Category: Immigration

10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees #1: VOTE!

November 4, 2022

Welcome to the tenth and final post in the “10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees” series!

#1: VOTE!

The conclusion of our 10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees series is quite simple: if you care about immigrants and their rights, vote for candidates who support their rights.

Check out websites such as ISideWith to see how your values align with different candidates’ values. Encourage others in your community to vote and to vote for candidates that will uphold the rights of immigrants and refugees.

How do you stay updated on issues affecting immigrants and refugees in your community and across the globe? Let us know on our social media!

Instagram: @puente.ci

Facebook: @PuenteCulturalIntegration

– Annaliese Fowler, Puente CI Data Analyst

10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees #2: Gain Experience

October 7, 2022

Welcome to the ninth post in the “10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees” series!

#2: Gain Experience

Although immigration and refugee issues affect many Americans, they do not directly affect all of us. Because of this, it can be difficult for those who care about human rights to feel connected to immigration rights issues. A way to combat this is to gain personal experience volunteering for or communicating with refugees and immigrants. Many organizations offer opportunities to connect one-on-one with refugees, such as Samaritas‘ tutoring program and the Refugee Outreach Collective’s Global Classroom program.

When interacting directly with immigrants and refugees, it can be helpful to learn some basic terms in the language they are most comfortable with. In my experience working with a refugee partner from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, learning a bit of Swahili made her feel included and more comfortable with me. Even a simple “hello” in their primary language will help you build a meaningful relationship with your partner.

How do you stay updated on issues affecting immigrants and refugees in your community and across the globe? Let us know on our social media!

Instagram: @puente.ci

Facebook: @PuenteCulturalIntegration

– Annaliese Fowler, Puente CI Data Analyst

Chelas con Contratistas 4.Oct.2022

October 3, 2022

This was one of our most successful events since we launched Business Alianzas (post-COVID).

Almost 60 attendees joined us for Cheers! and Chelas on October 4th, 2022 from 5-7:30pm + after party! The Puente Team registered 17 Immigrant contractors for our upcoming Bilingual Lead Abatement Training in November.

The Bilingual Panel: Resources & Opportunities (Recursos y Oportunidades) was very well received.

We broadcast the panel live on Puente Facebook. You can watch the video here:

Bridget Espinosa, Puente CEO was the moderator:

  • Steve Cato, City of Detroit HRD – Chief Compliance Inspector
  • Sonia Alvarado, City of Detroit HRD – Lead Inspector
  • Patrick Beal, Detroit Training Center – CEO
  • Melissa Rios, Detroit Land Bank – Procurement Manager

In addition, we were featured on the front page of El Central Hispanic News on Thursday October 6, 2022.
Un artículo bilingüe fue publicado en la portada de El Central Hispanic News el jueves 6 de octubre, 2022.

Bilingual Contractor Training Program

El equipo de Puente actualmente está inscribiendo para sus próximos cursos bilingües que se llevarán a cabo del 7 al 11 de noviembre del 2022 y nuevamente en febrero. La fecha límite para inscribirse es el 17 de octubre. Todos los trabajadores de habla hispana en Metro Detroit son elegibles para presentar una solicitud.

Se puede encontrar más información en businessalianzas.org/events 

o comunicándose con
la Gerente General de Puente
Yazmin Payan, al 313-349-0089 o por correo electrónico a team@puenteci.com.

Original Invitation:

Únase a nosotros con una merecida bebida después del trabajo el martes 4 de octubre. 🍻🍸🍹 Tendremos Cheers con Business Alianzas seguido por Chelas con Contratistas

📍 La Palapa (1633 Lawndale St, Detroit, MI 48209)

Agenda:

  • 5:00-6:00 pm Cheers! con Business Alianzas
  • 6:00-7:00 pm Chelas con Contratistas
    • Panel Bilingüe: “Recursos y oportunidades”
      Expertos hablarán sobre los recursos y oportunidades disponibles para aquellos que están certificados en reducción de plomo.
    • Registro para la reducción de plomo noviembre de 2022

—————————————————————————


Contractors, don’t miss out on this networking event! 

Join us for a well-deserved drink after work on Tuesday, October 4th. 🍻🍸🍹 We will be hosting Cheers with Business Alianzas followed by Chelas con Contratistas (Beers with Builders) 

📍 La Palapa (1633 Lawndale St, Detroit, MI 48209)

Agenda:

  • 5:00-6:00 pm Cheers with Business Alianzas
  • 6:00-7:30 pm Chelas con Contratistas
    • 6:30-7:15 pm Panel Bilingüe: “Recursos y Oportunidades”
      Experts will talk about the resources and opportunities available to those who are certified in Lead Abatement. 
    • Registration for Lead Abatement Nov 2022

10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees #3: Share on Social Media

September 2, 2022

Welcome to the eighth post in the “10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees” series!

#3: Share on Social Media

You can be an “influencer” for your friends and family! Make it easy for your loved ones to participate in advocacy for immigrants and refugees by sharing templates for emails and phone calls to representatives. You can also create infographic posts that your followers can repost. As long as you are sharing reliable data and including sources, you can be an impactful social media advocate.

Another effective type of social media advocacy is the sharing of petitions. Create your own on Change.org or reshare already-existing petitions. In order to access the petitions that already exist, try subscribing to the Change.org newsletter or following social media accounts that often post the links to the petitions.

How do you stay updated on issues affecting immigrants and refugees in your community and across the globe? Let us know on our social media!

Instagram: @puente.ci

Facebook: @PuenteCulturalIntegration

– Annaliese Fowler, Puente CI Data Analyst

10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees #4: Take Action in Numbers

August 5, 2022

Welcome to the seventh post in the “10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees” series!

