Welcome Awards 2025 continue the positive spirit

Nominations for the 2025 Awards are now open!!!

Chambana never disappoints and we trust you have your nominations ready so it is time to send them in.

Us this link and we will make sure they are considered by the judges: 

https://forms.gle/5b1xtf793cfSpsFn9

As a reminder, there are no repeat winners in any one category; the form can reminder who has won where.  We also don't accept nominations for board members of the CU Immigration Forum.

These are the categories:

Student Leadership Award - A student who has shown promise this year as a leader in immigration or demonstrated commitment to serving or working with immigrants or refugees, locally or abroad.

Business Leadership Award - A local business (immigrant-owned or not) that contributes to the local immigrant community through advocacy, hiring, donations, or in-kind services, all of which contribute to the economic development of Champaign County. 

Immigrant Leader Award - An immigrant individual who has been a strong leader of the immigrant community for their particular immigrant community or for the larger immigrant community. 

Emergent Leader Award - An individual who has in the last few years been a regular contributor to advancing the cause of immigrants through service or advocacy, in the local community, in their work sphere, or in their interactions with the state of Illinois. His/her/their contributions may be as a volunteer or as part of their job. This person is a promising new leader who has emerged quite recently, rather than one who has contributed over the years.

Community Impact Award - A community-based organization, non-profit, public sector institution, or local government which demonstrates exceptional commitment to serving and advocating for local immigrants in our community. The nominee may also be considered for adopting specific policies or initiatives in response to the growing immigrant population.

The Claire Szoke Distinguished Service Award - An individual in Champaign County who has strongly contributed to the well-being of immigrants over the years. Like Claire's consistent drive towards justice, this individual has continued to stand up for immigrants in belief and action. Claire's work spanned her involvement with El Centro de Los Trabajadores, being a local leader in the Sanctuary Movement, and helping found the CU Immigration Forum. Unlike the other awards, nominees from previous years may be considered, since this award considers long-standing contributions.

         The  CU Immigration Forum Welcome Awards Planning Committee thanks you!

Troubled times

It is 2025. We trust our readers are well aware of our troubled times. 

Internally there are lots of conversations and subgroups that are seeking to deal with the many executive orders and their fall out. We have chosen to not respond publicly for now.

In Champaign County we have a force of many volunteers and members of the CU Immigration Forum and we continue to meet every second Tuesday at 5:30 at the University Y and Chalmers and Wright. If you arrive after the doors close, you can call our number at 217-979-0255. 

Sanctuary City Resources

We encourage you to contact your local leaders and tell them how much you appreciate their support for all the newcomers to our communities.

Copy the following, paste and make it personal. It is important for local leaders to know that they are not alone and that we support them as they resist the federal pressure.

Dear mayor:

I feel fortunate to live in a welcoming community; valuing the foreign born as assets rather than a hindrance is a forward outlook that shows you are looking out for the long-term strength of our town.

I am proud of the city's support for the foreign born, no matter what their status. The Welcoming Plan of Champaign County has the city's long term commitment and I support its continued implementation.

Lastly, your defense of the TRUST Act  is commendable and your law enforcement and city policies that implement this support, are also worthy of praise. Keep at it. We so appreciate you,

Signature

 

2024 Recipients of the Immigrant Welcome Awards

 

For Immediate Release

September 1, 2024

For media inquiries, contact: Ricardo Diaz, (217-979-0255  xpenn.diaz@gmail.com)

Congratulations to the 2024 Recipients of the Immigrant Welcome Awards!

