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Author: Jeff Thielman

A “Happily Ever After” For One International Couple

A “Happily Ever After” For One International Couple

Written by Jeff Thielman on . Posted in Blog, Boston, Client Stories, Legal.

It was love at first click for Andrea and Kurt, when they met online in 2014. But, there was one problem with this twenty-first century love story: Andrea lived in Peru, and Kurt lived in Boston. They spent the next two years chatting online before finally meeting in person in 2016.

Andrea was committed to moving to the United States to be with Kurt, but she was overwhelmed by the prospect of undertaking the complicated legal process to become a citizen by herself. One day, she saw an online advertisement for IINE’s Legal Immigration Service, and filled out an information inquiry. One of the many services IINE’s legal services team specializes in is providing support for the marriage green card process, and so she was able to engage legal team members Ashley Wellbrock and Caitlin Slavin to help further her case.

Once Andrea began working with IINE, she said she felt the burden of her legal paperwork being lifted off her shoulders.

“Thanks to Caitlin and Ashley most of the process was very smooth and easy going,” Andrea said. “The legal team helped me to navigate the USA immigration process with confidence. I just needed to bring all the required documents, and they took care of all the rest.”

Andrea started her work with the legal team in January 2019, and by the beginning of June, her application was approved by the federal government. Today, Andrea holds a conditional residence card, which means she can now work in the U.S., and travel abroad to visit her family. In in two years she can remove the conditions to become a permanent resident, another service that is provided by the IINE legal services team.

Andrea said she is grateful to the IINE legal staff for the attention they gave to her application process.

“I greatly appreciate their help, contacting me and making sure all was good with my case,” she said. “I am very happy that my beloved husband and I were so lucky to get all the support to make this dream come true.”

“Nothing is ever easy until you have done it.” Lessons from the Hospitality Training Program in Boston

“Nothing is ever easy until you have done it.” Lessons from the Hospitality Training Program in Boston

Written by Jeff Thielman on . Posted in Blog, Boston, Employment Support, Job Skills Training.

Graduation Speech by Leonardo Fermin, Hospitality Training Program

Hello everyone, thank you for being here today. My name is Leonardo Fermin. I am originally from Venezuela and I would like to start by telling you a little bit about myself.

Being in Venezuela, I had the opportunity to complete high school and continue on to University. I was very happy to get my Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. In 1998 due to a change in government, life in Venezuela changed drastically. During the first 10 years Venezuelans noticed how everyday life had changed. On one hand, the economy improved, because of oil production and high export prices. Unfortunately, social and political problems had also increased. In most recent years these problems have only continued to get worse, especially the economic and political issues.

In Venezuela if you are against the government in power, the government sees you as a threat and will do everything in their power to remove that threat. I was a member of a non-violent political party and also participated in protests to fight for the rights of everybody. Eventually armed groups belonging to the government began to persecute me and my family, even threatening our lives. For this reason I moved to The United States of America in 2017 to seek safety.

When I first came here, I had to work on a construction site for 2 months and then in a restaurant, where I am currently working as a cook. It is not easy to move to another country and work in an industry you are not familiar with. Though it is fun to work in a kitchen, I wanted to study something that will help me get a better job and advance my career. In February I came to the International Institute of New England to help my wife sign-up for English classes, and that was when I first heard about the Hospitality Training Program. I thought this was the perfect opportunity to begin a new career, in an industry I have been interested in for many years. I felt confident that this program would give me the knowledge and skills I needed to take this next step.

I learned many things, not only about hotels, but also history, and just how important it is to provide good customer service when working in hospitality. In addition I learned important life skills for the United States about how to apply for job positions, and how to have a successful phone and in person interview. I am very excited and I feel prepared to start working to achieve my goals. I feel more motivated than ever to work in a position helping people with my professional certificate.

One of my favorite parts of this experience was my classmates and having the opportunity to get to know each other. We have helped each other with the class. I want to thank my teacher Mary Blunt and all of IINE staff like Maura Lester and Tom Roberts McMichael.

Finally, my advice to my classmates is to be respectful, try your best to help each other, use all the knowledge you already have, listen and follow instructions, and work hard to achieve your goals. Nothing is ever easy until you have done it! There is a lot of opportunity here in this country which others don’t have in other parts of the world. It has been a privilege to work, learn, and laugh with you and I think we should be proud of what we have accomplished.

