Civil Dialogue
Talking Turkey: How to Discuss Immigration for Long-Lasting Change
While our Thanksgiving dinner tables may look a little different this year, one thing remains the same: Thanksgiving is a time to catch up and reconnect with loved ones. Whether you are doing this by phone, Zoom, or at a social distanced gathering, many of our conversations will reveal that… Read More
Immigration Advocates Can Have a Role in Advancing National Unity
President-elect of the United States Joseph Biden called for national unity in his victory speech on November 7. He said, “It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric. To lower the temperature. To see each other again. To listen to each other again. To make progress,… Read More
Holding on to Collective Solidarity After the Coronavirus
We are facing an existential challenge unlike any we have experienced in our lifetimes. We’ve spent the past few weeks adjusting to a new normal. We’re acquiring a new vocabulary and adapting to new norms. We’re learning about epidemiology, hand hygiene, personal protective gear, and ventilators. We’ve also gained a… Read More
What Social Justice Movements Can Learn from the Medical Response to the Coronavirus
Across the country, communities are responding to the coronavirus pandemic by working to protect our poor, elderly, and compromised. Critical to the response are the efforts of the medical and scientific community. Thousands of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals from diverse backgrounds–including reenlisting retirees–are serving on the frontline… Read More
How Storytelling During the COVID-19 Crisis Can Help Defeat Nativism
We are in the midst of a crisis unlike any we’ve experienced in our lifetimes. We are scared and scrambling to protect ourselves and the ones that we love. This is normal and understandable. However, if we’re not mindful, the spread of the coronavirus and the accompanying fear could create… Read More
Coronavirus Cannot Become an Excuse to Label Groups of People ‘Invasive’
The spread of the coronavirus into the United States has fueled the destructive, xenophobic narrative favored by the Trump administration. Anti-Chinese racism, and anti-Asian racism and violence more broadly, have spread with the continued use of outdated monikers like the “Chinese virus” or the “Wuhan virus.” To be… Read More
Demographic Change Is Hard, Especially When Our Leaders Stoke Our Worst Fears
After more than 20 years in the immigrant justice movement, I confess that I missed the mark. In my drive to improve the lives of immigrants and refugees, I was blind to some key realities taking root in America. I failed to see the surge of cultural anxiety driven by… Read More
Talking Turkey About America’s Most Pressing Issues
Each year, we gather around dinner tables at Thanksgiving with people we love—but don’t necessarily agree with—when it comes to politics and the direction of the country. The political discourse of the past several years has left many people feeling that their values are under attack. They disagree with or… Read More
Welcoming Week 2019 Showcases America’s Inclusive Spirit
Welcoming Week 2019 has arrived. Communities around the nation are spending the week of September 13 – 22 bringing together immigrants, refugees, and longtime residents in a spirit of unity and celebration. Despite the daily news on immigration, Americans are far more welcoming than one might think. In fact, average… Read More
86 Conversations Across US Show Public Opinion on Immigration Is Complex Yet Changeable
The American public can still deliberate civilly with one another about issues of national importance. The most recent example comes from The Kettering Foundation who hosted 86 conversations across America on the topic of immigration through their National Issues Forums (NIF). The resulting report from these… Read More
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