GIVING IMMIGRANTS A
VOICE SINCE 1992
THE IMMIGRANT LEARNING CENTER® (The ILC) OF MALDEN, MA,
IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT GIVES IMMIGRANTS A VOICE IN THREE WAYS.
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM
provides free, year-round English classes to help immigrant and refugee adults in Greater Boston become successful workers, parents and community members.
THE PUBLIC EDUCATION INSTITUTE
informs Americans about immigrants and immigration in the United States.
THE INSTITUTE FOR IMMIGRATION RESEARCH
a joint venture with George Mason University, conducts research on the economic contributions of immigrants.
You’re invited to The ILC’s Barry M. Portnoy Immigrant Entrepreneur Awards Benefit to celebrate four extraordinary immigrant entrepreneurs who create jobs, strengthen the economy and give back to their communities in Massachusetts!
The benefit will be held at the Royal Sonesta Boston on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, 6:00 PM. Become a sponsor or buy a ticket before they sell out!
News & Events
December 8, 2:00-3:00 PM
Webinar:
The ILC held the webinar Immigrant Essential Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic on Wednesday, December 8, from 2:00 to 3:00 PM EST. This webinar explored The ILC’s new research report on the unique challenges and extraordinary contributions of immigrant workers during the COVID-19 crisis. A recording is available here.
Research Initiative: Immigrant Essential Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The ILC Public Education Institute has published a research report on immigrant workers in essential industries during the COVID-19 crisis. The report covers both the enormous obstacles these workers have faced and the exceptional contributions that they have made.
JobMakers Podcast: Immigrant Entrepreneurs and Leaders
The ILC Public Education Institute has partnered with the Pioneer Institute to create JobMakers, a podcast highlighting the stories of immigrant entrepreneurs and leaders. Tune in to hear the stories of a former Afghan translator turned refugee, a woman who started a hedge fund from her dorm room, a venture capitalist who invests in immigrants and more!
Immigration Explainer: What can Massachusetts expect from Afghan evacuees?
Of the nearly 100,000 Afghan evacuees that the government plans to resettle, around 900 will soon be resettled in Massachusetts. Who are they, where will they go, who will help them and what does their future look like? Our new “Immigration Explainer” answers the big questions.
Supporting Unaccompanied Minors in the Classroom
Rates of unaccompanied minors crossing the border have increased. These young migrants have unique strengths, challenges and needs that are distinct from immigrant children as a whole. Read The ILC’s blog post to discover how teachers can support them.
Fall 2021
Impact Update newsletter
Read about The ILC students returning to the classroom, our book club for English language learners, our new educational resources for and about immigrants, our citizenship class and more.
December 16, 2021
Newsletter: Thanks to your support, William can see his wife again
Living in the same country as your partner is something many of us take for granted. For William, a citizenship student at The ILC, it would be a dream come true, and your support brought him closer to it.
Immigrant Entrepreneur Hall of Fame: Hamdi Ulukaya
Meet Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya, the latest member of our Immigrant Entrepreneur Hall of Fame. His sense of social responsibility has set him apart as a CEO, with 10 percent of Chobani profits and $2 million of his own money going to philanthropic causes.
How Immigration Has Enriched American Holidays and Traditions
Immigrants have brought many diverse traditions from around the world that have shaped American holidays. Read The ILC’s blog post to discover how immigration has impacted Easter, Halloween, Hanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve.
Nine Famous Asian and Pacific Islander Immigrants
Immigrants from Asia and Pacific Islands have made extraordinary contributions to the United States. Meet nine of them, including an Olympic athlete, an HIV/AIDS activist, a U.S. senator, a world-famous cellist and an astronaut!
Welcome to the New World Curriculum and Learning Guide
The ILC has created a free curriculum and learning guide based on Welcome to the New World, by Jake Halpern, a nonfiction graphic novel following the Aldabaans, a family of Syrian refugees. The curriculum is suitable for English or social studies classes in grades seven to 11.
What makes us unique?
There is no place on Earth quite like The Immigrant Learning Center. Our well-resourced, award-winning direct services to immigrants and refugees combined with research and education for the American public on immigration issues gives us a truly unique perspective. The ILC is:
Public and Private
We receive 75 percent of our funds from the private sector and only 25 percent from government agencies. This unusually high percentage of private funding gives us the flexibility to innovate and respond rapidly to changing needs.
Intense
We offer English classes five days a week. That’s up to 15 hours a week of instruction, very rare for a free program. This intensive schedule accelerates learning and shortens the time it takes our students to reach their goals.
Local
To date, we have helped more than 10,500 immigrant and refugee adults living in 94 communities across Massachusetts. By helping them learn English, we help them pursue their dreams. The impact is felt throughout the region by their families, employers, customers, neighbors and more.
National
Americans from coast to coast learn about the positive impact of immigrants through The ILC Public Education Institute’s webinars, conference presentations and our Immigration Research Library, and through the data and research generated by our partnership with the Institute for Immigration Research.
Customized
The ILC’s Literacy Program gives hope to students who struggle in traditional English classes. Students who have low or no literacy in their native language, or who have related learning challenges, receive individualized attention from teachers and trained volunteers. The Literacy Program serves as a model, and we are frequently asked to share our expertise with other programs throughout the region.
Collaborative
Collaboration is the key to doing more with less. The Public Education Institute’s webinars are presented by experts in a variety of fields from across the country. The English Language Program partners with job placement, training and educational institutions to help our students reach their goals. Both programs offer their expertise to help others give immigrants a voice.
Entrepreneurial
From the Immigrant Entrepreneur Hall of Fame to the annual Immigrant Entrepreneur Awards, The ILC Public Education Institute has amassed compelling evidence of immigrants’ contributions as entrepreneurs, and it’s curated for easy access on our Immigrant Entrepreneurship page.
Published
Our book, Immigrant Struggles, Immigrant Gifts, brings insight to today’s immigration issues by examining the history of 11 different ethnic groups. Now in its second printing, the book is available for sale on Amazon. Don’t forget to start at smile.amazon.com.
Impact Stories
SADDIQA
Saddiqa left Afghanistan after her husband was killed by the Taliban. After living for a while with her brother in Pakistan, she and her children came to the United States…
ABDONY
On January 12, 2010, Abdony returned to Port au Prince, Haiti, after visiting his wife and daughter in Boston. At 4:53 p.m. that day, a huge earthquake struck Haiti…
MARIA
When Maria’s children became adults living on their own, she decided to start a new life in the U.S…