Conference

Becoming AmericansAgenda

7:30 am – 8:45 pm Networking Breakfast

9:00 am - 10:30 am Morning Plenary Grand Ballroom

Immigrants & the Host Communities: the importance of new citizens in revitalizing democracy and renewing civic values Robert Putnam (Harvard University), State Senator Mee Moua (MN),

Richard Herman (author of Immigrant, Inc.)Moderated by: The Honorable Michael Dukakis, Former Governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

10:30 am - 10:45 am Morning Break with light refreshment

10:45 am - 12:15 pm Strategy Sessions - Block D• Early Education & Families - Grand Ballroom C

• Adult Education Transitions - Grand Ballroom E

• Local & Municipal Initiatives - Commonwealth A

• Comprehensive Immigrant Reform - Commonwealth C

• Fundraising for Integration Efforts - Commonwealth B

12:30 pm – 2:15 pm Luncheon Plenary Grand Ballroom

Immigrants & Justice: fostering immigrant community-law enforcement relations and protecting civil rightsDeepak Bhargava (Center for Community Change), Representative Kyrsten Sinema (AZ),

Tom Perez (US Department of Justice)

Moderated by: Richard Chacon, Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants

2:30 pm – 3:00 pm Closing Program Grand Ballroom

The Honorable Hilda Solis, United States Secretary of Labor


2010 National Immigrant Integration Conference

Becoming AmericansAgenda cont. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2010

GRAND BALLROOM

GRANDBALLROOM E

GRANDBALLROOM D

GRANDBALLROOM C

COMMONWEALTH

BALLROOM C

COMMONWEALTH

BALLROOM B

COMMONWEALTH

BALLROOM A

PREFUNCTION

Westin Boston Waterfront


Deepak Bhargava, Executive Director, Center for Community Change

Deepak Bhargava is Executive Director of the Center for Community Change, a national non-profit organization whose

mission is to develop the power and capacity of low-income people, especially low-income people of color, to change

the policies and institutions that affect their lives. He conceived and led the Center's work on immigration reform, which

has resulted in the creation of the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM), a leading grassroots network pressing

for changes in the country's immigration laws. Prior to his appointment as Executive Director of the Center in 2002, Mr.

Bhargava served as the Center's Director of Public Policy. He has run numerous national campaigns that have resulted in

significant improvements in the lives of low-income families. Mr. Bhargava currently serves on the boards of the

Discount Foundation, the League of Education Voters, The Nation editorial board, the National Advisory Board for the

Open Society Institute, and Democracia Ahora. Born in Bangalore, India, Mr. Bhargava immigrated to the United States when he was a

child. He grew up in New York City and graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his partner

Harry Hanbury, a documentary filmmaker.

The Honorable Michael Dukakis, Former Governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Michael Stanley Dukakis was born to parents who emigrated from Greece to Massachusetts. Dukakis graduated from

Brookline High School (1951), Swarthmore College (1955), Harvard Law School (1960), and served for two years in

the United States Army. Dukakis became the Governor of Massachusetts in 1975. He inherited a record deficit and

record high unemployment and is generally credited with digging Massachusetts out of one of its worst financial and

economic crises in history. Dukakis was reelected to an unprecedented third four-year term in 1986, and the National

Governors’ Association voted him the most effective governor in the nation. Dukakis then went on to win the

Democratic nomination for the presidency of the United States in 1988. Since leaving office in 1991, Dukakis has been

a Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Northeastern University and Visiting Professor at the School of Public

Policy at UCLA. His research has focused on national health care policy reform, he has also co-authored a book, How to Get Into Politics-

and Why, designed to encourage young people to think seriously about politics and public service as a career. Dukakis also served a full

five-year term on the Amtrak Board as Vice-Chairman.

Westy Egmont, President, Association of New Americans

Westy Egmont (co-chair) is a native New Yorker who began his professional life with VISTA organizing the first Head

Starts in Massachusetts. He has served as a school administrator in Kenya, a church leader, and while hosting a WBZ-

TV4 talk show for 11 years was president of the National Association of Religious Broadcasters. Dr. Egmont is perhaps

best known for his leadership in developing the Greater Boston Foodbank and then as head of the International Institute

of Boston, a leading provider of legal, educational and vocational services to refugees and immigrants. Westy currently

teaches social policy at Boston College and does consulting work with non-profits.

Michael Fix, Senior Vice President and Director of Studies, Migration Policy Institute

Michael Fix is Senior Vice President and Director of Studies at the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), as well as the Co-

Director of MPI's National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy. His work focuses on immigrant integration,

citizenship policy, immigrant children and families, the education of immigrant students, the effect of welfare reform on

immigrants, and the impact of immigrants on the US labor force. Mr. Fix, who is an attorney, previously was at the

Urban Institute, where he directed the Immigration Studies Program from 1998 through 2004. He has served on the

National Academy of Sciences' Committee on the Redesign of US Naturalization Tests and is a member of the Advisory

Panel to the Foundation for Child Development's Young Scholars Program. In November 2005, Mr. Fix was a New

Millennium Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Columbia University's School of Social Work and is currently a Research

Fellow with IZA in Bonn, Germany. Mr. Fix received a JD from The University of Virginia and BA from Princeton University and did

additional graduate work at the London School of Economics.

Speaker Biographies

Cynthia Brothers, Program Officer, American Dream Fund; Four Freedoms Fund, Public Interest Projects

Cynthia has worked in research, advocacy and direct services in a range of areas including workforce development,

public-benefits access, mental health and race and gender issues. She also worked in Asian/Pacific Islander community

leadership and civic engagement, mentorship, and tutoring for low-income immigrant children in New York’s

Chinatown. Prior to joining PIP in 2008, Cynthia worked as a project assistant with the Women of Color Policy Network

and as an advocacy associate with the New York City Employment and Training Coalition. Cynthia holds a master’s

degree in public administration from the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University.


Speaker BiographiesPaul S. Grogan, President and CEO, Boston FoundationPaul S. Grogan is the President and CEO of the Boston Foundation, one of the nation’s oldest and largest community

foundations. Since coming to the Foundation, Mr. Grogan has boosted fundraising and streamlined operations while also

launching high-impact initiatives in housing, the arts, education reform, workforce development and civic engagement.

