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Immigrant Civic Participation: Resources
and Tools ADC (American Arab Anti-Discrimination
Committee)
4201 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 300 Washington, D.C. 20008 adc@adc.org www.adc.org “ADC is a grassroots civil rights organization which welcomes people of all backgrounds, faiths and ethnicities as members.” Their website outlines a simple three step proccess for voter registration in an effort to register new voters of Middle Eastern descent.
“The Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) 2004 is a national coalition of non-partisan nonprofit organizations that encourages civic participation and promotes a better understanding of public policy and the electoral process among the Asian and Pacific Islander American community. Our objective is to effectively engage the APIA community in the political process by coordinating outreach and educational activities and programs.” APIA Vote is part of the Immigrant Vote 2004 Campaign.
“ICIRR is dedicated to promote the rights of immigrants and refugees to full and equal participation in the civic, cultural, social, and political life of our diverse society. In partnership with our member organizations, the Coalition educates and organizes immigrant and refugee communities to assert their rights; promotes citizenship and civic participation; monitors, analyzes, and advocates on immigrant-related issues; and, informs the general public about the contributions of immigrants and refugees.” Included in the ICIRR’s current campaigns is The New Americans Vote ’04 campaign which works on including the immigrant community’s voting power in the 2004 elections.
“The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition is committed to promoting the rights, opportunities, and well-being of immigrant and refugee communities. Our work focuses on policy advocacy, public education, capacity building and leadership development in newcomer communities.” In working for immigrant rights, MIRA works to promote equal access to benefits and services, support citizenship, advance civic participation, and further community education and public information. The website includes a form to acquire How To Become A Citizen: A Guide for Immigrants (now available in English, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese) as well as a form for purchasing Health Care Access for Immigrants and Refugees in Massachusetts: A Guide to Understanding Eligibility for Health Care and Access Barriers. Available on the website is their Guidance on Public Charge and Unequal Access Report. In MIRA’s civic participation effort, they offer trainings, material and technical assistance on how government works (the legislative and the electoral process). MIRA holds an annual Immigrants’ Day at the State House to give more than 800 immigrants opportunities to meet with their own elected representatives and advocate for issues affecting newcomers that are under debate in the Massachusetts Legislature. MIRA also sponsors voter registration drives. Mobilize the Immigrant Vote 2004 (MIV 2004)
California Campaign Mobilize the Immigrant Vote 2004 (MIV 2004) is a statewide campaign led by a collaborative of diverse organizations throughout California committed to supporting the full inclusion of immigrant communities in the political process. “We Believe...
The NYIC was founded in 1987 to mobilize the leadership of New York’s immigrant communities in response to the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. It has since evolved into a powerful advocacy voice, analyzing the impact of immigration policy proposals, promoting and protecting the rights of immigrants and their family members, improving newcomers’ access to services, resolving problems with public agencies and mobilizing member groups to respond to emerging issues and needs. NYIC is an umbrella coalition
of about 150 diverse organizations in New York City. It has had
an active civic participation program, registering tens of thousands
of new immigrant voters over the last several years. Their website
includes educational tools and information for organizers, advocates
and new voters, including materials in several different languages.
“The National Korean American Service and Education Consortium is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that promotes political and civic participation among Korean Americans. NAKASEC is also an advocate for the civil rights of Korean Americans and works to raise cultural awareness as well as issues pertinent to the Korean American community.” NAKASEC’s current programs include Project
Participate – Vote Education and Civic Participation:
The NALEO Educational Fund’s Voces del Pueblo Program promotes full Latino electoral participation through voter education, mobilization and advocacy. “The Voces del Pueblo program is a multi--layered
approach to increasing Latino voter participation conducted in three
phases: listening to the community through interactive community
forums, giving Latinos a voice and access to the candidates by conducting
a candidates debate and/or forum, and engaging the community in
the city’s electoral process through a targeted Get-Out-the-Vote
(GOTV) effort. Our program is designed to provide information and
an invitation to participation.”
“The Northern California Citizenship Project
(NCCP) works to increase immigrant civic and political activism
to expand democracy and advance social justice. Our core strategy
is to build and sustain the capacity of community organizations
and other groups to engage and empower their immigrant constituents.
Since 1997, the NCCP has facilitated training, technical assistance,
networking and funding opportunities for over 100 organizations
in Northern California.”
“People For the American Way is an energetic advocate for the values and institutions that sustain a diverse democratic society.” Center for Immigrant Democracy “The Center for Immigrant Democracy is a nonprofit/nonpartisan organization currently mobilizing staff and local neighborhood volunteers in a community service project called Mi Familia Vota (My Family Votes). The goal of the project is to educate the community about the importance of registering to vote and to facilitate opportunities for registration.” “PFAW Foundation, in partnership with the Center for Immigrant Democracy, has launched Mi Familia Vota (MFV), a voter registration project in immigrant communities in Florida. MFV plans to add 50,000 new Hispanic voters to the Florida electorate over the next six months. Registration efforts will be followed up by an intensive Get Out the Vote campaign to bring both newly registered voters and infrequent voters to the polls in November.”
Broader Civic Participation Groups Easy Voter Guide Project Begun in California in 1994, parts of the Easy Voter Guide Project will be available in nearby states like Nevada, and nationally.” The Easy Voter Guide provides resources to help voters become more familiar with the voting process and what will be on the ballot. Material is available for outreach workers and educators who are also trying to help these new voters.
“National Voice is a coalition of non-profit and community groups working to maximize public participation in our nation's democratic process. A key activity of National Voice is helping local groups incorporate voter education and registration activities into their work. We have developed an electronic library of technical, legal, and organizing information, and an on-line clearinghouse of effective tools and strategies. We work to maximize communication, enhance collaboration and avoid duplication.” The National Voice homepage displays a map
of the United States on which one may click on any state to find
out what is going on with civic participation there. |
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