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July Immigrant Affairs Update |
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DEADLINE TO APPLY: THURSDAY, JULY 20
The Equity Mini-Grant Fund, offered since 2018 by the City of Austin's Equity Office, is now accepting applications once again. We are focusing on services provided to two priority populations in Austin & Travis County: immigrant communities and those who are unhoused.
In the past, the Equity Mini-Grant fund has been a flexible funding opportunity intended for grassroots community organizations working to address significant quality-of-life disparities in our community. Over the last several years, these funds have prioritized various significant challenges in our community, including COVID-19 recovery efforts, public safety, and immigrant inclusion.
In this spirit and given the continuing work in communities throughout the City of Austin to develop interventions around the displacement of our most marginalized residents, the current Equity Mini-Grant fund seeks to fund projects that help us pilot community-centered solutions addressing:
- houselessness and/or
- immigrant inclusion
A total of $250,000 in funding is available. Recipients can apply for funding ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. Learn more and apply here. |
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Get Your Enhanced Library Card Today!
We are excited to share that the Enhanced Library Card pilot program has officially begun! This has been a successful collaboration between Austin Public Library, the Equity Office and several other city departments and community organizations. Stop by one of the three pilot locations and get yours today and help us spread the word within your communities.
- Little Walnut Creek Branch, 835 W. Rundberg Ln
- St. John Branch, 7500 Blessing Ave.
- Southeast Branch, 5803 Nuckols Crossing Rd.
Read local news coverage about the card:
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Volunteer Hosts Needed at Casa Marianella!
The shelter at Casa Marianella is currently over capacity and they are looking for ATX locals to host residents for 3 months. You will make a big difference in someone’s life and this is a great opportunity if you are interested in cultural connection and language learning. If you live centrally or have access to a bus line, you would be an especially great fit! If interested, please reach out to Jennifer Long at jlong@casamarianella.org |
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- At the direction of Governor Abbott, Texas has started to deploy a barrier of buoys down the middle of the Rio Grande as a way to deter migrants. Abbott is now facing a lawsuit.
- Certain out-of-state driver's licenses will no longer be valid in Florida, following the passing of SB1718, Governon DeSantis' anti-immigrant legislation.
- The Biden administration recently announced that it will extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of more than 300,000 migrants from El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Nepal who were set to lose their deportation protections. However, by not re-designating TPS for those countries, more recent arrivals will not qualify for protection. Recipients of TPS are eligible for work permits, social security cards, and state driver's licenses.
- The Supreme Court on Friday cleared the way for the Biden administration to reinstate rules that instruct Immigration and Customs Enforcement to focus its deportation efforts on certain immigrants.
- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) annual Global Trends report found that a record 108.4 million persons were displaced from their homes at the end of 2022, 19 million more than were displaced at the end of 2021.
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Tuesday, July 11 @ 5pm CST
Immigration Attorney Q&A: Naturalization and Everything You Need to Know to Start Your Process
Join us for a question and answer session about the process to become a citizen brought to you by the Naturalize NOW campaign in conjunction with naturalized immigration attorney Cristina Uribe Reyes from Uribe Reyes Law and moderated by Laila Martin Garcia, who became a U.S. citizen in 2022. Register here. |
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Monday, July 17 @ 3pm CST
ISNA Regular Meeting
At the next regular meeting of ISNA, we will have presentations by Every Texan (overview of legislative session) and AVANCE (family literacy program). There will also be an opportunity for attendees to provide updates about their respective work. Register for the meeting here.
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Tuesday, July 18 @ 1pm CST
Strategies for Supporting Newcomer and Immigrant Families Navigating the School System
Join us for a webinar where we will share strategies and resources to best support immigrant families. Our panel of speakers includes district leaders, school administrators, nonprofit organizations, and parent advocates. They will share their expertise on best practices for engaging with families and building strong partnerships with schools and community-based organizations. Register here. |
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Wednesday, July 19 @ 4pm CST
Emergency Preparedness Pop-Up (District 7)
Yarborough Branch Library - 2200 Hancock Drive
The City of Austin’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) will host monthly Emergency Preparedness Pop-Up events in each of Austin’s City Council Districts throughout 2023. These events are designed to help equip Austinites with the information, tools and resources needed in emergency situations. Community members are invited to attend these three-hour open house style events.