Mr. Grogan joined the Foundation from Harvard University, where he served as Vice President for Government,

Community and Public Affairs from 1999 to 2001. He was also a Senior Lecturer at the Harvard Business School. From

1986 through 1998, Mr. Grogan was President and CEO of the nonprofit Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC),

the nation’s largest community development intermediary. During his term as president, LISC raised and invested more

than $3 billion of private capital in inner-city revitalization efforts across America, all channeled through local nonprofit community

development corporations. Noted author and Dean of the Columbia School of Journalism Nicholas Lemann has written that “Paul Grogan

is one of the heroes of the community development movement.”

Richard T. Herman, Founder, Richard T. Herman & AssociatesRichard Herman is the founder of Richard T. Herman & Associates, an immigration and business law firm in Cleveland,

Ohio which serves a global clientele in over 10 languages. He is the co-founder of a chapter of TiE, a global network of

entrepreneurs started in 1992 in Silicon Valley. Richard is one of the architects of a movement to revitalize the Rust Belt

through federal and local policies to attract job-creating high-skill, entrepreneurial and investor immigrants to distressed

regions of the country. Mr. Herman holds an "AV-Rating", the highest legal ability and ethical standards rating available.

He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), is three-times recognized as a "Leading

Lawyer" by Inside Business Magazine, and was selected for inclusion in Cincinnati Magazine's list of 2004 Ohio's

Super Lawyers. Ohio Governor Bob Taft, Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell and former Cleveland Mayor Michael White

have honored Mr. Herman for his commitment to immigrant and minority communities. He has appeared on National Public Radio, FOX

News, and various affiliates of NBC, CBS, and ABC. Mr. Herman is married to Kimberly Chen, a physician born in Taiwan and they have

two children, Nathan, 7, and Isabella, 5.

Robert J. Hildreth, CEO and Founder, Families United in Educational LeadershipFamilies United in Educational Leadership was founded in 2009 by Bob Hildreth, social entrepreneur and investment

banker. He also created the La Vida Scholars program in 2007 that is the prototype for FUEL. Bob’s interest in

educational reform and his financial background catalyzed a matched savings program to increase family participation

in their children’s education. Bob is the CEO and Founder of the Boston-based firm, International Bank Services. His

previous work in Central America and increased interest in philanthropy led him to immigrant issues, especially

education. He joined with Boston University to build the John Silber Early Learning Center in Chelsea, MA. In 1996 he

co-founded La Vida, Inc. which offers a highly successful college preparatory program to the Latino community in

Lynn, MA. As a trustee at Boston University, he is the Chairman of the Board of Overseers. Bob is a graduate of

Harvard College with graduate degrees from Johns Hopkins and George Washington Universities.

Esther R. López, Director of Civil Rights and Community Action Department, United Food & Commercial Workers

Prior to becoming Director of the UFCW’s Civil Rights and Community Action Department in November 2006, Esther

López played an active role in improving labor conditions in the state of Illinois, serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for

Labor, as well as in the governor’s cabinet as Director of the Illinois Department of Labor. López supervised several

state labor agencies, the AFL-CIO State Federation, central labor councils and building trades councils, and the Illinois

Office of New Americans Immigrant Policy and Advocacy. In that capacity, she developed community outreach

strategies and managed the agency’s monitoring of national immigration reform and the development of policies and

strategies to facilitate the integration of new immigrants to their communities. She currently serves on the Board of

Directors of the National Immigration Forum, the National Consumers League and Jobs with Justice. López represents

the UFCW on the UNI-Americas Women’s Committee, and as a member of the management team for the Reform Immigration for

American Campaign.

Geri Mannion, Program Director, US Democracy and Special Opportunities Fund/National Program,Carnegie Corporation of New YorkGeri Mannion has directed the Carnegie Corporation's U.S. Democracy Program since 1998, after staffing the

Corporation's program of Special Projects for almost ten years. While the Corporation continues to support projects that

focus on improving voter engagement among those least likely to vote, the U.S. Democracy Program focuses primarily

on immigrant civic integration. Separately, Mannion continues to direct the Corporation's Special Opportunities Fund,

which is housed within the Office of the President. The fund allows the Corporation to respond to proposals that are

important but not related to the foundation's primary foci. Mannion also serves on the boards of Grantmakers Concerned

with Immigrants and Refugees, the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars and the Center for

Development and Population Activities. In 2009, Geri, together with her colleague Taryn Higashi, received the Robert W. Scrivner Award

for Creative Grantmaking, one of philanthropy’s highest honors, for founding the Four Freedoms Fund, a funder collaborative.


Alejandro Mayorkas, Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

As the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) since 2009, Alejandro Mayorkas leads the

agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security charged with operating the largest immigration system in the

world. Immediately prior to becoming the Director of USCIS, Mr. Mayorkas was a partner in the law firm of

O’Melveny & Myers LLP. In 2008, the National Law Journal named him as one of the “50 Most Influential Minority

Lawyers in America.” In 1998, Mr. Mayorkas was confirmed as United States Attorney for the Central District of

California and became the youngest U.S. Attorney in the nation and the first in the Central District of California to be

appointed from within the Office. From 1989 to 1998, Mr. Mayorkas served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the

Central District of California. He has received numerous awards and commendations from federal and local law

enforcement for his work as a federal prosecutor.

Kevin McCarthy, Chairperson and CEO of the Dunkin' Donuts Independent Franchise Owners organization

Kevin McCarthy is a Massachusetts attorney practicing in the areas of Franchise Law, Civil litigation, Employment Law

and Real Estate Law. Additionally, McCarthy is a past Chairman and Board Member of the New England Franchise

Association (NEFA). He is also a past President of the National Association of Public Interest Law and has practiced

before both Federal and Massachusetts State Courts and is admitted to the United States Supreme Court. Prior to

founding his own law firm, McCarthy served as a Vice-President of the Dunkin' Donuts Corporation and as President of

Quikava - a subsidiary of Chock Full 'O Nuts, Inc. McCarthy presently serves as the Chairperson and CEO of the

Dunkin' Donuts Independent Franchise Owners (DDIFO) organization which represents over 1800 Dunkin' Brand

franchise units across New England, the Mid-West and the Mid-Atlantic states. McCarthy possesses an MBA from the

Suffolk University School of Management and a BA from Lake Forest College along with a JD from the Boston University School of Law.

Speaker Biographies

Mayor Thomas M. Menino, Boston

A national leader on neighborhood issues, Mayor Thomas M. Menino has been elected five times as Mayor of Boston.

