GIVING IMMIGRANTS A
VOICE SINCE 1992
THE IMMIGRANT LEARNING CENTER® (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 immigrant and refugee adults in Greater Boston to help them 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.
Register now for Understanding Immigration Today: Current Events in the Classroom, a free webinar for educators and the public hosted by The Immigrant Learning Center Public Education Institute on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM EST.
News & Events
Upcoming event: The Founding of The Immigrant Learning Center
Join Diane Portnoy at the House of the Seven Gables to learn more about the founding of The ILC and her journey as an immigrant entrepreneur. This talk will be the first in a series that the House of the Seven Gables is organizing to honor the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote. The talks will “celebrate the enterprising spirit of women and their continuing impact.”
From our blog: How Immigration Has Enriched American Holidays
From the first candle of Hanukkah to the New Year’s Eve ball drop, learn how immigrants of all religions and nationalities have shaped the season we love.
From our blog: Implicit Bias in Schools: How to Level the Playing Field for Immigrants and Other Minority Students
Many well-meaning people, including teachers, can have implicit biases against immigrants. Our blog post draws on our free webinar for educators to outline how they can recognize and combat bias in their classrooms.
Read the latest
Impact Update newsletter
Working Together: How Community Colleges and Their Partners Help Immigrants Succeed
The ILC Public Education Institute Director Denzil Mohammed authored the chapter Reflective Narrative: How Community Colleges can Reframe the Immigration Narrative in this book published October 2019 by Rowman & Littlefield and the American Association of Community Colleges.
Tweets
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 80 percent of our funds from the private sector and only 20 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 10,000 immigrant and refugee adults living in 94 communities across eastern Massachusetts, By helping them learn English, we help them pursue their dreams. The impact is felt throughout the region by their families, their 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 curated database of Immigration Research, 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 in the field 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…