Agenda
This program will include an evening reception, a lunch, and transportation. Transportation will depart from and return to Centre City Tower. If you cannot participate in the full program, but would like to register for portions of the event, please email Jenny to make arrangements. While members are welcome to attend any portion of the program independently, we encourage you to take advantage of the offered group transportation because we will be using time on route for further group discussion and learning opportunities. We hope you will join us for this exciting opportunity to learn more about how we can ensure that our region is a welcoming one!
Monday, April 24, 2017 (1:30 PM - 7:00 PM)
1:30 PM Depart Lobby of 650 Smithfield Street
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM)
South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM) has been successful in addressing many of the barriers to our immigrant and refugee communities in receiving culturally competent/relevant/appropriate services by providing localized services targeted to meet the specific needs of the high concentration of refugees in their service area. At SHIM, we will meet with SHIM staff, Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council (GPLC) staff, and community members to learn about the rapid growth of immigrant populations, existing services and programming, and where the gaps in services remain.
We will also meet members from the Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh (BCAP) who are working to ensure a high quality of life for all members of the Bhutanese community in Pittsburgh and to support their integration into American society through culturally-informed services and activities.
4:00 PM - 4:45 PM Depart South Hills to City of Asylum in the North Side
4:45 PM – 6:00 PM Interactive Forum “Building Welcoming Experiences for All”
City of Asylum provides sanctuary to endangered literary writers so that they can continue to write and their voices are not silenced. They also work hard to encourage cross-cultural exchange by offering a broad range of literary programs in a variety of community settings.
City of Asylum co-founder Henry Reese and Programming Director Silvia Duarte will join us to share their insights around building welcoming experiences and bridging the gap across different economic groups and cultural backgrounds.
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Tapas and networking at Casellula (CoA restaurant)
Transportation returns to 650 Smithfield Street by 7:30 PM
Tuesday, April 25, 2017 (9:00 AM - 3:15 PM)
9:00 AM Depart Lobby of 650 Smithfield Street
9:30 AM – 11:00 AM Latino Family Center
Language barriers make it hard for school staff and parents to communicate with each other. In non-ESL designated schools, the forms, materials and announcements sent home with students are often only available in English. Parents must navigate foreign educational norms in a school system they themselves never personally experienced.
At the Latino Family Center, we will learn about an example of a successful parent advocacy group helping to navigate those challenges. Parents from various Pittsburgh Public Schools formed Latino Parents United in Action (LPUA) and are supported by A+ schools and the Latino Family Center. LPUA is working hard to build a welcoming community for new Latino families entering Pittsburgh Public Schools. They aim to establish support structures and communication channels that will help new families navigate and understand the school system here in Pittsburgh.
Additionally, Angelica Ocampo, CEO of the World Affairs Council, will join us to share information from the Latino Community Assessment and broader needs of the Latino community.
11:00 AM Depart for Squirrel Hill
11:30 – 1:00 PM Squirrel Hill Mainstreet Tour and Lunch
Since the 80s, Pittsburgh has seen a sharp population decline. Immigrants coming to our region help to counter this population decline and support our local workforce and economy as small business owners. In Squirrel Hill, we will stop in an immigrant-owned business for lunch where we will be joined by several business owners and by Marian Lien, Executive Director of the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition. Marian will share information about the Asian Pacific Islander community in our region, Squirrel Hill's immigrant-owned small businesses, and her work to bridge the gap between cultures.
1:00 PM Depart for Islamic Center of Pittsburgh
1:15 PM – 2:45 PM Islamic Center of Pittsburgh
The Islamic Center of Pittsburgh is a religious institution, but it also serves more broadly as a center of welcome and community. In the current political climate, organizations that serve as safe and welcoming points of access to our communities are of the utmost importance.
Executive Director Wasi Mohamed will share with us the demographics and services at ICP as well as community outreach efforts, and the importance of their activity as a welcoming center to so many in Pittsburgh.
Kheir Mugwaneza, Director of Community Assistance and Refugee Resettlement at Northern Area Multi-Service Center (NAMS), will join us to share his experience assisting the hundreds of refugees fleeing persecution or war in their home countries to find safe haven in Pittsburgh each year.
2:45 PM Depart for 650 Smithfield Street – Transportation returns by 3:15 PM
*Note that we are still adding and confirming speakers. Please check back for updates!