Forging partnerships to revitalize neighborhoods, strengthening the economy through workforce investments, and

innovating in education, his vision for Boston is based on strong, welcoming communities that provide unlimited

opportunity for success. After launching the Office of New Bostonians in 1998 to welcome immigrants and connect

them to the cultural, economic, and academic fabric of the city, Mayor Menino continues to create opportunities for all

residents. Mayor Menino and his wife, the former Angela Faletra, have two children, Susan and Thomas, Jr. and six

grandchildren. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston and holds a degree in community planning.

Eva A. Millona, Executive Director, Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition

Eva Millona (co-chair) is the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, the

largest advocacy organization in the Commonwealth representing the foreign born. She has been with the organization

for over ten years, working as the director of Policy and Advocacy and as Deputy Director. Prior to joining MIRA in

July, 1999, Eva directed the resettlement program in central MA. In her native Albania, she practiced civil and criminal

law. From 1989-1992, Eva served as a judge in Tirana’s District Court. Outside of MIRA, Eva is also the co-chair of the

Governor’s Advisory Council on Refugees and Immigrants and also serves on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Eva is a graduate of Clark University and of Tirana University, School of Law. She is the recipient of the 2009 U.S.

Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Outstanding American by Choice Award, the 2007 Political Asylum Immigration

Representation Project (PAIR) Detention Attorney Award, and the 2007 National Lawyers Guild Legal Professional Award. She is a

frequent speaker on immigration policy and immigrant integration.

State Senator Mee Moua, Minnesota

Since 2002, State Senator Mee Moua has represented Senate District 67, the east side of St. Paul and currently serves as

the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senator Moua has been a strong advocate for Minnesota’s newest

Americans and in 2005 and 2006, she took a lead role in advancing immigration reform legislation through the

Minnesota Senate. She supported bills to improve funding for Limited English Proficiency classes and Adult Basic

Education Classes. She fought for the DREAM Act and for the past six years, she has been the chief author of the

legislation to procure state dollars to help build the Asian Pacific Cultural Center in St. Paul. Born in Laos, Senator

Moua immigrated to the U.S. in 1978. She attended Brown University as an undergraduate, earned a Masters of Public

Policy from the University of Texas-Austin, and a law degree from the University of Minnesota. Before being elected to

the Legislature, Moua worked as an attorney. Moua currently lives on St. Paul’s East Side with her husband Yee Chang and their three

children, Chase, Sheng and Amelia. She was the nation’s first Hmong American elected to a state legislature and she holds the highest

office of any Hmong American politician.


Speaker Biographies

Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice

Thomas E. Perez was sworn in on October 8, 2009 as the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. Prior

to his nomination, he served as the Secretary of Maryland’s Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. In 2002,

he became the first Latino elected to the Montgomery County Council, serving with distinction until 2006. Earlier in his

career, Mr. Perez spent 12 years in federal public service, mainly as a career attorney in the Civil Rights Division he

now leads. In that role, he prosecuted some of the Division’s highest-profile civil rights cases. Mr. Perez later served as

Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights under Attorney General Janet Reno, chairing the interagency Worker

Exploitation Task Force. He also served as Special Counsel to the late Senator Edward Kennedy, acting as Senator

Kennedy's principal adviser on civil rights, criminal justice and constitutional issues. Mr. Perez has also served as the

Director of the Office for Civil Rights at the United States Department of Health and Human Services during the Clinton administration.

Mr. Perez, who has been a law professor at University of Maryland School of Law and a part-time professor at the George Washington

School of Public Health, received a Bachelor's degree from Brown University in 1983, a Master's of Public Policy from the John F.

Kennedy School of Government in 1987, and a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School in 1987. Mr. Perez lives in Maryland with his

wife, Ann Marie Staudenmaier, an attorney with the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, and their three children.

Robert Putnam, Professor of Public Policy, Harvard University

Robert D. Putnam is the Peter and Isabel Malkin Professor of Public Policy at Harvard and is also Visiting Professor and

Director of the Manchester Graduate Summer Programme in Social Change, University of Manchester (UK). Mr.

Putnam is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, a Fellow of the British Academy, past president of the

American Political Science Association and has served as the Dean of the Kennedy School of Government. In 2006, Mr.

Putnam received the Skytte Prize, one of the world's highest accolades for a political scientist. He has written a dozen

books, including Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community and Making Democracy Work,

both of which rank high among the most cited publications in the social sciences worldwide in the last several decades.

His more recent work Better Together: Restoring the American Community, is a study of promising new forms of social

connectedness. He consults widely with national leaders, bringing together leading thinkers and practitioners to develop actionable ideas

for civic renewal. He is currently working on practical strategies for civic renewal in the United States in the context of immigration and

social and ethnic diversity. Raised in a small town in the Midwest Mr. Putnam was educated at Swarthmore, Oxford, and Yale.

Jorge Mursuli, President and CEO, Democracia Ahora

Jorge Mursuli has dedicated his life to the preservation, education, and implementation of civil rights. Mr. Mursuli

launched Democracia Ahora in 2004 as a program of People for the American Way Foundation where he served as the

Florida State Director. As President and CEO of Democracia Ahora, Mr. Mursuli nurtured the program from a Florida-

based operation to one of the most effective Hispanic civic engagement, voter empowerment, and leadership

development organizations nationwide, now in collaboration with the National Council of La Raza. Prior to this

position, he served as the Executive Director of SAVE Dade. Mr. Mursuli is a Cuban immigrant and a graduate of the

University of Florida.

Governor Deval Patrick, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Governor Deval Patrick was elected as Governor of Massachusetts in November of 2006, bringing a broad range of

leadership experience at the top levels of business, government, and non-profits. Following his graduation from

Harvard Law School, Governor Patrick worked at the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Boston law

firm Hill & Barlow where he was named partner. In 1994, President Clinton appointed Governor Patrick Assistant

Attorney General for Civil Rights, the nation's top civil rights post. Patrick has also worked at Texaco and Coca-Cola,

serving as Vice President and General Counsel for both companies. Governor Patrick has served on numerous

charitable and corporate boards, as well as the Federal Election Reform Commission under Presidents Carter and Ford,

and as Vice Chair of the Massachusetts Judicial Nominating Council. He is the recipient of numerous awards and

honorary degrees, and is a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute. Diane and Deval Patrick live in Milton and have been married for

more than twenty-five years and have two adult daughters, Sarah and Katherine.


