Conclusion

The interviews, focus group sessions, and field work done for the community assessment highlighted what a valuable asset immigrant communities are for the region. They are important drivers of demographic, cultural, and economic growth, and if current trends continue, they will play an even larger role in building the vibrancy of local communities. Yet this growth will remain limited if the barriers described herein constrain immigrant families. The region has done impressive work in recent years to reduce these barriers and better empower immigrant communities to succeed, but there is still work to be done.

Communities should come together to work collaboratively on these issues. Many of the challenges discussed in this report are simply too large to be addressed without a strategic partnership of key stakeholders and committed advocates. And at the center of this partnership must be immigrant leadership: this must be the engine moving the work forward, as well as the north star aligning it with the priorities of immigrant families. The accomplishments in the region over the past three years, despite the challenge of an unprecedented global health crisis, demonstrate that communities can achieve a great deal when working together.

The priority for this strategic work will need to be growing connections between immigrant communities and the larger population. These relationships are necessary for the effectiveness of whatever collective action is taken to address the challenges in the region. And to best facilitate these connections, the focus should be on building power and capacity within immigrant communities. Having well-resourced immigrant leaders working on behalf of their communities is a major need in the region, and one of the best means of raising the effectiveness of local services, outreach, and partnership.

It will be a challenge for any collective effort to adequately address the scope of needs that are impacting immigrant families. The hope is that this implementation guide will provide direction, both for the short-term and for future efforts and objectives. As work is done to address the needs in one area, it will also produce rippling benefits that help alleviate other barriers as well. By building a framework for effective collaboration, local communities will be better prepared to respond to the next crisis or opportunity that impacts the region.

By working collaboratively to build relationships and address systemic barriers impacting immigrant families, this region can create a more welcoming home for everyone who resides here. A truly successful community is one where everyone—no matter who they are, where they come from, or what they look like—can thrive.