At these events, Austinites will learn more about geographical risks in their area and how to prepare for them, and the four steps to preparedness: make a plan, build a kit, know your neighbors, and stay informed. The first 50 guests will receive a basic emergency preparedness supply kit while supplies last, limit one per person / household.
Interpretation services will be available in Spanish and ASL at each event. The public can request additional language interpreters by calling 3-1-1 at least five days before the event you wish to attend. View the full schedule here.
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Saturday, July 22 @ 10am CST
AAPI Community Health Fair + Volunteer Opportunity
Asian American Resource Center - 8401 Cameron Road, Austin, TX 78754
The Asian American Resource Center (AARC), Austin Public Health (APH), and the Austin Asian Community Health Initiative (AACHI) present their annual Community Health Fair! This collaborative event aims to provide free health resources, screenings, and immunizations to the public, with a focus on Arabic-, Nepali-, and Burmese-speaking communities.
Volunteers are also needed. Roles include multilingual ushers and general support volunteers for the event. Register to volunteer here.
For more information please contact Gunjen Mittal: gunjen.mittal@austintexas.gov |
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Tuesday, July 25 @ 5pm CST
Refugee Matters: LGBTQ+ Migrant Justice
Pride month takes place in June, but conversations about LGBTQ+ migrant justice are year-round! This upcoming Refugee Matters episode highlights the courageous work of LGBTQ+ people seeking asylum, refugees, and immigrants, working to promote LGBTQ+ migrant justice in their communities and nationwide. Please join us in this important dialogue as our speakers will share updates, and triumphs affecting our queer and trans immigrant and refugee communities. Register here. |
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Saturday, July 29 @ 10:30am CST
Equity Action Team Meeting
North Austin YMCA, Conference Room B - 1000 W Rundberg Lane
We are excited to see you again for our July EAT meeting! We know that not all of our community can make a weekday dinner so we are switching things up with a Saturday brunch. We are also traveling away from our Equity Office home base to the North Austin YMCA. The center is a Resilience Hub pilot location and we are excited to connect with the Office of Resilience team to learn more about their resilience framework and their mini grant program. We'll also have space for additional community updates and calls to action.
We'll connect over coffee and light breakfast starting at 10:30AM and get our meeting started by 11:00AM. Lunch will also be provided! Register here.
If you're interested in checking out an EAT meeting for the first time, or inviting a friend to join, this is a great time to do so. Hope to see you and your community there!
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Wednesday, August 9 @ 8:30am - 3:30pm CST
Youth Mental Health First Aid
*virtual
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) teaches the skills you need to reach out and provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care.
USCRI Texas' Refugee Wellness team wants to empower local organizations and community stakeholders to feel confident in supporting refugees building resiliency and encouraging them to seek help for mental health challenges. Trainings are provided free of cost and we offer CEUs! Register here.
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Little Amal and Welcoming America hosted a webinar on June 8 to build a coalition of partners for the upcoming U.S. tour of 35+ cities and towns kicking off during Welcoming Week. Learn about partner activities both before and during Amal's visit as well as efforts and opportunities for local communities to ensure a lasting impact for refugees and newcomers. Little Amal will be visiting Austin in mid-late October!
Watch the recording here. Sign up as a partner for Little Amal's stop in Austin here.
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Mark your calendars: #WelcomingWeek2023 is September 8-17
Through Welcoming Week, organizations and communities bring together neighbors of all backgrounds to build strong connections and affirm the importance of welcoming and inclusive places in achieving collective prosperity. Visit the Welcoming Week website to access the toolkit and event guide. |
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