The National Immigrant Integration Conference (NIIC), sponsored by the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), is the largest conference on immigration in the country and has become the central hub of the diverse and broad immigrant rights movement. At the NIIC the many different spokes of this movement gather to amplify shared values, be inspired, build relationships, and share ideas, strategies, and information.
At this extraordinary moment, this year’s theme is AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. NIIC 2017 will focus on protecting immigrant families and their advancement as essential contributors to our nation, with “justice for all.” NIIC 2017 will be a crossroads where state and local immigrant integration and welcoming strategies are shared; where resistance to anti-immigrant, anti-refugee, anti-Muslim policies is advanced; where business, corporate, and labor leadership in the field of integration is celebrated; where deep civic engagement is planned; where under-recognized Black and Asian immigrant voices are lifted up; where immigrant contributions to our economy and workforce are celebrated; where academic experts connect with practitioners; and where immigrant rights leaders connect with leaders of women’s, environmental, Black Lives Matter, and LGBTQ movements.
NIIC is an intentionally generous space, working to include a wide range of leaders, organizations, and networks working to promote their work and vision. Concretely NIIC 2017 will strive to:
- Define, understand, and share strategies that counteract the nationalist agenda of hate in our nation;
- Encourage issue tracks to provide specific, useful information on strategies to protect families;
- Share the Arizona story of SB1070 “Show Me Your Papers” hate, border pain, “Sheriff Joe” lawlessness, and celebrate the building of effective resistance;
- Encourage side meetings and tracks that advance immigrant integration, economic advancement, and immigrant justice agendas;
- Promote active cooperation between the various immigrant, refugee, civil rights, ethnic, business, labor, and issue and interest groupings of our movement;
- Promote naturalization and civic engagement as a strategy for power and justice;
- Actively support the work of under represented leaders in the Asian, Black, and Muslim communities;
- Promote economic empowerment and economic justice initiatives;
- Lift up the leadership of municipalities and states on immigrant integration and justice efforts.
Visit niic2017.org to register or learn more about NIIC.
