Appoint the Advisory Board of Community Leaders to launch the development of innovative policies in favor of immigrants

New York
Governor Kathy Hochul announced Friday the launch of the New York State Immigrant Integration Research and Policy Institute to help immigrants transition to community life, higher education and the workforce. The Institute, which received funding in the fiscal year 2023 state budget, will be housed at the Rockefeller Institute of Government, the State University of New York’s public policy think tank. The announcement coincides with the selection of an Advisory Board of community leaders, who will launch innovative policy development and select an Executive Director and Assistant Director in the coming months.
“New York was built on the hard work and determination of generations of immigrants, and this Institute will work to improve the lives of those who are trying to build a better life for themselves and their families,” Governor Hochul said. “By clearing the lines for new New Yorkers, we can help them better integrate into the New York community and access the New York Dream.”
Upon arrival, immigrants often struggle to learn English, help their children integrate into school, find safe and affordable housing, secure jobs with a living wage, safe transportation to those jobs, and access to available services, often for fear of deportation. The Institute’s Executive Director and Deputy Director will analyze real-time immigration, economic, labor and other data and identify potential solutions for policymakers to help build on the state’s commitment to support immigrants of all ages, nationalities and origins.
The launch of the Institute follows Governor Hochul’s mission to protect immigrants, including the undocumented, who have been forced to leave their home countries. In October 2021, the Governor signed legislation (S.343-A/A.3412-A) that classifies certain threats to expose a person’s immigration status as extortion or coercion under New York law. Opened educational and housing opportunities to help evacuees from Afghanistan and Ukraine.
[tabs type=”horizontal”][tabs_head][tab_title]The Institute Advisory Board[/tab_title][/tabs_head][tab]
It is a broad-based group of leaders who bring a variety of experiences and relationships, as well as a shared commitment to integrating immigration into the work of the Institute:
Wilma Alvarado-Little, Director of Minority Health and Health Disparities Prevention, NYSDOH
Dr. Laura Anker, Professor, American Studies, SUNY Old Westbury
Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition
Marcos Crespo, Board Member, SUNY
Dr. Isaac Ehrlich, Professor, Economics, University at Buffalo
Lucia Gomez, Political Director, NYC Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO
Laura Gonzalez-Murphy, Executive Director, Office of New Americans, NY State Dept.
Ramona Hernández, Director of the CUNY Institute of Dominican Studies, CUNY
Paola Martinez, Community Organizer
Cesar Perales, Vice President of the Board of Directors, SUNY
Dr. Dina Refki, Director Center for Women in Government and Civil Society, Albany University
Jennifer Rizzo-Choi, Executive Director, Buffalo International Institute
Jo-Ann Yoo, Executive Director of the Asian American Federation
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Posted on September 29, 2022