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星期一, 9月 19, 2016

AG HEALEY KICKS OFF HER OFFICE’S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON NEW AMERICANS

AG HEALEY KICKS OFF HER OFFICE’S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON NEW AMERICANS
26-Member Council Will Strengthen the Office’s Connections to Immigrant Communities and Communities of Color

BOSTON — Building on her commitment to ensure that the Attorney General’s Office is a resource for those who need it the most, Attorney General Maura Healey today kicked off the new Advisory Council on New Americans. The 26-member council will work with AG Healey and her staff on how the office can best address the needs of the state’s immigrant and refugee communities.

The Attorney General’s Advisory Council on New Americans, a new initiative under AG Healey’s Community Engagement Division, will form a consistent dialogue between immigrant and refugee leaders across the state and the AG’s Office to advise on issues affecting immigrant communities including civil and consumer rights issues, health care, workers’ rights and housing.

“I am excited to launch the Advisory Council for New Americans to strengthen our work on behalf of immigrant and refugee communities,” said AG Healey at the council’s kickoff meeting in her Boston office. “Building strong partnerships with community organizations will help ensure that all of our residents are treated fairly in Massachusetts.”

Massachusetts is home to more than one million residents who were born outside of the United States. In Boston alone, the foreign-born population now accounts for approximately 27 percent of all residents. The advisory council is made up of community and immigrant leaders and advocates from across the state.

“Immigration is vital to the success and vibrancy of this state. Our organization works day in and day out to improve the lives of immigrant and refugee communities in this state and we are so grateful to the Attorney General’s Office for sharing this priority,” said Eva Millona, Executive Director of the MIRA Coalition. “This new advisory council will be the start of a strong partnership between the Attorney General’s Office and immigrants and refugees that will better integrate them linguistically, economically and socially to the fabric of our great Commonwealth.”
“Our immigrants make vital contributions to our Commonwealth and this country,” said Joanna Dos Santos, Executive Director of Cleghorn Neighborhood Center and Cleghorn Youth Center. “We are so grateful that Attorney General Healey and her staff are committed to ensuring that they are engaging directly with the diverse immigrant and refugee communities across the state. We are honored to be a part of this partnership that will ensure a better life for all our refugees and immigrants.”
“I am excited about the launch of the AG’s Advisory Council on New Americans and feel honored to be included in this important group which will hopefully work to engage and empower new Americans in our state to be part of building a stronger and more inclusive commonwealth,” said Paulo Pinto, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers.

The advisory council will aim to meet regularly throughout the year. Today’s kickoff meeting provided an opportunity for members to share and discuss issues they are seeing in their communities with staff from the AG’s Office and develop a plan for the council going forward.

Launched in May 2015, the Attorney General’s Community Engagement Division works to bring the resources of the Attorney General’s Office directly into communities at times that are convenient for working people and their families. This year, the division has held over 160 trainings and events across the state and has engaged with over 8,635 residents.

For a link to the names and bios of all the advisory council members click here.

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