Also, I want to thank the Renaissance Boston Waterfront and the Westin Boston Waterfront for letting us to job shadowing at your hotels. So, thank you Ellen Reardon and Peter Neville — It was an amazing experience to see what is like to work in a hotel and follow in the footsteps of your friendly and professional staff.

I hope that in the years to come The International Institute of New England will continue to help refugees and immigrants advance in this beautiful country. Congratulations, everybody!!

IINE Statement on Public Charge Policy Changes

Written by Jeff Thielman on . Posted in Blog, Press Releases/Statements.

The Trump Administration’s new “Public Charge” policy will limit the ability of legally-admitted, tax-paying immigrants to become permanent residents and citizens of the U.S. The International Institute of New England condemns this xenophobic policy as un-American and economically indefensible.

Legal immigrants with documented statuses sometimes struggle to make a living when they first arrive in the U.S., due to language, education, and cultural barriers. During this early period, many take low wage, entry level positions that employers find  hard to fill.  Because of the low wages, these workers often require support from federal health, housing, and food programs to augment their wages so they can support their families and grow their employable skills.

IINE helps immigrant families access federal benefit programs, and we are witness to how those supports allow newcomers to become employees in American companies, manufacturers of American goods, founders of American businesses, and creators of American jobs. Newcomers rent and then purchase American homes, learn in American schools, join the American armed forces, and worship in American faith communities, all the while paying taxes into our federal government that more than covers the early benefit support they may receive. Legal immigrants pay for and deserve access to the same public benefits that are available to every person paying taxes in this country.

More than 1 million immigrants live in Massachusetts, and another 85,000 live in New Hampshire. Immigrants in Mass and NH paid nearly $14 billion in state and federal taxes last year. Immigrant-owned businesses employed nearly 200,000 people in this region last year.  It would be disastrous to remove the economic power of immigrants from New England’s cities and towns by enacting a policy that prevents them from putting down permanent roots through residency and citizenship.

IINE has been providing services to newcomers since 1918 – long before President Trump’s mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, immigrated to the U.S. in 1930. She listed her occupation at the time as “domestic worker.” The future Mrs. Trump came to America in pursuit of a better life because that is the promise that America has made to generations of “huddled masses, yearning to breathe free.”

It is unjustifiable to deny the American dream to newcomers who, like almost all our citizens’ ancestors, have sacrificed everything in pursuit of it.

A Message From the President & CEO: Here’s Why We Should Fight the Trump Administration’s Proposed Policy

Written by Jeff Thielman on . Posted in Advocacy, Blog, Press Releases/Statements.

A message from IINE CEO, Jeff Thielman, on new federal guidelines released this week

“A well-founded fear of persecution.” Since 1951, that phrase has been the global standard for asylum-seekers desperate for a safe future. “Fear of persecution” is a lawyerly way of generalizing warfare, gang violence, discrimination, genocide, corruption, racism, and religious and ethnic conflict. For all of those reasons and more, people have come to the U.S. to seek asylum. Without a plan, without their belongings, without any thought other than the pursuit of life and liberty.

This week, the United States of America ignored domestic law and a 68-year-old treaty-bound tradition of offering refuge to the world’s most vulnerable families by effectively terminating the asylum application process for Central American families.

The policy change is short – just 340 words in a “Procedural Modification” on Asylum Eligibility. But, with those 340 words, the U.S. federal government has strategically condemned to danger and even death, thousands of men, women, and children who have a legitimate, well-founded fear of persecution.

Each year the International Institute of New England serves hundreds of people from the Northern Triangle – Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras – who inspire us with their grit, generous spirit, and gratitude. Our caseworkers will help 200 unaccompanied and separated children from this region reunite with family members in New England. Many of the 1,500 people who will take part in our English, skills training, and career placement programs in 2019 are from Central America.

As you read this, people from the Northern Triangle who cannot return home because their lives would be in danger are working in restaurants, hotels, hospitals, manufacturing facilities and other industries throughout New England. They are paying taxes, raising families, and building a better community. They are our neighbors and friends.

