Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees - GCIR

Web Seminar Presented Jointly by Grantmakers for Education and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees

Studies repeatedly show students do better in school when their families are engaged in their education. But when it come to the one in ten K-12 students who are English Language Learners (ELL)--whose parents are unfamiliar with US educational practices and speak very little English themselves--fostering family engagement can be exceptionally challenging. Join Claire Chang of Minnesota Community Foundation and The St. Paul Foundation, Elyse Barbell and Be Jensen of the Literacy Assistance Center, and Joanna Brown of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association for the second in a series of programs on what grantmakers need to know about how ELL issues are affecting education today. Learn how funders can increase ELL learners' educational success in early childhood and K-12 by supporting programs that engage and serve parents a long with kids.

Registration

This web seminar is free to GFE and GCIR members and is $40 for eligible non-members. Advance registration is required; registration closes at COB April 16.

Register today: www.edfunders.org/programs/event5/index.asp

Community colleges have become an important force for change in adult basic education. They are playing an expanding role in meeting the educational and vocational needs of immigrants and refugees, especially those facing the dual challenge of earning a degree or certificate while learning English. During this briefing, funders will have the opportunity to learn about exemplary programs that address poverty, improve educational and job opportunities and engage immigrants in civic life.  Grantmaking colleagues will share their current funding efforts in this area and explore recommendations that are suitable to foundations of varying sizes and interest areas.

A complimentary copy of GCIR’s recently released publication on this topic funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, will be provided to teleconference attendees.

To register for this telephonic briefing, please contact Amanda Graves at Amanda @ gcir.org.

English language proficiency is fundamental to immigrant integration, yet the current demand for English instruction far exceeds the existing supply in virtually every community across the country. How can immigrant advocates and funders effectively communicate newcomers' desire to learn English and the need for increased investment in language instruction? Does the general public think immigrants want to learn English? Would they support increased funding for ESL?

Join grantmaking colleagues for a one-hour teleconference briefing with pollster, Celinda Lake, to learn about her latest poll findings. Hear from Karen Narasaki of the Asian American Justice Center about how these poll findings can inform efforts to expand ESL instruction. Discuss the implications of these findings and what the philanthropic sector can do to promote increased investment in English language instruction as a vehicle for successful integration. This poll was funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Kindly RSVP for this teleconference with Amanda Graves of GCIR via email at amanda @ gcir.org or by phone at 707.824.4374 by Friday, July 18th to receive the call-in information. When confirming your participation, please provide your email address. We will be sending meeting materials to you one day prior to the call.

Speakers:

• Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, is a pollster and political strategist for Democrats and progressives. Recently, she worked for Senator Joe Biden's presidential bid and has helped lead several candidates, including Jon Tester and Jerry McNerney, to victories over incumbents. She has also focused on women candidates, working for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Governor Janet Napolitano, and Senator Debbie Stabenow. With Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway, Celinda co-authored What Women Really Want, an examination of the way women are changing the political landscape in America.
• Karen Narasaki is executive director and president of the Asian American Justice Center, whose mission is to advance the human and civil rights of Asian-Americans through advocacy, public policy, public education, and litigation. One of the nation's experts on voting rights, immigration and immigrant rights, and race relations, Karen serves in a number of leadership positions in the civil rights and immigrant rights communities. Before joining AAJC, she was the Washington, D.C. Representative for the Japanese American Citizens League; a corporate attorney at Perkins Coie in Seattle, Washington; and a law clerk to Judge Harry Pregerson on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Los Angeles. She is a graduate, magna cum laude, of Yale University and Order of the Coif, of the UCLA School of Law.

Across the country, community colleges are serving increasingly high numbers of low-income immigrants who rely on them for English classes, adult basic education and vocational education opportunities.  As such, they are well positioned to play a critical role in helping immigrants increase educational attainment, improve economic mobility and become full, contributing members of society. Join us for the release of a hot-off-the-press grantmakers' handbook and learn about the most recent research, best practices, innovative models and recommendations to guide philanthropic investment in this area. For more information, visit www.edfunders.org.