(Urbana/Champaign, Illinois) The CU Immigration Forum as sponsor of the 119h Annual Immigrant Welcome Awards is proud to announce the recipients of this year’s WINNERS. The 2024 Immigrant Welcome Award recipients are: Business Leadership Award – BR Bikes & Repairs Community Impact Award – The Urbana Free Library Immigrant Leadership Award  – Helen Zhang Emergent Leader Award - Erika Daniela Vergara Student Leadership Award – Jazmin Olivas The Claire Szoke Distinguished Service Award – Gioconda Guerra Perez All award recipients will be honored during the Immigrant Welcome Awards Ceremony and Celebration on Sunday, September 22, 2024.  The celebration starts at 1:30 PM. and will be held at Lewis Auditorium of  The Urbana Free Library (210 W. Green St. Urbana).  The public is invited to attend this free event and reception to celebrate the diversity of cultures that make up Champaign-Urbana.  The event includes food, entertainment, special guests, and features Indian traditional dancing provided by SPICMACAY Illinois dancers. The children's library is adjacent to the auditorium. A free reception sponsored by the City of Champaign will immediately follow on the first floor of the Library. The Immigrant Welcome Awards Ceremony and Celebration is sponsored by C-U Immigration Forum and cosponsored by City of Champaign, The Urbana Free Library, the City of Urbana, Urbana Arts and Culture Program, University YMCA’s New American Welcome Center, Immigrant Services of Champaign-Urbana, The Refugee Center, The Immigration Project, Bend the Arc Jewish Action of Champaign-Urbana, and the Immigrant Justice Team of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana-Champaign. The 11th Annual Immigrant Welcome Awards Ceremony and Celebration is part of 2024 Welcoming Week, a national week of events that brings together immigrants and U.S. born residents in a spirit of better understanding and unity. The CU Immigration Forum’s Steering and the Planning Committees recognize that each nominee and recipient serves willingly and as a sign of their love to fellow human beings.  What does the Champaign-Urbana Immigration Forum do? We advocate, educate, network, and celebrate the contributions of immigrants. Whether working for local immigrant justice, highlighting issues that our immigrant neighbors face, hosting local forums, creating shows on WRFU and UPTV or celebrating diversity through the annual Immigrant Welcome Awards, we stand with our immigrant communities.   Media Contacts: Ricardo Diaz – CU Immigration Forum – 217-979-0255, xpenn.diaz@gmail.com Janel Gomez – - City of Champaign – 217-403-8830,   janel.gomez@champaignil.gov  Lauren Chambers – Urbana Free Library – 217-367-4405,  lchambers@urbanafree.org Follow the event on Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/share/AZbjzDRVgA8ScTTf/ and https://www.facebook.com/events/516295744243104 ###

The 11th Annual Immigrant Welcome Awards Sunday, September 22, 2024 from 1:30 PM Urbana Free Library Lewis Auditorium 210 W Green Street, Urbana 61801 The 11th Annual Immigrant Welcome Awards Ceremony and Celebration is part of 2024 Welcoming Week, a national week of events that brings together immigrants and U.S. born residents in a spirit of better understanding and unity. See:  The whole week of events: https://nawc.universityymca.org/programs/welcoming-week Library Events https://www.facebook.com/events/516295744243104 The background https://nawc.universityymca.org/welcoming-plan

Time to nominate for the 2024 Welcome Awards!!

 Dear friends of immigrants across Chamnpaign County. Welcoming Week is coming up in September and that means we are looking for those that have made a difference. Please take 5 minutes to nominate in the 6 categories? Your precious time to recognize a peer, employee, or near ally does make a difference. It's the 11th year!!

Make your nominations here.Make your no
minations here.

Welcome Award Winners and 2024 Descriptions

2024 categories for nominations

Student Leadership Award - A student who has shown promise this year as a leader in immigration or demonstrated commitment to serving or working with immigrants or refugees, locally or abroad.

Business Leadership Award - A local business (immigrant-owned or not) that contributes to the local immigrant community through advocacy, hiring, donations, or in-kind services, all of which contribute to the economic development of Champaign County. 

Immigrant Leader Award - An immigrant individual who has been a strong leader of the immigrant community for their particular immigrant community or for the larger immigrant community. 

Emergent Leader Award - An individual who has in the last few years been a regular contributor to advancing the cause of immigrants through service or advocacy, in the local community, in their work sphere, or in their interactions with the state of Illinois. Someone other than a first generation immigrant, his/her/their contributions may be as a volunteer or as part of their job. This person is a promising new leader who has emerged quite recently, rather than one who has contributed over the years.

Community Impact Award - A community-based organization, non-profit, public sector institution, or local government which demonstrates exceptional commitment to serving and advocating for local immigrants in our community. The nominee may also be considered for adopting specific policies or initiatives in response to the growing immigrant population.

The Claire Szoke Distinguished Service Award - An individual in Champaign County who has strongly contributed to the well-being of immigrants over the years. Like Claire's consistent drive towards justice, this individual has continued to stand up for immigrants in belief and action. Claire's work spanned her involvement with El Centro de Los Trabajadores, being a local leader in the Sanctuary Movement, and helping found the CU Immigration Forum. Unlike the other awards, nominees from previous years may be considered, since this award considers long-standing contributions.

 

2014. - 5 Awards

Student Leadership Award - Allison Perez Briseno,

Business Leadership Award - Rick's Bakery,

Leadership Award - Guy Lombela,

Distinguished Service Award - Father Tom Royer,

Community Organization Award - East Central Illinois Refugee Mutual Assistance Center)

2015. - 6 Awards

Student Leadership Award - Alberto Lara Valdivieso,

Business Leadership Award - Sister Sister African Braiding,

Leadership Award - Lucia Maldonado,

Distinguished Service Award - Bob Kirby,

Community Organization Award - New Americans English as a Second Language, Institutional Award - Unit 4's International Prep Academy for Newcomers)

