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StrategyRoca Immigrant & Refugee InitiativesRoca has a long, proud, and effective history of working with completely disenfranchised and isolated populations through its role as social convener, force for empowerment and community change, and link to a larger and richer world of connection and opportunity. Roca has established a reputation a dynamic, adaptive, and responsive organization. I traveled for a month, mostly walking, from El Salvador to Chelsea. I came to the U.S. to work with my older sister and support our family at home. I work in a factory from 3 a.m. to 2 p.m. and take care of my nieces during the days. I study English at Roca and have not missed a single class in over one year. All I want is a chance for a better life. Roca ESOL student After 19 years of successful work with tens of thousands of young people, immigrants and refugees, we have honed and strengthened our work with the immigrant and refugee communities and developed a unique leadership model that will powerfully address the issues facing immigrant and refugee youth, their parents, and communities. Through Roca's Immigrant and Refugee Initiative (RIRI), Roca will engage 75 very high-risk immigrant and refugee young people in our signature transformational relationships to support them as they connect to education and employment resources and train and support 50 immigrant youth and adult partners to launch organizing efforts reaching thousands of people to address immigration and human rights issues. Immigrants and Refugees in the U.S.There are 36 million refugees and immigrants in the U.S., at least 12 million of who have no documentation. Although they comprise a large workforce that is critical to our national economy, they are living in near complete social and economic isolation and are subject to the vagaries of increasingly hostile U.S. immigration policies. The fragility of their position leaves them vulnerable to human rights and labor abuses and leaves young people and their babies in positions so precarious that it is impossible for them to lead any semblance of normal lives. Chelsea, Revere, and East Boston are small densely populated urban communities that are representative of the national debate on issues related to immigration and human rights. Over the last decade, Chelsea, Revere, and East Boston have experienced an influx of Central and South American immigrants and refugees. Chelsea now has both the largest share of new Central American immigrants in the Commonwealth, and, with Chelsea residents speaking more than 30 languages, the Commonwealth's largest percentage (almost 60%) of non-native English speakers. Similarly, East Boston and Revere have become home to many Central and South Americans and one-quarter of these immigrants have limited English skills. In East Boston there are more than 3,500 people on waiting lists for classes in English as a second language, a three-year wait at current classroom capacity. Living in isolation, these families desperately need to develop a sense of connection and hope within their communities. Basic education, access to healthcare, and financial and emotional stability are the foundation for healthy and productive lives, yet are elusive for many newcomers in our communities. These fragile families struggling with abject poverty are very easily taken advantage of by their employers and are at high risk of becoming enmeshed in gangs, prostitution, and street crime. These young people represent a growing and important part of our collective future, and through our new initiative, Roca is committed to empowering them to take leadership in their communities and beyond, creating a ripple effect of education, organizing, leadership, and collaboration. I am 23 and my daughter is 4. I'm from Colombia and my husband has been abusing me for the five years I've been in the U.S. He never let me go to school or work, and I didn't have any family here to help me. I escaped from him with my son and found Roca. My teacher at Roca helped me see that I have the right to a decent life. Roca does not just take care of people's education, they take care of people's lives. RIRI will build off of and unite much of Roca’s current work in this area and then expand and strengthen these efforts through training and by supporting a youth and adult partnership model in leading personal and community development activities. RIRI's goal is to promote self-sufficiency and living out of harm’s Components of the program include:
Roca's Initiative seeks to unite its work with thousands of immigrants and refugees over the years, its effective model of youth development through transformational relationships, and its increasingly successful engaged institution strategy. RIRI is designed to help our most disenfranchised youth and young adults through the stages of change on both personal and social levels, to give a voice to those in our communities who are overlooked, left out, and ignored. Roca will provide a transformative opportunity based on community organizing, life skills development, and personal healing. Roca is excited about taking its work with young people and adults in the immigrant and refugee communities to another level and, through its powerful and unique personal and community development model, empower a new generation of young leaders to make their voice heard within our critical local and national immigration and human rights debates. Please help us make basic human rights part of daily life for the disenfranchised and fragile population we are serving. Everyone deserves a chance. |
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