The administration’s new asylum policy is wrong, amoral, contrary to our laws and traditions, and ultimately against our own national interests. It must not stand.

"I Always Dreamed of Getting a Better Education"

“I Always Dreamed of Getting a Better Education”

Written by Jeff Thielman on . Posted in Blog, Boston, Client Stories, Haitian Immigrants, Job Skills Training.

Michou was a single mother of two and pregnant with her third child in 2010 when a powerful earthquake struck her homeland of Haiti. Left homeless by the devastation, Michou and her children emigrated to the U.S. During their first few years here, Michou acted as a full-time caretaker for her sons, both of whom have autism, and her teenage daughter.

Michou’s life took a new direction this past winter when she became a student in IINE’s intensive skills training program. The workforce development program prepares immigrants for careers in the healthcare and hotel industries with a curriculum geared toward customer service, professional workplace skills, and industry-specific vocabulary.

Michou said that participating in the Hospitality Training Program at IINE was “life-changing.”

“I loved, loved, loved the program,” she said. “I always dreamed of getting a better education.”

Two days after she graduated from the training program, a large luxury hotel offered Michou a job in one of its restaurants. Her starting wage is well above the state minimum, and the position offers generous benefits, including higher education tuition remission for Michou and her children.

Reflecting on her experience in the program, Michou said: “I’m really proud of myself – this program changed everything.”

Michou’s daughter Fabiolla, now 18, is a student at the University of Massachusetts Boston and hopes to one day become a criminal defense lawyer. Her sons, Orlmitch and Mitchello, are enjoying school and receiving an outstanding education.

Michou’s new career was made possible by her own initiative as well as the recent expansion of IINE programming to Boston’s Metro North region. In 2018, IINE began offering Skills Training courses at community centers in Malden, Everett, Chelsea and Revere, cities with growing populations of immigrants looking for good jobs and career options.

Intellia Therapeutics Organizes Volunteers to Support Education and Child Reunification in Massachusetts

Intellia Therapeutics Organizes Volunteers to Support Education and Child Reunification in Massachusetts

Written by Jeff Thielman on . Posted in Blog, Boston, Community Partners, Volunteer.

In May, 20 volunteers from Cambridge-based Biotech firm Intellia Therapeutics visited IINE offices to tackle an office-wide spring cleaning and provide behind-the-scenes support to refugees, immigrants, and unaccompanied immigrant minors.

Intellia’s team started with lunch and an info-session to learn about refugee affairs and the needs of local organizations. After pizza and discussion, they broke into teams to take on important work in three areas.

“The first group helped prepare welcome packets for our Unaccompanied Children’s Program,” Molly April said. She is the office manager at IINE’s Boston headquarters.

“Our case managers for the UAC program help migrant children adjust to life in the US. The welcome packets that the volunteers put together provide first resources to the children and their families, while simultaneously welcoming them and helping them feel more at ease.”

The Intellia team prepared enough materials to last through the next six months. The second team did a comprehensive cleaning of six ESOL classrooms and computer lab.

“Keeping a clean, organized, focused, and welcoming classroom can be difficult when there are so many people using the space,” Molly said. “The volunteers helped by eliminating some of the distracting mess around the classes.”

The final group organized and cataloged the food pantry that is available to all IINE clients. This included cleaning the space but also accounting for each item and verifying the quality and expiry of each.  Their projected helped ensure quality items were properly stored and ready to be distributed to the more than 500 people who access the IINE Food Pantry each year.

Intellia was introduced to IINE through Life Science Cares, a nonprofit partner connecting life science companies with NGO’s in the greater Boston area.

“We have found that volunteering brought together the Intellia family,” Intellia’s Senior Scientist Sharmistha Kundu said. “Employees not only enjoyed going outside their workplace and working with different partners during this event, but they also appreciated the opportunity to interact with other colleagues at Intellia with whom they may have shared passions and interests.”

Employers who organize volunteer efforts with IINE not only give back to their community, but can reap the benefits of building a stronger team, a healthier workplace, and improved employee retention.

