FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2023
Media Contact:
Andrés Bautista
Digital Communication Specialist, We Are All America
[email protected]
New Funding Will Support Our State, Our Language in the #DrivingTNForward Campaign
Package of support from national collaborative spotlights the organization’s local, national leadership in amplifying refugee and immigrant voices in Tennessee
Nashville, TN– Our State, Our Language iis pleased to announce its selection to receive financial and technical support from We Are All America – Opportunity for All Table. This support will work to ensure that all residents of the Tennessee area participate fully in the social, civic, and economic fabric of the community, including those who came as refugees.
Selected from a national, competitive process, Our State, Our Language is one of three organizations that will receive $3,000 worth of funding alongside coaching and technical assistance support valued at an additional $20,000.
“When we invest in refugee and immigrant leadership, we are investing in building generations of community leaders who can help us build a better future where we all belong. For us, investing in refugee and immigrant leadership means directly funding the efforts & initiatives being led by refugees and immigrants, and uplifting the work that is being done locally that promotes inclusive and diverse communities across the country,” said Basma Alawee, Campaign Director, We Are All America.
As part of their package of support, Our State, Our Language will be provided with technical assistance and a platform for sharing their work nationally from a consortium of organizations that also includes Refugee Advocacy Lab, Refugee Congress, Refugees International, National Partnership for New Americans, International Refugee Assistance Project, Church World Service and International Rescue Committee.
“We are grateful for this grant opportunity. Language access is critical for our communities and this will help us as we fight to end the unjust exclusion of the most commonly spoken languages in Tennessee from the drivers’ license test,” said Joseph Gutierrez, Executive Director, Our State Our Language.
Our State, Our Language will also receive membership and coaching support from Welcoming America, a national nonprofit organization that works to support communities by building a welcoming society where every person, including immigrants, can fully contribute and shape our shared prosperity.
“We hope that others will join us in investing in these vital organizations and their leadership capacity. When we do, we ensure that everyone can belong and thrive in the place we call home, whether we’ve just arrived or been here for generations,” said Rachel Perić, Executive Director of Welcoming America
The support is part of a broader focus on the vital role played by Ethnic Community-Based Organizations (ECBOs), a term used to refer to organizations with strong ties and leadership in refugee and immigrant communities. ECBOs play a vital role in strengthening trust, participation, and access for residents frequently excluded from community decision-making processes and service provision. As a result, ECBOs and their capacity are foundational to the infrastructure for communities to be welcoming places for all.
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About We Are All America
We Are All America is a refugee-led campaign housed under the National Partnership for New Americans. Our steering committee is composed of leading refugee resettlement organizations as well as immigrant and refugee right organizations including: Church World Service, Refugee Congress, Welcoming America, The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, Refugee Council USA, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, Alianza Americas, Human Rights First, Unite Oregon, Refugee Advocacy Lab, Florida Immigrant Coalition, International Rescue Committee, and the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition. Learn more at weareallus.org
