Monday, April 13, 2026

The Central Illinois Immigration Advocates Symposium happened, and it was good


Over 70 people shared insights, ideas and energy at last Saturday's symposium. About half of attendees came from organizations (some tabled) and the other half are individuals that want to make a difference in their communities...and most are from Champaign County.

They share a high commitment to action and being involved. One couple reminded us that the small towns also need support and that we should seek to help over the artificial walls.

The planned symposium was hosted in the architecture building on campus and several expressed that this meeting should happen at least every year.


Wednesday, September 3, 2025

2025 Welcome Award Recipients

 Press Release


For Immediate Release

September 3, 2025


For media inquiries, contact: Ricardo Diaz, 217-979-0255  xpenn.diaz@gmail.com or Janel Gomez, 217-403-8843 janel.gomez@champaignil.gov


Congratulations to the 2025 Recipients

of the Immigrant Welcome Awards!

 

 


 


(Urbana/Champaign, Illinois) The CU Immigration Forum, as sponsor of the 12th Annual Immigrant Welcome Awards, is happy to announce the recipients of this year’s awards. The 2025 Immigrant Welcome Award winners are:


  • Student Leadership Award – Maria Emilia Mancero

  • Business Leadership Award – La Paloma Mexican Delicacies

  • Community Impact Award – Amnesty International of UIUC

  • Emergent Leader Award - María Jiménez

  • Immigrant Leadership Award – Ishtiaq Khan

  • The Claire Szoke Distinguished Service Award – Tam Thi Dang Wei


All award recipients will be honored during the Immigrant Welcome Awards Ceremony and Celebration on Saturday, September 20, 2025.  The celebration starts at 2 PM and will be held at Lewis Auditorium of The Urbana Free Library (210 W. Green St. Urbana). The event includes entertainment, special guests, and features the Bulgarian/Balkan accordion as played by Colin Hochstetler, M.M. Musicology. The public is invited to attend this free event and reception to celebrate the diversity of cultures that make up Champaign-Urbana.


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 12th Annual Immigrant Welcome Awards Ceremony and Celebration is part of 2025 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 we each have a story to share and Welcoming Week this year encourages us to share them and find commonalities.


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


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Wednesday, July 9, 2025

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. 


Monday, March 10, 2025

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




 

Friday, August 30, 2024

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


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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


Monday, July 15, 2024

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.







The Central Illinois Immigration Advocates Symposium happened, and it was good

Over 70 people shared insights, ideas and energy at last Saturday's symposium. About half of attendees came from organizations (some tab...