In 2017, a survey conducted by Deloitte of 1,000+ recent corporate volunteers found that 74% of employees think volunteerism provides an improved sense of purpose in the workplace, and 89% of employees believe that companies who organize volunteer activities offer a better overall work environment than those who do not.

IINE’s Legal Services Bring Newcomers to the Next Step in Their Immigration Journey

IINE’s Legal Services Bring Newcomers to the Next Step in Their Immigration Journey

Written by Jeff Thielman on . Posted in Blog, Client Stories, Legal.

For many people who need help with their immigration paperwork and applications, attorney fees are often the most expensive part of the process. In order to provide affordable and reliable legal help, the International Institute recently relaunched a Legal Immigration Forms Service (LIFS), available to all, that provides high quality legal assistance at a fraction of the cost. Unlike many providers, IINE’s staff attorneys and Dept. of Justice-accredited representatives offer support throughout the entirety of the legal application process, not just during the initial form submission.

Last year, the LIFS program helped more than 200 immigrants reach landmarks in their lives by earning permanent residency, work authorization, marriage and fiancée visas, and citizenship. One of those clients was Adam Younis, who recently became a U.S. citizen after almost six years in the country.

“IINE met Adam in 2013 after he had already fled Sudan and was working as a nurse in Egypt,” Ashley Wellbrock said. She is the coordinator of the Legal Immigration Forms Service program, and is an accredited representative who works directly with legal clients. Her experience in refugee services goes back many years, including the time when Adam first came to IINE from the mid-East. She was on the team that welcomed Adam at the airport on his first day in the U.S.

“We resettled him that year and he went through our community services and employment services programming,” she said. “We helped him get his first jobs at Finagle a Bagel and Starbucks. He then enrolled in our Hospitality Training Program, got certified in hospitality, and was placed at the Fairmont Copley hotel where he’s worked since 2015.”

After five years in the U.S., Adam became eligible for citizenship and looked to IINE to help with this last step in his resettlement, Ashley said.

“In 2013, I was his case manager in resettlement and so when we launched the LIFS program, he reached out to me to do his citizenship.”

Mr. Younis passed his citizenship test and was sworn in as a naturalized U.S. citizen on May 29 in Lowell.

Immigrants can access legal services at IINE by contacting our team directly, or through referrals from employers. IINE’s legal team helps with all manner of family immigration law: green card applications, marriage green cards, family reunification petitions, travel documents, and work authorization forms.

“We have a 100 percent success rate in clients receiving their USCIS benefits,” Ashley said. “Our services differ from most providers as we commit to being with the clients through the entire process until they receive their new status.”

Enterprise Bank Lowell 100

At the IINE Centennial, Enterprise Bank Went Beyond the Typical Event Sponsorship

Written by Jeff Thielman on . Posted in Blog, Community Partners, Lowell.

Sophy Theam during her speech

When IINE celebrated its historic 100-year anniversary in Lowell earlier this year, one of the event’s top sponsors, Enterprise Bank, decided that a donation alone wasn’t enough. The series of events that led to Enterprise Bank becoming more than a fiscal sponsor of the celebration began months earlier.

In 2018, when IINE started planning the celebration, a community-based steering committee was organized to make sure the history and personality of Lowell was represented.  As part of the year-long centennial celebration, IINE invited the greater Lowell community to help identify 100 of the most admirable leaders from Lowell’s immigrant community as well as locally-born Lowellians who have supported new Americans. In time, the anniversary party became known as The Lowell 100 Celebration.

From the beginning, it was evident that the Lowellian-founded Enterprise Bank would be part of this special celebration. The bank initially supported the project with a generous sponsorship and followed up with the sweat equity and volunteer work of some of the bank’s top executives.

To make the ambitious feat of honoring 100 Lowellians possible, Enterprise Banks’s Sophy Theam, Diversity & Inclusion and Leadership Program Specialist, led the committee of dedicated volunteers to nominate, research, and select the honorees. Their work over nine months helped identify noteworthy immigrants and advocates in seven fields: Civic Leadership, Faith, Education, Health & Wellness, Arts & Culture, Welcoming & Inclusion, and Lowell Revitalization. Together, the honorees represent immigrants and descendants from 40 different nationalities who have played a role in the evolution of Lowell as a vibrant immigrant city.