Arturo Vargas, Executive Director, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials

Arturo Vargas is a nationally recognized expert in Latino demographic trends, electoral participation, voting rights, the

Census, and redistricting. Vargas is the Executive Director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed

Officials, a national membership organization of Latino policymakers and their supporters. Vargas also serves as

Executive Director of the NALEO Educational Fund, an affiliated national nonprofit organization that strengthens

American democracy by promoting the full participation of Latinos in civic life. Prior to joining NALEO, Vargas was

Vice President for Community Education and Public Policy of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational

Fund where he supervised and directed MALDEF’s community education and leadership development programs.

Before joining MALDEF, he was the senior education policy analyst at the National Council of La Raza in Washington,

D.C. Vargas has received Hispanic Magazine’s Hispanic Achievement Award for Community Service, the National Federation of Hispanic

Owned Newspapers’ Leadership Award, the National Association for Bilingual Education President’s Award, the City University of New

York’s Civic Leadership Award, Univision’s Community Service Corazon Award, and the National School Board Association’s Hispanic

Caucus Abrazo Award. Vargas holds a master’s degree in Education and a bachelor’s degree in History and Spanish from Stanford

University. He is from Los Angeles, and was born in El Paso, Texas.

Damian Thorman, National Program Director, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

In 2007, Damian Thorman became National Program Director of the Knight Foundation, where he develops national-

level grant opportunities to support innovative ideas and leadership with the potential to drive transformative change

nationally and in Knight’s resident communities. Knight Foundation invests in naturalization programs across America,

believing that by investing in moving immigrants from green card status to fully naturalized citizens we strengthen

democracy and engagement in our communities. Mr. Thorman most recently served as a prosecuting attorney in Kansas

City, Missouri. Prior to this, he was a director at the Ewing Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City from 1994 to 2002.

During his 11 years in Washington, D.C. he served as assistant director at the American Academy of Pediatrics,

professional staff member of the House Education and Labor Committee, and congressional aide to then-U.S. Rep. Bill

Richardson. He has a law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, a master’s in business administration from Rockhurst

University, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland at College Park.

The Honorable Hilda Solis, United States Secretary of Labor

Secretary Hilda L. Solis was confirmed as Secretary of Labor on February 24, 2009 after having represented the 32nd

Congressional District in California since 2001. Ms. Solis served in the California State Assembly from 1992 to 1994,

and in 1994 made history by becoming the first Latina elected to the California State Senate. Prior to this, she worked in

the Carter White House Office of Hispanic Affairs and was appointed as a management analyst with the Office of

Management and Budget in the Civil Rights Division. A nationally recognized leader on the environment, Ms. Solis

became the first woman to receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2000 for her pioneering work on

environmental justice issues. Ms. Solis graduated from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and earned a

Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California.

State Representative Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona Kyrsten Sinema serves as the Assistant Leader to the Democratic Caucus in the Arizona House of Representatives and

represents central Phoenix in the Arizona Legislature District 15. She is an adjunct professor in the School of Social

Work at ASU and practices law when not in session. Ms. Sinema also serves as faculty for the Center for Progressive

Leadership. She serves on numerous community and national boards and is the recipient of awards for her political

leadership, including the NAACP Civil Rights Award, AZ Hispanic Community Forum Friend of the Year, Planned

Parenthood Legislative CHOICE Award, Sierra Club’s Most Valuable Player, and the AZ Public Health Association

Legislator of the Year. She is also a 2009 Aspen-Rodel Fellow in Leadership. Ms. Sinema is a strong voice for the

community at the national level, appearing on CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, and she speaks regularly at national

conferences on a variety of issues including health care, immigration, equal rights, ballot initiatives, messaging strategy, coalition building.

Her first book, Unite and Conquer: How to Build Coalitions that Win and Last, was released in July 2009 by Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Ms. Sinema holds both a law degree and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Arizona State University, and is currently pursuing her

Ph.D. in the School of Justice and Social Inquiry at ASU.

Speaker Biographies

Block A

Professional Re-credentialing: Workforce development via increasing the credentialing of foreign trained professionalsBlock A: Thursday, September 30, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Grand Ballroom D

This session will provide an insiders’ view of the credentialing of immigrants and refugees to identify the scope of the problem in the United States and Canada; proven and promising strategies; challenges in the current economy and policy environment; funding needs and opportunities and policy reforms that need to be taken at national and state levels as well as employers and professional associations. A distinguished group of presenters will:

• Frame a diverse set of institutions’ distinct experience/role in credentialing;• Discuss new challenges they are facing (new migrant/refugee flows; the economy, severe budget problems facing work-preparing

institutions e.g.)• Discuss new opportunities (enactment of health care reform and new demand for services among immigrant populations, e.g.); • Discuss promising and proven practices; • Prioritize policy reforms – regulatory, funding, public information; coaching and mentoring, e.g.; and • Note strategies for moving an integration agenda forward among stakeholders in the room.

Moderator: Michael Fix, Senior Vice President and Director of Studies, Migration Policy InstitutePanelists: Nikki Cicerani, Executive Director, Upwardly Global

Paul Feltman, Director of Community Engagement, World Education Services Nuzhat Jafri, Office of the Fairness Commission, Ontario ProvinceLinda Rabben, Director, RefugeeWorks, Lutheran Immigrant & Refugee Services

Youth Programs: Models for increasing graduation ratesBlock A: Thursday, September 30, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Grand Ballroom C

Although immigrant youth are often seen as more easily integrating and adapting to life in the U.S. than adults, youth face many unique and important challenges which require specialized attention and programming. Helping communities to effectively tap the energy and potential of immigrant youth is vital to community health, revitalization, and development. This panel will discuss best practices among schools and community based organizations to foster the integration of immigrant youth into our communities. The panel will also address the importance of research and policies that help immigrant youth and parents access and engage the public school system.

