C-U Immigration Forum

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 a nd 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 wh...

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...

  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 11 9h  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 o...

  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.

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 immigr...