The committee led by Ms. Theam was also supported by Dr. Robert Forrant, a historian and specialist on Lowell history at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

“To my knowledge, no attempt has ever been made to honor 100 Lowellians in this fashion,” Dr. Robert Forrant said. “In such an inclusive way, to review the city’s history and come up with an honor roll of 100 immigrants and refugees who have helped to vitalize the city is a big undertaking, but one worthy of the impact the honorees will have made on the city.”

George Duncan founded Enterprise Bank and Trust Company in Lowell in 1989 and serves as Chairman of the Board.  Mr. Duncan has had a profound impact on the City of Lowell and its revitalization. Through philanthropy, civic engagement, healthcare, housing initiatives, and support for a wide range of non-profit organizations, he has been a key advocate for immigrants and refugees. George grew up in a diverse neighborhood in Lowell. He continues, through his affiliation with Enterprise Bank, to actively promote diversity in hiring and demonstrates a lasting commitment to serving the community.

To see video of Sophy Theam’s speech at the 100th celebration, click here.

Personal Perspective from one American mom

Written by Jeff Thielman on . Posted in Blog, Boston, Community Partners.

I am normally a good sleeper, but last week’s New York Times article chronicling the horrific saga of an immigrant child ripped from his parents at the border kept me awake in frustrated, frightened wonder. I wonder how the U.S. government can ever possibly justify an immigration “process” that would keep a 4-month old child in foster care for more than six months while his traumatized parents tried to locate him. The broken asylum system, the lifelong impact on this young family, the dreadful sense that this is only one of many terrible similar instances… it is almost too much to bear.

I’m the mother of a precious and rambunctious toddler, and my stomach turns every time I think of all the children who have been separated from their families by our government – either temporarily at the border, in a raid, or at the point of detention. Even worse, though, are the too many families whose separation is permanent because a parent or a child have perished while in custody.

This week, the world turned its attention to the U.S. border again when father and daughter, Oscar and Valeria Martinez, drowned in the Rio Grande. They were victims of an inhumane system that chooses cruelty over common sense. Asylum seekers like Oscar Martinez’s family are fleeing violence and systemic corruption in their home countries. They want a better life for their children. Oscar and his little girl carried hope with them for the 1,200 from El Salvador to Matamoros, Mexico. But those hopes died in the river, because our government refuses to implement proper asylum policies.

It would be easy to give in to despair at this point. What can one person possibly do in the face of this relentlessly racist, cold-hearted, nonsensical and manufactured crisis?  But then I remember: the hope that drove Oscar and his family drives many others, and I want to help them realize their dreams. I also remember that throughout history many individuals have felt powerless during their time of struggle, but then  turn out to be the heroes we look to for inspiration.

I am proud to work for an organization that helps reunite unaccompanied migrant children with their family member in the U.S.  These days, I can only sleep because I am somewhat soothed by the knowledge that my work contributes to families being safely reunited.

The amazing caseworkers at IINE reunite about 200 unaccompanied Central American children with family members or sponsors living in New England. You can read more about the program and our caseworkers here.

I am proud that Family Reunification is a big part of our organization’s mission; not just with Central American families in the Unaccompanied Children program, but for Congolese, Bhutanese, and Sudanese families who are reunited through IINE’s Refugee Resettlement program, and for the Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Italian, Afghan, and Moroccan families who meet again through our Legal Immigration Forms Service.

As a mom, as an immigrant, as an American citizen, and as an advocate for human rights, I admit that the news today fills me with despair. When I read about the failures of our immigration system, the overwhelmed federal workers, the chaotic asylum process and the legislators who have turned their backs on a crisis that could have been avoided, it seems easier to give up and become immune. To be sure, history will not be kind to us when this dark period is re-examined.

In 2030, when my toddler of today is a young man learning U.S. history, what will I say when he asks me about the separation policy and detention camps? I really hope I have a good answer for him.  I hope I can tell him that we didn’t rest until we did something to fix this current situation and that we stood by those children like it was our job. Because that’s what Americans are supposed to do. That is the job of an American. We take responsibility for others, we stick up for the vulnerable, we protect children and defend the voiceless.