Moderator: Victor Jose Santana, ROCA Inc.Panelists: Gregg Croteau, Executive Director, United Teen Equality Center (UTEC)

Claire E. Sylvan, Executive Director, Internationals Network for Public SchoolsVivian Louie, Professor of Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Urban Revitalization: The role of immigrants in neighborhood and economic development in cities and townsBlock A: Thursday, September 30, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Commonwealth B

Cities such as Los Angeles, Boston, and New York have always been gateways for generations of immigrants, and have recognized new comers as a key source of economic vitality and cultural renaissance. Beyond the metropolitan core, immigrant communities are also revitalizing cities and towns across the nation, and are building social capital, and renewing main streets and storefronts. While many urban neighborhoods experience population loss, aging, and transition of labor and industry, immigrant communities are vital in local economic development and recovery. This panel will highlight the assets immigrants bring to cities and towns, and the response to demographic, linguistic and cultural changes. Panelists will provide historical overview of how immigrants transform neighborhoods, current trends in small business growth, and municipal initiatives on immigrant integration, naturalization, and civic engagement.

Moderator: Paul Watanabe, University of Massachusetts – BostonPanelists: Mayor Michael Brown, Grand Forks, North Dakota

Jamie Durana, Municipal Action for Immigrant Integration, National League of CitiesManuel Pastor, Co-Director, Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration, USCTunney Lee, Professor of Urban Planning, MITSteve Tobocman, Global Detroit


Strategy Sessions

Block A cont.

Welcoming Initiatives, Engaging Receiving Communities: Projects furthering immigrant integration by fostering a more welcoming atmosphere in towns and cities across the U.S.

Block A: Thursday, September 30, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Commonwealth A

Over the past twenty years, immigration rates to the United States have reached levels unmatched since the early 1900s. These dramatic demographic shifts have led to increased anxiety among native-born U.S. residents, particularly in “new immigrant destinations” such as Nashville, Boise and Omaha. This anxiety has in turn led to mistrust and fragmentation within communities, a record increase in hate crimes targeting foreign-born residents, and a slew of reactionary policies that promote fear and mistrust among foreign born populations. This workshop will focus on projects across the U.S. that are successfully improving immigrant integration by engaging immigrant receiving communities around local immigrant population growth. These projects – which use a variety of innovative techniques to build understanding between U.S. born residents and their foreign-born neighbors – recognize that just as fertile soil is needed for a seed to grow; receptive communities are needed for immigrants to thrive.

Moderator: David Lubell, Executive Director, Welcoming AmericaPanelists: Susan Downs-Karkos, Director of Integration Strategies, Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning

Kasar Abdulla , Director of Advocacy & Education, Welcoming Tennessee/TIRRCBrooke Mead, Berkshire Immigrant Center

Labor Rights: Protecting immigrant workers and workplace rights in a challenging climateBlock A: Thursday, September 30, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Commonwealth C

Across the United States, the struggle for fair treatment and legal protection for immigrant workers is inextricably linked to the struggle for fair wages, benefits, and safe working conditions for all workers. But unlike other workers, immigrant workers face exploitation, intimidation and threats from employers and others regarding immigration status. Recent, restrictive immigration-related regulations and policies have also created additional barriers for immigrant workers. This panel will share strategies to meet these and other challenges facing immigrant workers and discuss critical questions related their struggle in this country.

Moderator: Jocelyn Jones , Assistant Attorney General and Deputy Chief of the Fair Labor Division, AG Office of MAPanelists: Andrew Friedman, Co-Director, Make the Road NYC

Terri Gerstein, Deputy Commissioner for Wage Protection & Immigrant Services, NY State Dept. of LaborAngelica Salas, Executive Director, Coalition of Humane Immigrant Rights of L.A.

Block B

Language Access: Looking back and looking aheadBlock B: Thursday, September 30, 2:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m., Grand Ballroom C

August 2010 marked the ten-year anniversary of President Bill Clinton’s Executive Order titled “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency” (EO 13166). The Executive Order provided the impetus for federal agencies and their state and local counterparts to ensure that they were providing LEP individuals with meaningful access to programs and services. During this session, leading experts from all levels of government and the fields of social services, health care, elementary and secondary education and emergency/disaster services will be concluding a full-day exploration of language access challenges and opportunities in these fields. All conference registrants are welcome to join their conversation, which will provide an assessment of successes and failures in the ten years since EO 13166 was issued as well as forward-looking policy, funding, enforcement and program strategies that address the need for improving access to key government services for LEP individuals.

Moderator: Marilyn Anderson-Chase, Undersecretary, EOHHS of MAPanelists: Adam Gurvitch, Policy Specialist, National Immigration Law Center, New York City

Vinodh Kutty, Youth and Family Partnerships Manager, Community Services Area, Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department, MinnesotaMichael Mulé, Attorney-Advisor, Federal Coordination and Compliance Section, Civil Rights Division, US Department of JusticeMaría Quezada, Chief Executive Officer, California Association for Bilingual Education


Strategy Sessions

Block B cont.State Initiatives: States’ role in building a national integration agendaBlock B: Thursday, September 30, 2:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m., Commonwealth A

Drawing inspiration from an Illinois initiative launched in 2005, a number of states (Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Washington State, as well as Illinois) have embarked on major projects to develop and implement comprehensive immigrant integration plans. Through the issuance of executive orders by governors, the convening of special advisory/study councils, consultations with experts, and partnerships with immigrant rights coalitions, policy makers explored a broad range of issues and developed far-reaching recommendations that are in various stages of implementation. In this session, key participants in these efforts will reflect on their experiences, share lessons learned, and discuss the future of these initiatives, including their relevance for other states facing similar challenges and opportunities. The session will also explore a number of other initiatives being taken by states to advance a pro-immigrant agenda, including wage enforcement and tuition equity legislation.

Moderator: Dr. Nicholas V. Montalto, President, Diversity DynamicsPanelists: Josh Hoyt, Executive Director, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights

Eva Millona, Executive Director, Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition Suman Raghunathan, Immigrant Policy Specialist, Progressive States NetworkGustavo Torres, Executive Director Casa de Maryland

Immigrant EntrepreneurshipBlock B: Thursday, September 30, 2:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m., Grand Ballroom D

Four experts will discuss the spectrum of immigrant entrepreneurship from storefronts to science and engineering and the dramatic social and economic contributions these immigrant businesses make to state economies. Also discussed will be specific approaches and tools to recruit, welcome and support immigrant entrepreneurs including financing strategies and resources.