#4: Take Action in Numbers

An important right as Americans is the ability to assemble in protest. Exercise this right by organizing a protest of your own or joining a protest in your area. Find local protest events here on Indivisible.

If you are not yet ready to participate in a protest, another choice could be a documentary screening. Invite family and friends to watch a documentary with you, and provide a chance for conversation afterward. Informative options for documentaries and docuseries include Living Undocumented (2019), Targeting El Paso (2020), and Immigration Nation (2020).

Another option is to assemble a group or join a group that focuses on refugee outreach, such as the Refugee Outreach Collective (ROC). Groups like ROC give you an opportunity to be in contact with refugees in order to create cross-cultural and cross-continental bonds.

How do you stay updated on issues affecting immigrants and refugees in your community and across the globe? Let us know on our social media!

Instagram: @puente.ci

Facebook: @PuenteCulturalIntegration

– Annaliese Fowler, Puente CI Data Analyst

10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees # 5: Contribute to “Freedom Funds”

July 1, 2022

Welcome to the sixth post in the “10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees” series!

#5: Contribute to “Freedom Funds”

When I.C.E. detains someone, they impose an “immigration bond”, which is essentially the same as bail in the U.S. court system. The bond amount must be paid to Homeland Security in order for the person to be released while their case is processed through court.

There are organizations called “Freedom Funds” that donate these bail amounts to both immigrants and American protestors who have been detained. To support immigrants that have been detained by I.C.E., donate to or volunteer for organizations such as the Minnesota Freedom Fund.

How do you stay updated on issues affecting immigrants and refugees in your community and across the globe? Let us know on our social media!

Instagram: @puente.ci

Facebook: @PuenteCulturalIntegration

– Annaliese Fowler, Puente CI Data Analyst

10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees #6: Stay Informed

June 3, 2022

Welcome to the fifth post in the “10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees” series!

#6: Stay Informed

Although we have already discussed educating yourself in this blog series, refugee and immigration rights and situations are constantly changing. New information is essential when it comes to staying up to date on social issues such as those impacting refugees and immigrants in the United States and across the globe. When you become passionate about these issues, it can be tempting to immediately talk about them to everyone you know. However, it is important to stay informed with these topics if you wish to become a strong advocate for immigrants and refugees.

The following resources may be helpful on your journey to becoming an informed immigrant and refugee advocate:

How do you stay updated on issues affecting immigrants and refugees in your community and across the globe? Let us know on our social media!

Instagram: @puente.ci

Facebook: @PuenteCulturalIntegration

– Annaliese Fowler, Puente CI Data Analyst

10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees #7: Support Direct Service Organizations

May 6, 2022

Welcome to the fourth post in the “10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees” series!

#7: Support Direct Service Organizations

Nonprofits and other direct service organizations can always use the help of passionate volunteers! To support immigrant and refugee rights, volunteer for or work with a human rights-based nonprofit, such as the International Rescue Committee, the American Civil Liberties Union, or Samaritas.

Another way to directly support nonprofits and service organizations is to organize fundraising campaigns through platforms such as GoFundMe, Givebutter, or Facebook Fundraisers.

If you are interested in donating to or volunteering for local nonprofits, here are some options in Michigan:

How do you stay updated on issues affecting immigrants and refugees in your community and across the globe? Let us know on our social media!

Instagram: @puente.ci

Facebook: @PuenteCulturalIntegration

– Annaliese Fowler, Puente CI Data Analyst

10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees #8: Write

April 1, 2022

Welcome to the third post in the “10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees” series!

#8: Write

Another method of advocating for immigrant and refugee rights is communicating with your elected officials. Writing letters and emails to your local, state, and federal-level officials can be highly effective, especially if the effort is coordinated with many other people from your area. To find out who to write to, find your House Representative here, and your Senators here.

Elected officials are not the only option for outreach. Writing to newspapers or other media outlets can also be an effective advocacy tool. For example, try reaching out to your local newspaper, school news, or an editorial website.

If you are religious and are a part of a church, synagogue, mosque, or other religious community, you may want to try writing to or speaking with your religious leaders about the importance of advocating for immigrants and refugees and how it ties into your religion.

How do you stay updated on issues affecting immigrants and refugees in your community and across the globe? Let us know on our social media!

Instagram: @puente.ci

Facebook: @PuenteCulturalIntegration

– Annaliese Fowler, Puente CI Data Analyst

10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees #9: Speak Up and Speak Out

March 4, 2022

Welcome to the second post in the “10 Ways to Support Immigrants and Refugees” series!

“Once I thought to write a history of the immigrants in America. Then I discovered that the immigrants were American history.”

– Oscar Handlin

#9: Speak Up and Speak Out

Advocating for refugees and immigrants involves communicating with others about the importance of immigration rights. Talking with family and friends can be an effective advocacy tool. In order to create impactful conversations, try introducing the subject of immigration in small pieces, over time, in order to avoid making your family and friends feel defensive.

Try to listen more than you talk, and listen with an open heart. Immigration rights are a hot-button topic for many Americans, but the more empathetic you can be in the moment, the more likely someone is to listen to your perspective. Lead the conversation with personal stories and shared values. Although it may be tempting to throw statistics at your conversation partner, data is not as compelling if there is no narrative to go with it. The best advocates invite people into the conversation instead of making people feel intimidated or confronted.

How do you stay updated on issues affecting immigrants and refugees in your community and across the globe? Let us know on our social media!

Instagram: @puente.ci

Facebook: @PuenteCulturalIntegration

– Annaliese Fowler, Puente CI Data Analyst