#GivingEveryTuesday: Immigration
Each Tuesday, SHARE Omaha features a unique cause theme for #GivingEveryTuesday and encourages you to give and support in any way you can! The #GivingEveryTuesday theme for February 27, 2024 is Immigration nonprofits. How will you give today?
Latino Center of the Midlands
Shane Pekney of Latino Center of the Midlands shares, "Every family deserves a safe, secure place to live, work, and raise their children. Immigrants and refugees come to a new home and must start from scratch. Your donations help them get started – learning, working, taking care of their families, and ultimately contributing to the community and the local economy. Helping them through their first challenges in the United States will make our communities stronger in the long run."
The Latino Center is an open door for immigrants and refugees. Theyt help with simple things, like translating a confusing letter from the utility company, as well as the big goals, like becoming fluent in English, earning high school credentials, and becoming a U.S. citizen.
"While your financial support makes a big difference, your advocacy is important, too. Let people in your life know that you welcome immigrants and refugees to our community," says Shane.
Donate to Latino Center of the Midlands
Immigrant Legal Center + Refugee Empowerment Center
Emily McKenna of Immigrant Legal Center + Refugee Empowerment Center shares, "With over 89 million people displaced around the world, including 27 million refugees, and global migration patterns changing at a rapid pace due to famine, conflict, political instability, and climate change, immigrant populations in all 50 states have naturally been on the rise. Immigrants contribute to our growing economy and diverse culture. Immigrants become our neighbors, coworkers, and friends who add vibrancy to our community."
At ILC + REC, they support immigrants and refugees across the state of Nebraska and southwest Iowa in the following ways:
- Provide culturally appropriate, multilingual immigration legal representation, advise survivors on their immigration options, and fiercely advocate for clients before the Department of Homeland Security, immigration judges, and in Nebraska courts as necessary.
- Provide holistic care to unaccompanied children and their families that goes beyond the need for legal representation, focusing on meeting needs such as housing, food, transportation, school registration, connections to family counseling, and more.
- Resettle refugees from across the world and provide vital helps they rebuild their lives in Nebraska
"As an agency, we need more community volunteers to assist in setting up homes for refugees. Our agency is projected to resettle 800 refugees in Omaha and Lincoln this year. Our newest neighbors come with very few belongings, and our agency ensures their new home has everything they need to get settled. We are looking for community members to help set up homes, so they are ready for a refugee’s arrival," says Emily.
Nebraska Appleseed
Drew Duncan of Nebraska Appleseed shares, "Immigrant Nebraskans have been contributing and building lives in local communities for generations. We believe that our state has everything to gain from welcoming new residents with open hearts and minds."
"A welcoming environment not only brings out everyone’s strengths, but communities also benefit from everyone’s contributions and perspectives. With this in mind, we are working with many partners across the state to improve our immigration laws and reframe the conversation on immigration in Nebraska to reflect immigrant contributions to local communities."
Nebraska Appleseed underscores that real progress depends on each and every one of us working together. To do their part, Nebraska Appleseed is:
- Working with diverse statewide leaders to build local leadership and civic participation that creates positive local, state, and federal immigration and inclusion policies.
- Supporting vibrant local efforts to build communities of welcoming and belonging.
- Educating Nebraskans to know and defend their rights at the workplace and in the community.
"Tell Congress it’s time for positive immigration laws. Congress has not meaningfully updated our immigration laws in more than 38 years, causing unnecessary harm to Nebraska families and whole communities. Many longtime community members who contribute so much to local communities are stuck in limbo until Congress takes action. Tell Nebraska’s members of Congress it’s time for positive immigration laws that would create stability for local families and whole communities."
Comunidad Maya Pixan Ixim
Leah Vinton of Comunidad Maya Pixan Ixim shares, "Comunidad Maya Pixan Ixim (CMPI) serves an important role as an Indigenous Maya-led organization that provides immigration services in Omaha and across the country. CMPI is the only Indigenous-led nonprofit organization that has Indigenous Maya Department of Justice Accredited Representatives who possess both the language and cultural competency to represent Indigenous Maya folks."
Most immigrants from Guatemala are Indigenous Maya. Indigenous migrants face higher risks under these conditions because many times they do not speak either predominant language of English or Spanish. Their languages are unrecognized and indigenous interpreters are hard to come by.
Communidad Maya Pixan Ixim offers:
- legal representation to Maya families,
- connection to the Maya community in Omaha and across the country,
- access to the domestic violence program.
