Workshop Track: Immigrant Integration & Civic Participation

Advocating for Adult English Language Learning

Date: Thursday, June 24, 2010
Time: 2:30pm - 4:00pm
Place: Room TBD

This session will present the Asian American Justice Center’s new English Language Learner (ELL) Handbook, which includes a message guide and statistical information advocating for more ELL opportunities. Panelists will discuss efforts to build support for ELL programs in Congress and the Obama administration. Participants will also learn how to advocate successfully on this issue.

Speakers:

	Max Niedzwiecki Partner Daylight Consulting Group (Moderator)		Karen Narasaki President and Executive Director Asian American Justice Center (Workshop Moderator)
	Lynn Selmser Policy Analyst National Council of State Directors of Adult Education (Panelist)		Darwin Bonilla Education Manager CASA de Maryland (Panelist)
	Raul González Director of Legislative Affairs National Council of La Raza (Panelist)		Leonie L. Campbell-Williams Director of Communications Asian American Justice Center (Panelist)
	Danielle M. Reyes Program Officer Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation (Panelist)

How to Develop an Immigration Policy Platform

Date: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Time: 4:00pm - 5:30pm
Place: Room TBD

Although immigration reform is a key issue for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, it can be challenging to craft a policy platform and advocacy approach that reconciles the diverse needs of the AAPI community with the political reality that surrounds the issue.  In this workshop, participants are invited to gain a skills-based understanding of how to build an immigration policy platform and develop advocacy strategies for their respective organizations. Upon receiving an update on comprehensive immigration reform legislation, participants will engage in hypothetical scenarios and role play to learn how to weigh various policy priorities and immigration needs of their specific community and/or members.

Speakers:

Connie Choi Staff Attorney Asian Pacific American Legal Center (Facilitator)

State and Local Immigration-Related Legislation

Date: Thursday, June 24, 2010
Time: 10:45am - 12:15pm
Place: Room TBD

The perception, real of false, that the federal government has not effectively stemmed the tide of illegal immigration, coupled with the changing racial demographics of many communities, have led to widespread efforts at the state and local level to pass immigration-related legislation.  Such laws typically expand the immigration-enforcement powers of state and local law enforcement agencies, seek punitive measures against employers, landlords, and other service providers who do business with undocumented immigrants, and demand English-only policies.  In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, effective litigation and advocacy against such state and local measures is critical.

Speakers:

	Ronald H. Lee Senior Staff Attorney Asian American Justice Center (Moderator)		Jonathan Blazer Public Benefits Policy Attorney Philadelphia, National Immigration Law Center (Panelist)
	Iván Espinoza-Madrigal Staff Attorney Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (Panelist)		Annie Lai Staff Attorney ACLU of Arizona (Panelist)
	Daniel Seokhwan Choi Staff Attorney Legal Aid Justice Center – Immigrant Advocacy Program (Panelist)