Moderator: Marcia Hohn, Director of Public Education, Immigrant Learning CenterPanelists: Rodrigo Cerveira, Senior Loan Consultant, ACCION USA

Richard Herman, author of "Immigrants, Inc."Anne O'Callaghan, Executive Director, Welcoming Center for New PennsylvaniansVinit Nijhawan, Executive in Resident, Inst. for Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization, Boston University

Naturalization: Components of successful initiativesBlock B: Thursday, September 30, 2:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m., Commonwealth B

In light of the unlikely passage of comprehensive immigration reform this year, the naturalization of immigrants has become even more imperative as a long-term strategy for integration. This session on naturalization will feature panelists working on citizenship from a range of sectors and perspectives: service provision, policy, advocacy, and government. Attendees will hear about service providers’ experiences with various naturalization models and outreach strategies, citizenship research and policy updates, and networks and resources available to organizations to support and complement their citizenship programming. Followed by a Q & A with panelists and group discussion.

Moderator: Cynthia Brothers, Program Officer, Public Interest ProjectPanelists: Rebecca Carson, Chief of the Office of Citizenship, USCIS

Anne Crotty, Immigration Attorney, International HouseRosalind Gold, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Marjean Perhot, Director of Refugee and Immigration Services, Catholic Charities Fred Tsao, Policy Director, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights

Public Safety: Challenges and best practices in immigrant community-policing and upholding civil rightsBlock B: Thursday, September 30, 2:15 p.m. – 3:45 p.m., Commonwealth C

In recent years, the United States has seen two major changes that have affected immigration enforcement. First, we have seen a large increase in the undocumented population to an estimated 12 million people. Second, we have seen a major shift in immigrant settlement patterns towards non-traditional settlement regions, particularly in the South. These have presented new challenges for both local and federal law enforcement. Often these challenges pit proven community-policing tactics against political concerns creating difficult choices for law enforcement. These choices and the resulting patch-work of immigration enforcement policies across the nation have had deep impact on the complex relationship between minority communities and law enforcement. Panelists will draw from their own experiences with both local and national law enforcement and explore how these various policies can help or harm immigrant integration.

Moderator: Arizona State Rep. Kyrsten SinemaPanelists: Cynthia Buiza, Director of Policy & Advocacy, Coalition of Humane Immigrant Rights of L.A.

Julliette Kayyem, Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs, US Department of Homeland Security Police Chief Brian A. Kyes, Chelsea MA


Strategy Sessions

Block C

The New American VoteBlock C: Thursday, September 30, 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Commonwealth B

Through the course of our nation’s history, waves of immigrants have helped shape our common cultural and political landscape. Today’s modern America is a product of our collective talents and good will, our intellect and our generosity; these have helped propel the United States into the role of world economic, technologic and political leader. If we are to continue that tradition of success, we need to develop ways to best absorb our growth in numbers and diversity; our communities and our leadership need to facilitate pathways to naturalization. How do we create a culture of civic engagement across diverse immigrant communities, some of which, because of their own negative experiences in their country of origin, have innate mistrust of authority and are wary if not completely turned off by the political process? How to ensure that the path to naturalization and later civic participation is free of unnecessary obstacles and bureaucracy? And how do we instill the importance of that participation so that it becomes second nature and something that is naturally passed on from one generation to the next? These are some of the issues our panelists will cover during this session.

Moderator: Jorge Mursuli, President, Democracia AhoraPanelists: Ron Hayduk, Professor of Political Science, City University of New York

George Pillsbury, Founder & Managing Director, Nonprofit Voter Engagement NetworkMiriam Stein, Author of "Make Your Voice Matter with Lawmakers"Anna Lucia Stifano, Director of Advocacy, ¿Oíste?Tova Wang, Senior Democracy Fellow, Demos

Expanding Adult ESOL: Increasing services and improving quality across sectorsBlock C: Thursday, September 30, 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Grand Ballroom E

English language proficiency is an essential element in enabling immigrants to fully participate and advance in the economic and social lives of their communities, yet in many communities across the country, the demand for instruction in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) far outweighs the services available. Balancing the need to expand the provision of services while maintaining quality remains a challenge. This panel offers perspectives from government, labor, the private sector and public private-partnerships on improving the quality and quantity of ESOL services for immigrants. Panelists will share their views on what constitutes “quality” in ESOL programming and how to expand access, describe promising practices, and highlight challenges and recommendations for public sector support for English language learning opportunities.

Moderator: Lisa Soricone, Research & Evaluation Analyst, Commonwealth CorporationPanelists: Claudia Green, Executive Director, English for New Bostonians

Betsy McKay, Director of Bilingual Leadership, McDonald's Corporation Connie Nelson, Director, Massachusetts Workers Education RoundtableJohan Uvin, Senior Advisor, Office of Vocational & Adult Education, US Department of Education

Financial Access: Investments of New Americans in mainstream financial institutionsBlock C: Thursday, September 30, 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Grand Ballroom D

Access to fair, affordable financial products and services is closely linked to economic prosperity, especially among low- and moderate-income communities. The success of today’s immigrants depends on their access to mainstream financial institutions that can help them save money, buy homes, access credit, start businesses and build wealth. Strategies that help immigrants participate fully in the financial mainstream, as well as harness the global business and investment activities many immigrants already engage in, improve their prospects for full social and economic integration. This benefits not just immigrants, but all residents of communities where they live. This session will address market opportunities to equitably serve immigrant communities, making services immigrants demand available, preventing predatory practices, reaching out in new immigrant neighborhoods and to the second generation, and leveraging high rates of employment and financial activity among immigrant populations.

Moderator: Deyanira Del Río, Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy ProjectPanelists: Jessica Anders, Program Manager, Success Measures, NeighborWorks America

Susanne Cameron, SVP, Community Development State Director, CitiGwendy Brown, Saving for Citizenship Program Director, Opportunity FundJohn Herrera, Board Chair, Latino Cooperative Credit UnionTony Tapia, Senior Program Director, Western Union Foundation


Strategy Sessions

Block C cont.

Immigrant Civic LeadershipBlock C: Thursday, September 30, 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Commonwealth A

Leaders such as Barack Obama and Arnold Schwarzenegger have proven the power of symbolism in public office for immigrants and minorities. Similarly, immigrants are not only transforming the economic landscape and private sector workplaces, but also reinvigorating a new generation of leaders in elected office, government departments, social enterprises, and community-based organizations. Panelists in this session not only have proven leadership experiences, but have worked to inspire others to take the initiative to add value to America's social and civic space. This session will discuss the challenges and rewards of being a leader among the immigrant community, and cover successful models and practices in coalition building, advancing opportunities for immigrants, fostering civic engagement, and expanding leadership development.

