Community organizing in immigrant communities

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Community organizing is a popular method used by immigrant communities to express their views and perspectives on a range of issues that impact their lives. [1] It is crucial to combating socio-political issues and has been utilized by immigrant communities to advocate for immigrant rights. [2] There is a wide variety of issues that are addressed through community organizing and include combating language barriers, increasing accessibility to social services, and widening the scope cultural knowledge. [3] Most importantly, community organizing has served as a way to promote collaboration and a sense of belonging for various immigrant individuals by allowing them to voice their concerns to promote change. [4] Research has shown that community organizing in immigrant communities has been an effective mediator between the social injustices being addressed and those being directly affected. [3]

Contents

Many immigrant communities in the United States are engaged in community organizing activities. Of over 50 million immigrants living in the United States [5] many may experience exploitation in the workforce and different forms of discrimination and challenges in their lives. [6] Many voluntary associations that seek to meet the needs of immigrants utilize community organizing methods aiming to mobilize and empower them and advocate for them.

History

Community organizing in immigrant communities in the United States began in the 18th century but became more prevalent between the 1860s and World War I. [7] This form of community organizing came about as a result of the growing immigrant population in the U.S. over the years. During the nineteenth century, many of the farm workers were Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and Mexican workers. [8] Immigrants often enter the U.S. through traditional gateway cities, such as San Francisco, New York, Boston and Chicago, and since the 1960s, the foreign-born population has more than doubled from 5.4 percent to 12.4 percent. [9] Essentially, the American environment stimulated the need for this way of organizing. [7] It was important for this population to come together and organize in order to either assimilate into American culture or integrate in respective communities.

Immigrant organizations vary greatly in size and can be well established or unstable. [10] The most popular reasons for the forming of these organizations is defensive — a response to exclusion — and offensive — a way to set themselves apart from others. [10] Over the years, these organizations have formed to respond to the particular needs of immigrants, such as immigrant rights, worker rights and civic engagement.

Strategies used in community organizing

Community organizing takes on a variety of forms to address the various disparities faced by immigrant communities in the United States. [11] Some community organizing groups work in providing social and legal services for the immigrant community whereas others take on a more concentrated approach such as organizing in the workplace. [11] There are also a variety of organizations focused on social change and work closely with other grassroots organizations to put in order social movements. [11] Furthermore, community organizing groups also work in educating immigrant communities about their rights and how to be more involved whether it is through social movements, protests, etc. [1]

Issues addressed in immigrant community organizing

Issues addressed in immigrant community organizing include immigrant rights, worker rights, access to higher education and civic engagement. [12] [13] [14] An example of a well known community organizing movement in which immigrants participated was the Delano grape strike and boycott in 1965. This was led by the United Farm Workers in the effort to improve the treatment of farm workers by the farm labor system. [15]

Characteristics of organizing in immigrant communities

There are certain distinctive characteristics of community organizing in immigrant communities, and it is critical for community organizers to do an assessment of the community prior to entering. Studies have shown that motivation for immigrating to the United States is associated with engagement in political and social justice work. For example, immigrants who came to the United States as refugees or asylum seekers are less likely to join organizations fighting for social and economic justice unless they felt their safety has been threatened. [16] Thus, it is very important for community organizers to recognize and understand the diversity in immigrant communities, diversity within countries of origin, reasons for immigration, and challenges they face.

Language differences

One distinguishing characteristic of community organizing in immigrant communities is the existence of language differences. The majority of newly arrived immigrants are not native-English speakers. [16] For this reason, it is essential for the organizers to have effective means of communication with the community. An effective approach can be communicating in their native language whenever possible in order to eliminate barriers. [6] There is a high demand for individuals who are bilingual and or multicultural who are capacitated to work with immigrant communities. [17] Some organizations have a policy to operate under the leadership of members from that ethnic group. [13]

Partnership With other organizations and institutions

Faith-based organizations and other existing cultural, recreational, and social ethnic associations are places where immigrants seek moral and social support. [16] Recent immigrants are more likely to be affiliated with these types of organizations. [16] In some studies, immigrants have stated that their faith and the support of their faith organization played a central role in overcoming their fears and oppositions when engaged in social and economic justice work. [6] Therefore, reaching out to organizations and institutions that have an established relationship with the immigrant community, whether faith-based or community-based, is found to be beneficial for immigrant community organizers. [6]