2016. - 6 Awards

Student Leadership Award - Cristina Lucio,

Distinguished Service Award - Namsoo Hyong,

Leadership Award - Ahh Ha Ho,

Business Leadership Award - World Harvest International Food,

Community Organization Award - Avicenna Community Health Center, and Institutional Award - Urbana School District 116's Bilingual and Multicultural Program

2017. - 5 Awards

Humanitarian Relief Award - Sam Smith,

Human Rights Award - Karyl Wackerlin,

Distinguished Leadership Service Award - Charles Larenas,

Student Leadership Award - Nancy M. Ramirez Blancas,

Community Impact Award - Education Justice Project)

2018. - 5 Awards, 7 Winners

Leadership Award - Luis Cuza and Luzolo Jean Cesar Ntedika

Distinguished Leadership Service Award - Roaa Al-Heeti and Mike Doyle

Student Leadership Award - Carmen Hernandez

Community Impact Award – Carle Community Care and Neighborhood Health programs; Accepting:

Julianna S. Sellett, Vice President - Community Health Initiatives

Business Leadership Award -- Diva Nails. Annie and Kevin Nguyen, owners

2019. - 5 Awards, 6 Winners

Leadership Awards – Guadalupe Abreu

Distinguished Leadership Service Awards – Claire Szoke

Student Leadership Award – Susan Ogwal

Community Impact Award – Bend the Arc: Champaign-Urbana, Dr. Anne Abbott

Business Leadership Award – Ruth Wyman Law Office

2020 - 5 Awards, 5 Winners

Business Leadership Award – Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine 

Community Impact Award – Chinese American Association of  Central Illinois (CAACI)

Distinguished Leadership Service Awards – Nils Jacobsen

Leadership Awards – Ibrahim Bourema Ouedraogo

Student Leadership Award – Jacopo DeMarinis

2021 - 6 Awards, 6 Winners

Business Leadership Award – Maize Mexican Grill 

Community Impact Award – Unitarian Universalist Immigrant Justice Task Force

Distinguished Service to Immigrants Award– Greg Springer

Immigrant Leadership Award  – Korinta Maldonado

Student Leadership Award – Daniella DiStefano

The Claire Szoke Lifetime of Service Award – John Muirhead

2022 - 5 Awards,  6 Winners

Business Leadership Award – Flex-N-Gate

Community Impact Award – Champaign County Board and the New American Welcome Center – 

Immigrant Leadership Award  – Mateo Sebastián

Student Leadership Award –Ishita Dharap

The Claire Szoke Distinguished Service Award – Gloria Yen

2023- 6 Awards,  6 Winners

Business Leadership Award – Shawarma Joint 

Community Impact Award – The Refugee Center

Immigrant Leadership Award  – Efrain Gaspar

Student Leadership Award – Flor Quiroz

The Claire Szoke Distinguished Service Award – Pat Nolan

Previous Winners not eligible to win in the same category

2023 Recipients of the Welcome Awards

Business Leadership Award – Shawarma Joint 

Community Impact Award – The Refugee Center 

Immigrant Leadership Award – Efrain Gaspar 

Student Leadership Award – Flor Quiroz

The Claire Szoke Distinguished Service Award – Pat Nolan 

 

Student Leadership Award - 

A student who has shown promise this year as a leader in immigration or demonstrated commitment to serving or working with immigrants or refugees, locally or abroad. 

 Business Leadership Award - A local business (immigrant-owned or not) that contributes to the local immigrant community through advocacy, hiring, donations, or in-kind services, all of which contribute to the economic development of Champaign County. 

 Community Impact Award -A community-based organization, non-profit, public sector institution, or local government which demonstrates exceptional commitment to serving and advocating for local immigrants in our community. The nominee may also be considered for adopting specific policies or initiatives in response to the growing immigrant population. 

 Emergent Leader award - An individual who has in the last few years been a regular contributor to advancing the cause of immigrants through service or advocacy, in the local community, in their work sphere, or in their interactions with the state of Illinois. Someone other than a first generation immigrant, his/her/their contributions may be as a volunteer or as part of their job. This person is a promising new leader who has emerged quite recently, rather than one who has contributed over the years. (This person has been active over the last year or two and has not yet become a pillar, as those in the Claire Award.) 

 Immigrant Leader Award - An immigrant individual who has been a strong leader of the immigrant community for their particular immigrant community or for the larger immigrant community. 

 The Claire Szoke Distinguished Service Award - An individual in Champaign County who has strongly contributed to the well-being of immigrants over the years. Like Claire's consistent drive towards justice, this individual has continued to stand up for immigrants in belief and action. Claire's work spanned her involvement with El Centro de los Trabajadores, being a local leader in the Sanctuary Movement, and helping found the CU Immigration Forum. Unlike the other awards, nominees from previous years may be considered, since this award considers long-standing contributions. -This category considers long standing contributions (with the exception of those who no longer living here or who are already winners in this category); multiple nomination text is aggregated rather than edited