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 the economic and social contributions of immigrants in our society.
THE INSTITUTE FOR IMMIGRATION RESEARCH
a joint venture with George Mason University, conducts research on the economic contributions of immigrants.
Listen to The ILC’s Podcast on Immigrant Entrepreneurs!
The Immigrant Learning Center has partnered with Pioneer Institute to create JobMakers, a podcast highlighting risk-taking immigrants who create new products, services and jobs in New England and across the United States.
News & Events
September 13, 3:00-4:00 PM
The ILC held the webinar Immigrant Storytelling in the American Narrative on Wednesday, September 22, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM EST. This webinar explored how we can reshape the U.S.’ immigration narrative by looking at NPR’s Maria Hinojosa’s latest book, Once I Was You: A Memoir. Resources and recordings are available.
Research Initiative: Immigrant Essential Workers of the Pandemic
The ILC Public Education Institute is conducting a research project on immigrant essential workers in the health care and food industries during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can subscribe to receive updates on this vital topic.
September 30, 2021
Newsletter: You changed Quang’s future
Quang and Van pursued citizenship at The ILC because when you become a citizen, “You can work, you can vote, you do anything you want. You become an American.”
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.
Spring 2021
Impact Update newsletter
Read about The ILC teachers supporting students through the pandemic, our first Immigrant Heroes Award Benefit, our new executive director, our podcast highlighting immigrant entrepreneurs and more.
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!
Best 50 Books About Immigrants and Immigration for All Ages
Looking for a good book about the immigrant experience? We’ve got 50 great options that are by and about immigrants, including picture books, elementary and middle grade books, young adult books and books for adults.
![We support our Chinese neighbors. We are in this together! [image of a boat]](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_lossless,ret_img,w_150,h_150/https://www.ilctr.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/In-this-together-center-150x150.png "In this together center")
Exploring Chinese American History
The ILC is alarmed by the wave of hate and violence against AAPI communities in the United States. As a resource to counter the misinformation and bigotry behind this, we are sharing a chapter from our book, Immigrant Struggles, Immigrant Gifts, for free.
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…