Integrating immigrants into the fabric of our communities presents challenges to communities across the country. The Congress of Cities in Phoenix will provide opportunities to learn about different programs and policies to integrate immigrants into the community, economically, socially, and culturally.
Why We are in Phoenix
While some have called for a boycott of Arizona in response to state-level immigration decisions, NLC has consistently reaffirmed its decision to host its annual Congress of Cities and Exposition in Phoenix for the following reasons:
- To support Phoenix and Arizona cities and towns -- The City of Phoenix and Arizona cities and towns have actively opposed to the state’s actions. As the nation’s oldest and largest organization representing cities nationally, we are going to Phoenix to support the efforts of the City and other Arizona cities and towns.
- To promote and encourage constructive local action to integrate immigrants into the economic, social, and cultural fabric of cities through conference programming, training, and education.
- As a continued call for comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level. See page 141 of the 2011 NLC National Municipal Policy.
Agenda
The agenda is currently in development and as workshops and speakers are confirmed, items will be added to the Agenda section. In addition to workshops, speakers discussing immigration will be included in the general sessions.
Wednesday, November 9
NLC Advisory Council Meeting on Small Business Development and Immigration
Thursday, November 10
Leadership Training Institute Seminar on Immigrants and Public Safety Practices
9.:0am – 12:00pm
As immigrant communities continues to grow across the country, and amid a national debate surrounding the role of local law enforcement in immigration, local officials are increasingly turning to public safety officials to play a role in immigrant integration and outreach. Building an open and informed relationship between local police and immigrant communities increases trust and promotes better understanding of local laws and culture, while empowering new immigrants to feel safe and welcome in cities. Seminar participants will learn about the perceptions of public safety leaders in dealing with immigrants and how local civic leaders and public safety officials can engage their local immigrant populations in a constructive and effective way. Participants will learn about the latest reports on national trends, findings in the field, good practices and a series of innovative and successful strategies in community policing that build confidence and promote public safety among diverse immigrant communities across the United States.
Instructors:
Paul Lewis, Professor, Arizona State University
Scott Decker, Professor, Arizona State University
Officer Rick Robles, Immigrant Affairs Officer, Fort Wayne, Indiana Police Department
Ana Cody, External Affairs Manager, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Friday, November 11 and Saturday, November 12
The Trust Factor: Engaging Youth and Families of Diverse Communities
10:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
In a time of significant demographic change and reduced resources, cross-departmental and multi-sector collaborations are the key to meeting the needs of all members of the community. This workshop will highlight the City of Phoenix Latino Institute Program, an innovative and inclusive effort that has been addressing the needs of greater Phoenix for over a decade. Panelists will highlight strategies for engaging youth and families from diverse communities, and how they can access services, programs and networks throughout the greater Phoenix area. Participants will have the opportunity to share the unique situations impacting their own communities and share effective solutions they have implemented. The Latino Institute invites you to take part in this engaging and timely dialogue.
Moderator:
Juan F. Rodriguez, Recreation Coordinator, City of Phoenix, Ariz.
Speakers:
Carmela Ramirez, Latino Institute Chair, Parks and Recreation Department, City of Phoenix, Ariz.
Albert Santana, Latino Institute Past Chair and Current Executive Committee Member, City Manager’s Office, City of Phoenix, Ariz.
Jose Habre, Latino Institute Executive Committee Member, Parks and Recreation Department, City of Phoenix, Ariz.
Wilfred Gonzales, Latino Institute Executive Committee Member, Law Department, City of Phoenix, Ariz.
Delia Ortega-Nowakowski, Parks and Recreation Board Member (Policy Board), City of Phoenix, Ariz.
Sustainablie Inclusive Communities: Engaging Communities for Equitable Development
1:30pm- 2:45pm
The pursuit of social benefits for all members of a community is an important core element of sustainability. Yet efforts to actively plan for and incorporate social equity within city-led sustainability initiatives have traditionally received far less direct and strategic attention than the more popular components of environmental protection and economic health. Join experts as they explore this topic and its value in creating truly sustainable communities. Through a moderated discussion speakers will discuss the important roles cities play in promoting social equity and specific strategies that have been used to foster inclusion as part of achieving their sustainability goals.
Moderator: Michael Sesma, City Councilmember, EENR Vice Chair, City of Gaithersburg, Maryland
Speakers:
Carlton Eley, Senior Environmental Protection Specialist, U.S.EPA
Emily Talen, Director, Phoenix Urban Research Lab, Arizona State University and Professor School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning School of Sustainability.
Nora Liu, Neighborhood Planning Manager, Neighborhood Planning and Community Land Use, City of Seattle, Washington
Supporting Immigrant Small Business
3:00pm- 4:30pm
Last year, immigrants were twice as likely to start business as native-born workers. For cities across the country, immigrant business represents an important source of jobs and economic growth. This workshop will examine the challenges and opportunities facing these businesses and feature successful local programs that help immigrants business succeed. Attendees will learn ways to support immigrant business, including outreach and partnership building strategies.
Moderator: Gilbert Lopez, Vice Mayor, Coolidge, Arizona
Speakers:
Laura Hill, Fellow, Public Policy Institute of California, San Francisco, California
Fatima Shama, Commissioner, Mayoral Office of Immigrant Affairs, City of New York.
Representative from the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Phoenix, Arizona
The Patchogue Story: “Not in our Town: Light in the Darkness” Film Presentation and Panel Discussion
4:30pm-6:00pm
“Not in our Town: Light in the Darkness” is a documentary about a town standing together to take action after anti-immigrant violence devastates the community and thrusts them into the international media spotlight. Over a two year period, the film follows Patchogue, New York Mayor Paul Pontieri, a 60-something Italian-American, as he leads diverse community stakeholders and residents to openly address the underlying causes of the violence and to initiate a broad series of ongoing community actions to ensure everyone in their village is safe and respected. This workshop will provide models of leadership and action for mayors and local officials to address anti-immigrant bias and intolerance and to develop sustainable community partnerships for ongoing programs facilitating effective immigrant integration and promoting safe, inclusive cities.
Speakers:
Paul Pontieri, Mayor, Patchogue, New York
Patrice O’Neill, Executive producer of “Not in our Town: light in the Darkness”