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Immigration

Supporting changing communities through large-scale dialogue and collaborative action.

On this page: Related Tools and Related Stories

For many of us, immigration is not a distant national issue; it is part of our everyday lives. We need to decide together what to do about issues such as the effect of immigration on racial tensions, jobs, and schools, language differences, and prejudice against immigrants.

Dialogue-to-change programs provide a process to help build the trusting relationships necessary for long-term change. Study circles bring people from diverse backgrounds and experiences together so they can develop trust, understand each other's experiences, and find ways to work together.

Tools

Discussion Guide: Changing Faces, Changing Communities: Immigration & race, jobs, schools, and language differences
1998
A multi-session discussion guide designed to help communities face the challenges and meet the opportunities raised by the arrival of ...

Video: Prince William County, VA: Pilot Study Circles - Participant Reactions
2008
An effort in Prince William Co., VA, to begin building, and re-building, "community" in the midst of difficulties (which are ...

Stories

News Article: Building community among refugees, immigrants, and citizens
To help provide services and become a welcoming place for immigrants and refugees, the city of Rock Island, Ill., is creating an information clearinghouse for new residents. "This is everybody in the community coming together to support one another whether you're different or all the same."

News Article: First talk, then action: Increasing civic involvement in the immigrant community
In a pilot dialogue on immigrant inclusion in Hartford, Conn., participants got a taste of the community-wide dialogue they hope to launch in early 2012. They said it was a chance to “discuss real problems.” Others described the dialogue as leaving them “inspired” and “hopeful.”

News Article: Hartford, Conn., pilots dialogues on immigration
“The community dialogue process is very well suited to bringing immigrants and refugees together with others in the community for everyone’s benefit,” says Everyday Democracy's Martha L. McCoy.

News Article: Using 'study circles' to tackle challenges of refugee settlements
With an increasing refugee population in Rock Island, Ill., residents are participating in 'study circles' to address concerns and challenges such as the gaps in services available to refugees and how to make them feel comfortable to participate in community life.

Success Story: Jackson Hole, Wyo., residents work together on immigration
With a growing Latino population, the recreation-oriented town of Jackson Hole, Wyo., is taking part in study circles to address both the opportunities and the challenges of the area’s changing demographics.

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