- access to indigenous interpreters
- safe space
- DOJ representatives that have an indigenous background and language competency
CMPI has helped over 200 migrants in their immigration processes including work permits
CMPI asks our community for "acknowledgement and acceptance of the Maya community in Nebraska and their contributions to the economy, especially in meatpacking, manufacturing, and agriculture. The Maya community have been key to rural community revitalization in towns like Schuyler, Columbus, Fremont, and Lexington, NE," says Leah.
Donate to Comunidad Maya Pixan Ixim
Heartland Workers Center
Dr. Lina Traslaviña-Stover of Heartland Workers Center shares, "Immigrants are part of the fabric that makes our communities thrive. Immigrants are living, studying, working, and shopping in our local communities. In 2021, immigrants made up 9.2 percent of Nebraska’s workers, with a spending power of $3.5 billion and contributing $1.2 billion in local, state and federal taxes (American Immigrant Council, 2021)."
Immigration has been identified as one of the solutions for the region’s workforce challenges. It is imperative that we work together in building inclusive and compassionate communities, Heartland Workers Center says, promoting understanding and empathy toward immigrants, and fostering a sense of belonging with shared responsibility. "This is how we will be able to develop profit models that respect human rights. Together, our individual experiences become interwoven into power that creates a wealth of understanding, acceptance, and respect," says Janeth.
Heartland Workers Center (HWC) engages and activates immigrants and individuals who have been historically underrepresented. They focus on developing leaders, increasing civic participation, and promoting workers’ rights and responsibilities within these communities. They work to ensure the rights, cultures, and ability of all people to create positive change are respected and valued.
In 2023 for example, Nebraska Workers Center met with 1,405 community members, assessing their needs, skills, and gauging their interest in additional leadership development opportunities. From that group they have 402 actively engaged volunteers and 567 community members who either gained or worked towards a credential that will advance their education and improve their employability.
"Be present and be vocal. Immigration has been politicized and immigrants criminalized to the point that people do not want to have conversations. Your support and advocacy are necessary to help transform our community through local and systemic change. Your contribution and engagement benefits immigrants and historically marginalized and underrepresented people, says Janeth.
"If each one of us is bold enough to be present and vocal, the HWC can enhance its advocacy impact, garner necessary resources, expand its network, influence policies, and empower individuals, ultimately creating a more just and supportive environment for immigrant workers in Nebraska."
"Volunteer with us, participate in our events, share information through social networks, and encourage others to get involved in supporting workers' rights. Impact Begins With You," says Janeth.
Donate to Heartland Workers Center
Intercultural Senior Center
Marina Rosado of the Intercultural Senior Center shares, "We would like to see the Omaha community supporting organizations that provide better life opportunities to migrant men and women. We serve a group of the population that is often left aside due to their age, but our adults, regardless of the country they come from, can always enrich the lives of the inhabitants by sharing their culture and traditions."
The Intercultural Senior Center has been providing services to immigrants since 2009. Because of their programs, people over the age of 50 can learn the language and in time become citizens. Intercultural Senior Center's goal is to spread awareness among the community about the older adults they serve.
"More and more immigrants are falling behind, it is the language barrier, and with that, the opportunities are limited to become more independent," says Marina. "Living in isolation decreases the well-being of a person, so we hope others recognize that aging is inevitable, but learning is not. We want every older person to continue to grow and live fully, with the best mental and physical health possible."
"We would like everyone to step in and support the senior population in some way. We invite you, families, and the community to join us in our mission and contribute by becoming a volunteer to help in a class or to pack a pantry. Money contributions of any size are significant to offer different free services to all seniors."
Donate to Intercultural Senior Center
MAC Foundation
Karine E. Sokpoh of MAC Foundation shares, "In alignment with Midland African Chamber's values of compassion and inclusivity, supporting nonprofits addressing immigration needs is essential for upholding our vision of a welcoming and diverse community. Immigrants, especially those from marginalized communities, face numerous challenges as they strive to build a better life in the United States. By donating to organizations dedicated to supporting immigrants, we reaffirm our commitment to creating a supportive environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to the richness of our cultural tapestry."
The Midlands African Chamber works collaboratively with its partners and members to provide essential support and resources to immigrants and residents alike through MAC Xcelerator, Umoja, Suit Up and Rising CEOs programs, in our community. From offering financial literacy services and cultural integration programs to facilitating access to educational opportunities, they are committed to ensuring that immigrants have the tools and support they need to navigate the challenges of starting a new life in our city.
"Through our advocacy and outreach efforts, we strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where all immigrants and refugees feel valued and supported, in line with our mission of fostering a diverse and inclusive community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive," says Karine.