Moderator: Pramila Jayapal, Executive Director, One AmericaPanelists: Julissa Gutierrez, Director of Civic Engagement, NALEO Education Fund

Fatima Shama, Commissioner, New York City Office of Immigrant AffairsJuan Vega, Executive Director, Centro LatinoMayor Lisa Wong, Fitchburg, MA

Public Schools: Hot topics in K-12 education affecting immigrant youthBlock C: Thursday, September 30, 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Grand Ballroom C

Children from immigrant families are now roughly a quarter of U.S. youth. Our nation's schools are the gateway to integration for these children, and often for their parents as well. Everyday the headlines are filled with new and often alarming information about the performance of schools and controversies over education policy and funding. This session will provide a 360-degree look at important issues facing educators and community activists who are concerned with immigrant student success, including: trends in the performance English Language Learner (ELL) students; policy, funding and administrative practice levers that can be used support improved immigrant and ELL services; effective parent engagement models; legal cases on the horizon that may affect immigrant and ELL education; and what we know about schools that succeed with immigrant youth.

Moderator: Margie McHugh, Co-Director of the National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, MPI Panelists: Michele Cahill, Director of Urban Education Policy, Carnegie Corporation

Robert Hildreth, President, Families United for Educational LeadershipDelia Pompa, Director of Education Policy, National Council of La Raza Roger Rice, Executive Director, Multi-Cultural Education Training & Advocacy Project

Current ResearchBlock C: Thursday, September 30, 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Commonwealth C

With today’s high numbers of migration, there is an urgent need for knowledge about successful integration of immigrants. In addition, as governments, non-profit organizations, and other institutions face tightening budgets and limited resources the ability to effectively capture and present data is crucial. This session will feature fascinating new research on a variety of markers for immigrant integration as well as providing space to discuss the availability and presentation of integration data and potential tools for academic partnerships. Presentations of latest research will cover intersecting issues of civic engagement, economic mobility, social cohesion, international associations, and social equity.

Moderator: Edward Schumacher-Matos, Director, Immigration and Integration Studies Project, Harvard UniversityPanelists: Mary Waters, Professor of Sociology, Harvard University

Christine Brenner, Professor of Public Policy and Administration, Rutgers UniversityAnastasia Mann, Director, Program on Immigration and Democracy, Rutgers UniversityCatherine Simpson Bueker, Professor of Sociology, Emmanuel CollegeDeepak Lamba-Nieves, Doctoral Candidate, MIT SloanAbigail Williamson, Doctoral Candidate, Harvard Kennedy School

American Dream Fund Special SessionThursday, September 30, 5:45 p.m. – 7:15 p.m., Commonwealth B

This special session is for organizations formerly supported by the American Dream Fund to provide citizenship services. The session aims to facilitate peer-learning and build stronger networks amongst the groups. Staff from four organizations -- varied in their naturalization models, geographic location, and communities served -- will share challenges, promising practices, and lessons learned from their naturalization work. Following this panel, there will be an opportunity for networking amongst the attendees. Former American Dream Fund groups are strongly encouraged to attend, and others are welcome to join.

Moderator: Cynthia Brothers, Program Officer, Public Interest ProjectsPanelists: Patricia Diaz, Executive Director, Services, Immigrant Rights & Education Network (SIREN), San Jose, CA

Judy Yi, Programs Director, Center for Pan-Asian Community Services (CPACS), Doraville, GeorgiaJulie Lovely, Citizenship Project Coordinator, Maxwell Street Legal Clinic, Lexington, KentuckyJulien Ross, Executive Director, Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC), Denver, CO


Strategy Sessions

Block D

Early Education: Initiatives designed for immigrant families Block D: Friday, October 1, 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., Grand Ballroom C

Access to high quality early education is imperative to the success of children and families from all backgrounds. For immigrant communities this access can be a crucial step toward both increased school performance of children but also meaningful engagement around education and education issues for parents. This session will explore successful models for engaging parents in early education, for providing culturally and linguistically accessible early education services, and for exploring non-school based educational opportunities through community cultural institutions.

Moderator: Virginia ZangerPanelists: Mona Abo Zena, Tufts University

Fred Gitner, Program Coordinator, Queens LibraryChristina Wong, Special Assistant to the Superintendent, San Francisco Unified School DistrictDonna Cohen-Avery, Associate Commissioner of Field Operations, MA Department of Early Education and CareTaylor Moreno, Assistant Executive Director, AVANCE-El Paso

Adult Education Transitions: Linking adult ESOL to higher education and workforce outcomesBlock D: Friday, October 1, 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., Grand Ballroom E

While there is little argument that the quantity and quality of adult English instruction both urgently need to be increased, there is far less conversation - and much less agreement - about which types of instruction should be increased. Currently, the worlds of adult and post-secondary education are abuzz with talk of the policy, funding, administrative and program reforms that are necessary to help low-educated and low-literate adults achieve education and workforce success. However, there are few efforts and few dollars devoted to bringing these reforms to scale for the large number of LEP adults who seek to learn English and advance in the workforce. Participants in this session will examine the types of programs that are succeeding in helping adult immigrants learn English while also moving forward in obtaining workforce skills or post-secondary education, and discuss their implications for efforts that seek to expand English instruction for adult immigrants, both those who have legal status and those who might gain legal status in the future.

Moderator: Margie McHugh, Co-Director of the National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, Migration Policy Institute Panelists: Jennifer Foster, Senior Director, Shifting Gears Initiative, State of Illinois

Sandy Goodman, New England College Transitions Director, World EducationCarolyn Teich, Office of Economic Development, American Association of Community CollegesJohan Uvin, Senior Advisor, Office of Vocational & Adult Education, US Department of Education

Local & Municipal InitiativesBlock D: Friday, October 1, 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., Commonwealth A

For many immigrants the day to day work of integration; accessing services, attending classes, opening a business, necessitates interactions with local governments and entities. This session will explore the invaluable work of local entities in advancing immigrant integration. From traditional gateway cities to newer suburban host communities, many local authorities have begun to design or are growing existing initiatives to welcome and integrate newcomer populations. This work is particularly important in the absence of a federal integration agenda. Speakers will describe model practices on issues from language access to outreach and information sharing programs.

