February 15, 2024
Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA)
Exciting News Alert: Tuition Equity Reaches New Milestone!
We're thrilled to announce a significant milestone in our journey towards educational equity. Thanks to our collective efforts, the new Tuition Equity law has entered a new phase, marked by the availability of the MASFA (Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid) portal. This achievement stands as a testament to our historic coalition’s victory, and we're delighted that the portal is now accessible to all. Thousands of immigrant students will now be able to apply for financial aid.
Students can access the MASFA application here. It's crucial to remember that all MASFA applicants must complete a Tuition Equity Form and be classified as "High School Completers." While completing the MASFA doesn't guarantee financial aid, it ensures that all students are considered on an equal basis. This is a critical moment to raise awareness about MASFA, especially with the recent increase in financial aid funds for our state universities and community colleges. Additionally, many current students may receive refunds if they qualify for either in-state tuition or financial aid!
As we navigate this crucial phase, our legislative team has been diligently working with the Department of Higher Education to ensure a smooth and inclusive rollout. We've been actively providing feedback on various aspects, from advocating for more inclusive language to ensuring that no student is left behind in this process.
This month, our Policy Advocate, Jonathan Paz, had the honor of being a speaker at the Equity in Public Higher Education Policy Summit at Framingham State University. The summit served as an opportunity to celebrate the significant progress made in recent years while charting our course towards achieving debt-free and equitable Higher Education. Commissioner of Education Jeffrey C. Riley highlighted MIRA's efforts in advancing tuition equity and emphasized the importance of spreading the word about tuition equity to our communities and neighbors!
At MIRA, our team is currently crafting updated training materials to assist families in navigating the requirements for in-state tuition and financial aid. Our goal is to facilitate a seamless rollout of these resources! Please let us know if you are interested in a training in your community or if you want to join our Tuition Equity Working Group! Please contact Mariana if you’re interested in joining: [email protected].
We're truly grateful for your continued support and dedication to education equity. Together, we're making strides towards a more just future for all students in Massachusetts.
FEDERAL NEWS UPDATE
After a long and torturous process, the Senate passed the National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024 without any of the immigration provisions that advocates in Massachusetts fought so hard against. The bill now moves to the House containing only the provisions to provide foreign aid, primarily to Ukraine and Israel, where it faces a tough uphill battle. Speaker Johnson has already rejected additional funding for Ukraine without strict border provisions. Meanwhile, the Washington Post is reporting that the bill’s failure leaves ICE with a $700 million funding shortfall, and the agency is considering cutting its nightly detention bedspace from 38,000 to 22,000.
On the other side of the Capitol, the House votes 214-213 to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Republicans accuse Mayorkas, who had previously led US Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Obama Administration, of failing to abide by federal law in response to the current humanitarian crisis at the border, although they have been unable to point to any specific legal violations. The issue now moves to the Senate for an impeachment trial. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has already called the impeachment a “sham”, and it is unlikely that the chamber will take up the issue.
New Boston Indicator Report Out - Global Greater Boston: Immigrants in a Changing Region
For as long as it’s been a city, immigrants have been central to Boston’s identity. For this new report Boston Indicators partnered with Immigration Research Initiative to analyze who makes up immigrant communities in Greater Boston, quantify what they contribute to our regional economy, and detail the immigration pathways they take to get here. This research finds, for instance, that where in the world immigrants come from has changed significantly over the last generation and top countries of origin vary by municipality, as the map below shows. We also find that the longer immigrants are in the U.S., the more their economic standing improves and the greater their contributions become.
Link to the report here
Celebrating MIRA's IAS Coordinator Nahomie Vilnaigre
Join us Thursday March 28 9AM-1PM at the State House!
Join us June 13th for MIRA's 28th Annual Celebration!
Welcome MIRA's newest staff member!
Ruth’s lived experiences aligned with MIRA’s mission and vision, and she is humbled to help to fulfill that mission and vision in her role as the Membership Coordinator. Originally from Liberia, West Africa,? Ruth fled the Liberian Civil War and became a refugee in other African countries. When the opportunity presented itself, Ruth traveled to the United States of America and overtime, obtained the required documents to live in the United States. Having benefited from resources provided from organizations while in the process of integration into American society, Ruth understands firsthand the importance of networking and collaborating the affairs of member organizations, so that they all have the needed resources and support to ensure that individuals and families integrate successfully into American society.
Ruth has volunteered/worked for numerous nonprofit organizations, including but not limited to faith-based, healthcare, educational, youth enrichment, and girls and women support nonprofits. Some of these organizations include:The New England Conference United Methodist Church, The Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) Inc. Headquarters, The American Red Cross Massachusetts Region and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts (BBBSEM). Ruth is currently a Big Sister (Mentor) in the Big Futures Program at BBBSEM. It was through volunteering that Ruth learned about MIRA and immediately started to volunteer at the Citizenship Clinics helping applicants to fill out their N-400 applications for naturalization.
Ruth is a two-time alumna of Bay Path University in Longmeadow, Massachusetts where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Leadership and Organizational Studies and a Master of Science Degree in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy. She has formed two nonprofits organizations namely: Grief Care, Inc. and Koha Girls, Inc. Grief Care, Inc. is now a merger of Koha Girls, Inc., whose mission is to to empower all girls and women to achieve their set goals and to become productive citizens. For recreation, Ruth engages in handicrafts. Her latest handcraft project is crocheting doll dresses to sell and support Koha,Girls Inc, and other nonprofits with the same mission.
领英推荐
Welcome to the team!
Local and National News:
For this month’s Staff Pick, MIRA celebrates Black History Month with a focus on the Black immigrant experience, stories that aren’t told enough.
Find the book here
MIRA featured community event: Out of Many, We Are One: Art Workshops
Out of Many, We Are One: Art Workshops Saturday, February 17, 2024 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Codman Square
Join us at the Codman Square branch for monthly art workshops. These workshops invite adults of all ages, children, and families to creatively express their immigrant experiences and stories. The teacher will lead you through activities such as crafts, drawing, watercolor, painting, mixed media, and more. ?To request a disability accommodation and/or language services, please contact: Alea, 617.436.8214, [email protected], as soon as possible. Please allow at least two weeks to arrange for accommodations. For more information, visit www.bpl.org.
Accessibility Notice: We strive to make our events accessible. To request a disability accommodation and/or language services, contact the department listed in the "Contact Info" pane on the right. Please allow at least two weeks to arrange accommodation.
Link to event here
The Dream.US Scholarship Application for undocumented students is now open!
TheDream.US is the nation’s largest college and career success program for undocumented students and is working to help Undocumented Students enroll in college AND graduate -- so they, too, can live productive, successful and happy lives in the country they call home.
Learn more about this awesome opportunity here.
Applications are due February 29, 2024.
MIRA is Hiring!
Want to join a dynamic and multi-ethnic coalition? Join the MIRA family! ?
Jobs at MIRA
To apply, email?[email protected]?with a resume, and cover letter, with the “Job Title you are applying for” in the subject line of the email.