FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, December 13, 2024
CONTACT: Rachel Dupree, racheld@masadc.com
National Partnership for New Americans Convenes Nation’s Largest Immigrant Inclusion Conference Delivering a Clear Message from the Field: We’re Not Giving Up
Over 1,300 advocates from over 550 immigrant and refugee rights organizations at the National Immigrant Inclusion Conference in Houston champion inclusive democracy and vow to protect immigrant communities across the nation
HOUSTON, TX – Earlier this week, the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) hosted the 16th Biennial National Immigrant Inclusion Conference (NIIC), the nation’s largest event to advance equity and inclusion of immigrant and refugee communities. The conference was held in Houston, Texas, from December 8 to 10 and drew leaders from across the sector for those working alongside and on behalf of immigrant and refugee communities.
Since its launch in 2008, NIIC has grown into a vibrant and collaborative gathering, consistently drawing over 1,000 leaders from more than 450 organizations dedicated to immigrant and refugee rights across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. This year’s conference highlighted efforts to protect immigrant communities, and the need for unity, collaboration, and coordination among advocates. NIIC provided a space for innovation, resilience, connection, and community resolve to meet the forthcoming challenges of a second Trump administration.
“We are so glad to have hosted over 1,300 colleagues for NIIC 2024 in Houston, Texas. Not only did we learn valuable lessons from our colleagues who organize in Texas and other southern states, we were also able to take a step back and reflect on what we’ve learned as a field over the past eight years. NIIC 2024 also reminded us that we as advocates and immigrant communities are not alone- yes it will be hard, but we’ve got each other. Our joy and our fighting spirit will not be dimmed–and as it was so eloquently said on stage–anti-immigrant forces can have the past, the future is ours.” Said Nicole Melaku, NPNA executive director
"We stand together as allies, community, families, and friends in the eve of what may be challenging times ahead. We are inspired and encouraged to stand our ground by history, other social justice movements before us, and our deep love for community. We will be resilient. We will be prepared. We will forge ahead with strengthened determination and righteous belief that our cause is fair and just. Together, we are never alone," stated Angelica Salas, CHIRLA executive director and NPNA co-chair.
"The NIIC is the most important immigrant rights gathering in America, and this was the most important NIIC ever. The message that came out of this year's gathering in Houston was loud and clear: Immigrants are here to stay, and we are ready for the work of defending democracy that lies ahead of us,” said Amaha Kassa, executive director of African Communities Together.
“We are proud to host NIIC 2024 in Houston to convene more than a thousand immigrant justice advocates across the country at a critical time of our movement. The gathering reaffirmed that immigrants are the strands that weave the American tapestry: this is home and we are here to stay,” said Zenobia Lai, executive director of Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative.
The conference this year was anchored by the National Partnership for New Americans and other national partners including African Communities Together (ACT), APIAVote, Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI), Church World Service (CWS), International Rescue Commission (IRC), MPower Change, National Immigration Law Center (NILC), National LGBTQ Taskforce, National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC), SEIU, UnidosUS, and UniteHere! In addition to national partners, the following organizations supported as Regional Hosts: Asian Texans for Justice, Emgage, Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative (HILSC), Jolt Initiative, OCA Houston, South Asian Americans for Voter Empowerment of Texas (SAAVE TX), Tahirih Center, Texas Immigration Law Council, Texas Organizing Project (TOP), Woori Juntos, and YMCA Houston.
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The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) is a multi-ethnic, multiracial coalition of 75 of the nation’s largest immigrant and refugee rights organizations with reach across over 42 states. Together with our members, we advance immigrant and refugee equity and inclusion, build and expand immigration legal services and integration programming capacity, and drive campaigns that strengthen democracy through increased civic participation. See our website for more information at partnershipfornewamericans.org.