Moderator: Cheng Imm Tan, Director, Office of New Bostonians Panelists: Terri Morris Downs, Immigrant Welcome Center, Indianapolis, IN

Anuj Gupta, Director, Global PhiladelphiaAlejandra Harguth, Integration Program Coordinator, City of Littleton (CO) Leya Speasmaker, Field Support Coordinator, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.

Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Where are we now?Block D: Friday, October 1, 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., Commonwealth C

In the United States today, eleven million undocumented immigrants live in fear of prosecution and deportation. Federal enforcement activities have accelerated in recent years, while state and local ordinances like Arizona’s SB 1070 are creating a patchwork of laws in the absence of Congressional action. Comprehensive immigration reform is needed to fix the nation’s broken immigration system and achieve a just and human solution to this crisis. Led by policy experts in the areas of civil rights, immigrant integration and workplace issues, this panel will review where the immigration debate stands now in Congress and what lies ahead. Panelists will share promising strategies to advance comprehensive immigration reform and examine critical questions for practitioners, researchers and policymakers engaged in this legislative issue.

Moderator: Mary Giovagnoli, Director, Immigration Policy Center, American Immigration CouncilPanelists: Ali Noorani, Executive Director, National Immigration Forum

Peter Skerry, Professor of Political Science, Boston College, Senior Fellow, Brookings InstituteTamar Jacoby, President and CEO, ImmigrationWorks USA


Strategy Sessions

Block D cont.

Fundraising for Integration EffortsBlock D: Friday, October 1, 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., Commonwealth B

Philanthropy has been instrumental in supporting successful national and local initiatives in addressing the challenges facing newcomers and their host communities. Funders advance the contributions and address the needs of the country's growing and increasingly diverse immigrant and refugee populations. Panelists in this session will address how potential grantees can access funding, distinguishing between advocacy and service programs. This session will also discuss big picture trends, collaborative efforts, targeted projects, and overarching strategic questions on how philanthropy advances immigrant integration.

Moderator: Geri Mannion, Program Director, US Democracy and Special Opportunities Fund/National Program, Carnegie Corporation of New York

Panelists: Myron Miller, Herman and Frieda L. Miller FoundationSuzette Brooks Masters, Program Specialist, Migration Program, J. M. Kaplan FoundationTalya Bosch, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Western Union FoundationDamian Thorman, National Program Officer, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation


Strategy Sessions


Acknowledgements National Advisory CommitteeMaurice Belanger, National Immigration Forum Deepak Bhargava, Center for Community ChangeCynthia Brothers, Public Interest ProjectsRebecca Carson, Office of Citizenship, USCIS Susan Downs-Karkos, Spring InstituteWesty Egmont, Association of New AmericansMichael Fix, Migration Policy InstituteStephen Fotopulos, TIRRCRicardo Gambetta, National League of CitiesMary Giovagnoli, Immigration Policy CenterRosalind Gold, NALEO Toby Guevin, One AmericaPramila Jayapal, One AmericaSuman Raghunathan, Progressive States NetworkDavid Lubell, Welcoming AmericaGeri Mannion, Carnegie Corporation of New YorkMargie McHugh, Migration Policy InstituteEva Millona, MIRA CoalitionGloria Montaño Greene, NALEO Ann Morse, Nat’l Conference of State LegislaturesNick Montalto, NJ Dept. of Public AdvocateEdward Schumacher-Matos, Harvard University Nicole Tambouret, MIRA CoalitionLisa Thakkar, ICIRRFred Tsao, ICIRRSamuel Tsoi, MIRA CoalitionMonona Yin, Four Freedoms Fund

Local Host CommitteeRichard Chacon, MA Office for Refuges & Immigrants Sister Lena Deevy, Irish Immigrant CenterMarcia Hohn, Immigrant Learning CenterAlvaro Lima, Boston Redevelopment AuthorityAlyona Nossik, MA Office for Refuges & ImmigrantsMarjean Perhot, Catholic CharitiesFrank Ramirez, E. Boston Ecumenical Comm. CouncilJerry Rubin, Jewish Vocational ServicesPeter Skerry, Boston CollegeKenny Tamarkin, MA Coalition of Adult EducatorsRev. Cheng Imm Tan, Office of New BostoniansPaul Watanabe, UMass-BostonJohn Wilshire-Carrera, Greater Boston Legal Services Juan Vega, Centro LatinoMyriam Zuber, Anti-Defamation League

Conference StaffWesty Egmont, Eva Millona, NIIC Co-ChairsNicole Tambouret, MIRA CoalitionSamuel Tsoi, MIRA CoaltionLauren Powers, MIRA CoalitionFranklin Soults, MIRA Coalition

Other DonorsBoston College Graduate School of Social WorkAlchemy Foundation

__________________________________Conference book by PARY Design

Conference Hosts

The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) is the largest organization in New England promoting the rights and integration of immigrants and refugees. We serve the commonwealth’s one million foreign-born residents with policy analysis and advocacy, institutional organizing, training and leadership development, and strategic communications. The Coalition involves an active membership of over 130 direct-service organizations, including community-based groups, social service agencies, ethnic associations, schools, refugee resettlement agencies, religious organizations, health centers and hospitals, unions, and law firms, as well as thousands of individual members, contributors, and allies.

The National Partnership for New Americans is a collaboration of 10 state immigrant rights coalitions who have collaborated over the years on issues of immigration reform, naturalization policy, and immigrant integration. The group includes the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR); Casa de Maryland; Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Alliance (MIRA); New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC); Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC); Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Coalition (TIRC); National Consortium of Korean American Coalitions (NAKASEC); OneAmerica in Washington State; Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN)/CAUSA ( Oregon’s Immigrants Rights Coalition); and Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles (CHIRLA).

Association of New Americans (ANA) is dedicated to promoting naturalization and civic engagement of new Americans.

The National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy at MPI offers policy-focused research, policy design, leadership development, technical assistance and training for policymakers, nonprofit leaders, educators, journalists, researchers, government officials, and others who seek to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities that today’s high rates of immigration create in local communities.

Together, these organizations represent a vast cross-section of the nation’s immigrants in both traditional and new-gateway states, and have a proven track record of developing campaigns, and moving public policy and public will. The partnership collaborates on issues of immigrant integration, naturalization and comprehensive immigration reform.

national immigrant integration conference 2010, boston ma

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