Strategies and social services

Existing immigrant organizations that focus on organizing place most of their attention and resources on policy advocacy, civic participation, community education and leadership training. [12] [14] Recent immigrants are often unaware of the American political system and have little political power because of their citizenship status. Hence, organizers aim to build their organization's power through voter registration, voter education, and political campaigns. [12] [14]

In addition to organizing around issues that affect the population that they serve, organizations also provide community education and social services. [13] [14] These services range from classes on English for speakers of other languages, workshops on issues and legislation that affect the immigrant community, and legal services for renewal of work permits to assisting in the naturalization process. [13] [14]

Organizations engaged in immigrant community organizing

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Farm Workers</span> Labor union for farmworkers in the United States

The United Farm Workers of America, or more commonly just United Farm Workers (UFW), is a labor union for farmworkers in the United States. It originated from the merger of two workers' rights organizations, the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) led by César Chávez and Dolores Huerta and the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC) led by organizer Larry Itliong. They allied and transformed from workers' rights organizations into a union as a result of a series of strikes in 1965, when the Filipino American and Mexican American farmworkers of the AWOC in Delano, California, initiated a grape strike, and the NFWA went on strike in support. As a result of the commonality in goals and methods, the NFWA and the AWOC formed the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee on August 22, 1966. This organization was accepted into the AFL–CIO in 1972 and changed its name to the United Farm Workers Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965</span> American immigration law

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, also known as the Hart–Celler Act and more recently as the 1965 Immigration Act, was a federal law passed by the 89th United States Congress and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The law abolished the National Origins Formula, which had been the basis of U.S. immigration policy since the 1920s. The act formally removed de facto discrimination against Southern and Eastern Europeans as well as Asians, in addition to other non-Western and Northern European ethnicities from the immigration policy of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Free migration</span> View that people may live in any country

Free migration or open immigration is the position that people should be able to migrate to whatever country they choose with few restrictions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethnic enclave</span> Geographical spot with high concentration of certain ethnic groups

In sociology, an ethnic enclave is a geographic area with high ethnic concentration, characteristic cultural identity, and economic activity. The term is usually used to refer to either a residential area or a workspace with a high concentration of ethnic firms. Their success and growth depends on self-sufficiency, and is coupled with economic prosperity.

Community unionism, also known as reciprocal unionism, refers to the formation of alliances between unions and non-labour groups in order to achieve common goals. These unions seek to organize the employed, unemployed, and underemployed. They press for change in the workplace and beyond, organizing around issues such as welfare reform, health care, jobs, housing, and immigration. Individual issues at work are seen as being a part of broader societal problems which they seek to address. Unlike trade unions, community union membership is not based on the workplace- it is based on common identities and issues. Alliances forged between unions and other groups may have a primary identity based on affiliations of religion, ethnic group, gender, disability, environmentalism, neighborhood residence, or sexuality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immigration</span> Movement of people into another country or region to which they are not native

Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as permanent residents. Commuters, tourists, and other short-term stays in a destination country do not fall under the definition of immigration or migration; seasonal labour immigration is sometimes included, however.

Migrant domestic workers are any persons "moving to another country or region to better their material or social conditions and improve the prospect for themselves or their family," engaged in a work relationship performing "in or for a household or households."

Worker centers are non-profit community-based mediating organizations in the United States that organize and provide support to communities of low-wage workers who are not already members of a collective bargaining organization, or have been legally excluded from coverage by U.S. labor laws. Many worker centers focus on immigrant and low-wage workers in sectors such as restaurant, construction, day labor and agriculture.

Opposition to immigration, also known as anti-immigration, is a political ideology that seeks to restrict immigration. In the modern sense, immigration refers to the entry of people from one state or territory into another state or territory in which they are not citizens. Illegal immigration occurs when people immigrate to a country without having official permission to do so. Opposition to immigration ranges from calls for various immigration reforms, to proposals to completely restrict immigration, to calls for repatriation of existing immigrants.

