SAVE THE DATE!
2015 Welcoming Week in Champaign-Urbana
During the week of September 12-20, 2015, Welcoming America and its partners across the country will host National Welcoming Week, a nationwide event that will highlight the contributions of immigrants to American communities. Throughout the country, these events will bring together immigrants and U.S.-born community members in a spirit of unity.
The CU Immigration Forum is organizing welcoming events in Champaign-Urbana including an Immigrant Friendly Awards Ceremony, a soccer game, musical performances, the More Than One Story game, and more!
Learn more and be a part of the event planning! Join the Immigrant Friendly working group on Monday, June 29 at 5pm at the Channing Murray Foundation, at the corner of Oregon and Matthews in Urbana, IL.
(Go through the west side entrance where the Red Herring restaurant is located and walk through the door to the left of the lobby.)
for more information.
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The Champaign-Urbana Immigration Forum is hosting our
2nd Annual Immigrant Welcome Awards!
*Nominations are now being accepted*
Deadline: August 15, 2015.
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Pictured left to right:
Pastor Guy Lombela, Ricardo Carillo, Guadalupe Abreu accepting on behalf of ECIRMAC, Allison Peraz Briseno, and Father Tom Royer.
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Immigrant Welcome Awards recognizes the contributions of individuals and organizations that have created a welcoming atmosphere for immigrants in the Champaign-Urbana community.
We are seeking nominations for individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions, taken risks, and have provided leadership for the wellbeing and success of immigrants in Champaign County.
Nominate:
2. Scroll down and fill out the form below.
3. Call or text Stacy at 217-369-1168 if you have any questions or need to submit your nomination in hard copy.
2014 winners:
- Student Leadership Award - Allison Perez Briseno
- Business Leadership Award - Rick's Bakery
- Leadership Award - Guy Lombela
- Distinguished Service Award - Father Tom Royer (Retired St. Mary's Church)
- Community Organization Award - East Central Illinois Refugee Mutual Assistance Center
Selection and Ceremony
A committee of community representatives will select awardees.
An awards ceremony, with music and refreshments, will be held on September 12, 2015. All community members are invited.
Please mark your calendars:
Immigrant Welcome Awards Celebration
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Location and Time: TBD
We look forward to seeing your nominations!
Thank you!
CU Immigration Forum
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Calling all volunteers!
Spend part of your Saturday at Urbana's
beautiful Market at the Square!
Come and spend a portion of your Saturday morning with the C-U Immigration Forum at Urbana's beautiful Market at the Square.
Volunteering at the market is a fun way to connect with people in the community and share information about the mission of the CU Immigration forum and current activities.
Time slots are for one hour increments and we are looking for 2 people to be at the booth at a time.
Don't be put off if someone has already signed on a slot that you want, come on anyway. On the other hand, if you see a blank spot, fill it and that motivates others to join you.
Be well and be part of the movement!
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Relief for
Refugee Children
A Call For Volunteer Drivers, Navigators!
Over the past few months, you have given generously for unaccompanied minors in CU to be able to pay for the cost of legal representation. Your continued generosity has meant that we have been able to successfully coordinate the legal help several children needed to attend their hearings in Chicago during the month of June. With your continued support and our search for as many forms of relief as possible, more children can safely find the care and refuge they need and deserve in Illinois.
It would have also been very difficult to make sure that the children could attend legal appointments in Chicago without the help of volunteer drivers who dedicated their time to safely guide and transport by car and public transportation.
The need for volunteer drivers is great. Email us atinfo@cuimmigrationforum.orgfor more information or justsign up today on the volunteer driver interest form and we'll get back to you about being an on-call volunteer driver.
We know of at least 45 unaccompanied refugee children from Central America who are living alone here in Champaign-Urbana. These children in CU go to high school, have one or two evening and night jobs, all while navigating the transportation system, not only locally but to and throughout Chicago in order to attend legal hearings to find relief and stay in country.
There are many barriers that hinder or prevent these children from making it to their meetings-the care and guidance of an adult, money, language and cultural barriers.
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Event Sponsorships
Congolese Community of Champaign County Benefit Concert
THIS SATURDAY: Join us for a benefit concert featuring a musical performance by visiting Congolese artist, Jean-Rene Balekita.
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| Conduis-Moi by Jean Rene Balekita |
When: Saturday, June 27, 2015
Doors open at 6pm. Performance at 7pm
Where: University YMCA,
1001 S. Wright Street, Champaign, IL
(Corner of Wright & Chalmers on the U. of I. Campus)
Free parking is available.
Near Transit Plaza bus stop, Armory & Wright bus stop, and Wright & Chalmers bus stop.
Admission: ($10 at the door)
All proceeds to support an emergency fund for local Congolese families. Co-sponsored by the University YMCA and the Congolese Community of Champaign County.
Benefit Concert Flyer (pdf) |
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Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice - and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.
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Next Meeting Time!
Tuesday,
July 14 at 5pm
@ the University YMCA
1001 S. Wright Street, Champaign, IL
-Free Parking after 4pmduring summer hours behind the University YMCA building.
-Parking lot on 6th between Daniel & Chalmers - Free after 5pm.
-Parking garage on 6th & John - Free after 5pm.
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LIKE, SHARE, ACT!
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