I see glimmers of American greatness every day at my job: in the IINE classrooms where newcomers are learning English, in the compassion and capability of our outstanding staff members, and in the endless generosity of our many donors and funders. Greatness isn’t gone.  It’s just obscured – by fear, racism, and division.

America can only be great again when our government and our policies treat everyone with dignity and respect. Maybe then we can all sleep soundly again.

Personal Perspective from one American mom
By Elsa Gomes-Bondlow, Chief Development Officer, IINE

A message from the President & CEO: Here’s why we should fight the Trump Administration’s proposed policy

Written by Jeff Thielman on . Posted in Blog, From the Desk of the CEO.

My colleagues sometimes refer to me as “Professor” Thielman because I require facts, data and a strategy debate before we adopt a policy at IINE. I take their ribbing, but I’m confident a fact-based approach to strategy is standard operating procedure for most organizations.

Unfortunately, rigorous policy research isn’t the norm in the current White House. Just scratching the surface of President Trump’s recently released immigration plan shows that facts and data had nothing to do with his proposal to admit primarily “merit-based” immigrants to the United States.

But, let’s start with the moral issue. At IINE, we believe:

·The fundamental obligation of a nation founded by immigrants is to welcome people who share our values and want to contribute to the country.

·It is immoral to separate families intentionally at our border, to deny them a path to reunification in America, and to prohibit people seeking asylum the chance to make their case inside our country. This principle has been a cornerstone of American immigration policy since the nation acknowledged its failure to admit Jews fleeting the Holocaust during World War II.

·The vast majority of Americans, including Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, and Stephen Miller, have achieved success because their ancestors – who were likely unskilled and not fluent in English – immigrated to the U.S. at some point in the past.

Morality aside, there are serious economic flaws in the President’s proposal. America cannot function without a very large pool of entry-level workers to staff manufacturing and processing jobs as well as hundreds of thousands of service jobs that go unfilled each year. Without immigrants, America cannot fill the 500,000 entry-level healthcare positions needed to accommodate the increasing needs of baby boomers arriving at nursing facilities over the next twenty years. (Source CNN)

Expanded merit-based immigration would be a wonderful addition to our traditional immigration policy. The U.S. should always welcome highly skilled innovators and entrepreneurs who want to make a life in America. But, research shows those without engineering or research degrees are just as badly needed in the U.S. According to Fortune Magazine, immigrants comprise 77% of New York taxi drivers, 77% of California’s agricultural workers, and 69% of Florida’s farm workers.

One way or another, all Americans depend on these workers who become part of the fabric of local communities and whose sons and daughters pursue higher education and eventually staff our country’s “skilled workforce.”

The overwhelming need for new American labor isn’t restricted to lettuce fields and orange groves. Closer to home, the demand for entry-level workers has never been greater. Nearly 1 million immigrants live in the Greater Boston area, and another 100,000 reside in New Hampshire. Most people born outside the U.S. but living in New England would not qualify for “merit-based” immigration status, but in this region with the highest rate of college-educated adult workers in the nation, minimum-wage and lower-skilled jobs go unfilled. The construction, healthcare, and hospitality industries cannot meet their workforce needs with only native-born Americans.

New England and the entire country needs immigrants to build our economy, nurture our souls, and honor our heritage. And, we need a serious conversation about real immigration reform rather than the charade the President staged last week in the Rose Garden.

Jeff Thielman

President & CEO

The Thein Family

Written by Jeff Thielman on . Posted in Blog, Client Stories, Lowell, Refugee Resettlement.

The Thein family’s journey from Myanmar to the United States was triggered by the all-too-familiar circumstances of loss, risk, and uncertainty that plague every refugee family.

Yet, from the moment they landed in Lowell in the spring of 2016, Nai Win Thein, Mi Thein Si and their three children quickly became known among the IINE staff who supported them as “the family who always smiles.”

Although unable to communicate in English upon their arrival in the U.S., Nai Win and Mi’s enthusiasm to establish a new life for their children was evident at every step. During their first meeting with their caseworker and a translator, the couple smiled as they described their long-term goal of making sure their three children have access to an excellent education. The eldest, at ten years old, acquired English skills in a flash, and like many immigrant children, she took the lead in initiating new conversations.