Illegal immigration is the migration of people into a country in violation of that country's immigration laws, or the continuous residence in a country without the legal right to do so. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upward, from poorer to richer countries. Illegal residence in another country creates the risk of detention, deportation, and other imposed sanctions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interfaith Worker Justice</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of immigration to the United States</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Open border</span> Border that enables free movement of people between jurisdictions

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emigration from Mexico</span> Mexicans moving abroad

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Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA) is a nonprofit organization based in Chicago that mobilizes the Jewish community of the region to advance racial and economic justice. JCUA partners with diverse community groups across the city and state to combat racism, antisemitism, poverty and other forms of systemic oppression, through grassroots community organizing, youth education programs, and community development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salvadoran diaspora in Los Angeles</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian American activism</span>

Asian American activism broadly refers to the political movements and social justice activities involving Asian Americans. Since the first wave of Asian immigration to the United States, Asians have been actively engaged in social and political organizing. The early Asian American activism was mainly organized in response to the anti-Asian racism and Asian exclusion laws in the late-nineteenth century, but during this period, there was no sense of collective Asian American identity. Different ethnic groups organized in their own ways to address the discrimination and exclusion laws separately. It was not until the 1960s when the collective identity was developed from the civil rights movements and different Asian ethnic groups started to come together to fight against anti-Asian racism as a whole.

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Immigration to the United States has many effects on the culture and politics of the United States.

References

  1. 1 2 Escudero, Kevin (2024-05-31), Christens, Brian D. (ed.), "Immigrant Organizing and Activism", The Cambridge Handbook of Community Empowerment (1 ed.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 139–161, doi:10.1017/9781009153720.007, ISBN 978-1-009-15372-0, retrieved 2024-05-08
  2. ↑ Hanley, Jill; Shragge, Eric (2009-06-03). "Organizing for Immigrant Rights: Policy Barriers and Community Campaigns". Journal of Community Practice. 17 (1–2): 184–206. doi:10.1080/10705420902856209. ISSN 1070-5422.
  3. 1 2 Martinez-Damia S, Marzana D, Paloma V, Marta E. The Mediating Role of Migrant Community-Based Organizations: Challenges and Coping Strategies. Voluntas. 2023 May 4:1-12. doi: 10.1007/s11266-023-00572-0. Epub ahead of print. PMID 37360510; PMCID: PMC10159230.
  4. ↑ Fitzpatrick, Joseph P. (Autumn 1966). "The Importance of "Community" in the Process of Immigrant Assimilation". International Migration Review. 1 (1): 5. doi:10.2307/3002231.
  5. ↑ Camarota, Steven (2012). "Immigrants in the United States, 2010: A Profile of America's Foreign-Born Population". Center for Immigration Studies.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Gabriel, Jackie (2008). "Si, Se Puede: Organizing Latino Immigrant Workers in South Omaha's Meatpacking Industry". Journal of Labor Research. 29 (1): 68–87. doi:10.1007/s12122-007-9025-y. S2CID   154831008.
  7. 1 2 Moya, Jose C. (September 2005). "Immigrants and Associations: A Global and Historical Perspective". Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. 31 (5): 833–864. doi:10.1080/13691830500178147. S2CID   144707012.
  8. ↑ Tejado-Flores, Rick. "The United Farmworkers Union". PBS.
  9. ↑ de Leon, Erwin. "COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND IMMIGRANT INTEGRATION" (PDF). The Urban Institute. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  10. 1 2 Schrover, Marlou; Vermeulen, Floris (September 2005). "Immigrant Organisations". Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. 31 (5): 823–832. CiteSeerX   10.1.1.896.4461 . doi:10.1080/13691830500177792. S2CID   198955798.
  11. 1 2 3 Robert Fisher, James DeFilippis, Community organizing in the United States, Community Development Journal, Volume 50, Issue 3, July 2015, Pages 363–379, https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsv016
  12. 1 2 3 Padres & Jovenes Unidos. "Our Vision: The freedom to Learn".
  13. 1 2 3 4 Centro Presente. "What We Do".
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 New York Immigration United for Justice and Opportunity (29 November 2020). "Issues".
  15. ↑ Tavaana. "Fighting for Farm Workers' Rights: Cesar Chavez, the Delano Grape Strike and Boycott".
  16. 1 2 3 4 Ochs, Mary; Peyes Mayron (2004). "Immigrant Organizing: Patterns, Challenge & Opportunities". Social Policy. 33: 19–24.
  17. ↑ Jacob A. Riss Neighborhood Settlement. "Advocate/Immigrant Community Organizer". Archived from the original on 2013-09-28. Retrieved 2014-03-14.
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