But her parents were not far behind her. They both enrolled in IINE English classes and soon their smiles to staff were accompanied with greetings of “How are you?” and “Nice to see you.” They progressed quickly in language and cultural orientation classes, and in just a few months they were ready to find jobs.

Working with the International Institute’s employment team, the couple decided Mi would seek a job first while the father watched the children and addressed some medical issues.

During those first months, the five Theins went everywhere together including the children’s school bus stops, medical appointments, and the grocery store. At their one-month anniversary in the U.S., the family purchased a birthday cake, debating over chocolate and vanilla at length. As their caseworker recalls, “It was the sweetest moment when they discovered the marble option. Everyone cheered.”

More than a year after their arrival in Lowell, Mi works full-time at a local linen company, and Nai Win cares for their two-year-old son while the older children attend school.

As they take their last steps toward total self-sufficiency, the Theins have taken advantage of IINE’s Individual Development Account (IDA) program. The program, funded by federal government, contributes matching funds for refugee families to start businesses, purchase homes or vehicles, or attend college. The Thein family is saving for a car so their family adventures can extend beyond downtown Lowell.

IINE Celebrates 100 Years of Service With 100 Honorees

IINE Celebrates 100 Years of Service With 100 Honorees

Written by Jeff Thielman on . Posted in Blog, Events, Lowell.

More than 600 people gathered at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium on Wednesday, May 1 to mark the centennial of the International Institute of New England (IINE) and to recognize the enduring legacy of immigrants and refugees in the Lowell community.  IINE is one of the oldest and largest refugee resettlement and immigrant services organizations in the region. Each year, the organization serves 2,000 people in Lowell, Boston, and Manchester, NH. The nonprofit’s century of service will be celebrated in the city where it all began.  As part of the centennial celebration, IINE invited the greater Lowell community to help identify 100 of the most admirable leaders from Lowell’s immigrant community who have made achievements in their fields, as well as locally-born Lowellians who have supported immigrants and immigrant issues.

Guest speakers included Massachusetts State Rep. Rady Mom, and Lowell City Manager, Eileen Donaghue. UMass Lowell professor Robert Forrant spoke about the history of IINE in Lowell, and about the research that went into sourcing the Lowell 100 honorees. Photos from the event can be seen here.

Biar Kon, a former refugee and one of the Lowell 100 honorees, spoke about his own immigration journey and the welcome he found in Lowell. View the video of Biar’s speech here.

“My family was granted refugee resettlement to the United States, and suddenly, everything changed,” he said. “We finally had a home we could call our own where we could lock our door and be safe. I was able to study English and attend school regularly.” Biar said he is looking forward to a bright future in Lowell.

The highlight of the evening was the recognition of 100 people who have had an impact on in the immigrant community of Lowell. Included in the list of honorees are professors, priests, public servants, educators, executives, entrepreneurs, and advocates. The Honoree List represents 35 different countries, many generations, and dozens of industry sectors. Many honorees attended the celebration in person, and others were represented by co-workers, friends, or descendants.  All attendees received a copy of the Lowell 100 Commemorative book that lists biographies of the honorees, and information about IINE’s history and people.

“To my knowledge, no attempt has ever been made to honor 100 Lowellians in this fashion,” Dr. Robert Forrant said. He is a professor in the History department at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and a local history expert helping IINE delve into its own archives and others to present a topical examination of the legacy of immigration in Lowell.

“In such an inclusive way, to review the city’s history and come up with an honor roll of 100 immigrants and refugees who have helped to vitalize the city is a big undertaking,” he said. “But one worthy of the impact the honorees will have made on the city.”

A group of women from Lowell and the surrounding area founded the International Institute of New England (IINE) in 1918. They banded together in response to rising nationalism in the USA following WWI. Originally, IINE welcomed refugees who arrived by boat and helped them with housing, employment, and language training. Today, much of that same work continues, but with a modern slant on services. IINE staff greet new arrivals at the airport, secure their housing with local landlords, and set them on a fast-paced 90-day route to self-sufficiency. Immigrants who are not refugees participate in IINE’s English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes, job-training programs, and legal services.

To see videos and photos from the Lowell 100 Celebration, click here: https://iine.org/100