2022 Conference.
On November 15, 2022, CVIIC’s Regional Conference on Immigrant Integration returned in Fresno after the pause during the pandemic.
Partner organizations led sessions on topics including legislative advocacy, entrepreneurship and economic opportunity in the Central Valley, and services for LGBTQ+ immigrants.
Program
8:30-9:00 Welcome
• Jesus Martinez, Executive Director, CVIIC
• Hugo Morales, Chair, CVIIC Board of Directors
• Hon. Dr. Joaquin Arambula, California State Assemblymember
• Hon. Adriana Gonzalez Carrillo, Cónsul de México en Fresno
9:10-10:10 Round 1 Panel Breakout Sessions
California Immigrant Policy Center: California Legislative Advocacy Training
• Alexis Castro, Government Affairs Director,
• Chloe Steck, Legislative Assistant,
• Andrea Amavisca, Senior Legislative Advocate
The Renaissance of Economic Diversification in the Central Valley: Entrepreneurship, Challenges, Opportunities, and Services
• Dawn Golik, U.S Small Business Administration.
• Rich Mostert, Valley Community Small Business Development Center.
• Dora Westerlund, Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation.
• Moderator: Clarissa Vivian Petrucci, CVIIC
Services for the LGBTQ+ Immigrant Community
• Jennifer (Jen) Cruz, Fresno EOC LGBTQ Resource Center
• Nora Cassidy Legal Aid at Work
• Xo Hernandez, CRLA
• Moderator: Lizette Rojas, Oasis Legal Services
Unaccompanied Children in the Central Valley – Best Practices for Addressing Legal and Social Needs (Part I)
• Katherine Krassilnikoff, Kids In Need Of Defense
• Kristine McKibben, Community Justice Alliance
• Ana Palomares, Community Justice Alliance
• Linda Renland, Bethany Christian Services
• Dinora Mendoza, Bethany Christian Services
The Other California: Exploring the Impact of Immigration Enforcement on Youth and Health
• Maricela Sanchez, ACLU of Northern California
• Andrea Vazquez, California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance (CIYJA)
• Maria-Elena De Trinidad Young, UC Merced
10:20-11:20 Round 2 Panel Breakout Sessions
Best Practices for Filing N400s and Strategies for Complex Cases
• Linda Barreto, New American Legal Clinic at San Joaquin College of Law
• Jesus Castro, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
Neighborhood Economic Development and Immigrant Entrepreneurship: Build from Within Alliance and Immigrants Rising
• Steve Tobocman. Global Detroit.
• Shahir Ahmed. Build from Within Alliance
• Iliana Perez. Immigrants Rising
• Katharine Gin, Immigrants Rising
• Moderator: Clarissa Vivian Petrucci, CVIIC
Challenges and Opportunities to Welcoming Refugees and Asylum-Seekers in the Central Valley
• Moona Siddiqui, Council on American-Islamic Relations
• Waheed Rahimi, Council on American-Islamic Relations
• Christine Barker, Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries
• Moderator: Allison Davenport, Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Removal Defense Landscape in the Central Valley
• Olga Grosh, Pasifika Immigration Law Group
• Joshua Longoria, Law Office of Joshua Longoria
• Osvaldo Hidalgo Otamendi, Community Justice Alliance (CJA)
• Karina Morales, United Farm Workers Foundation (UFWF)
• Eliana Corona, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN)
• Moderator: Rosemary Gomez, California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation (CRLAF).
A Discussion on California’s Aging Immigrant Population and the Future of Immigration Reform
• Apolonio Morales, CHIRLA
• Rita Medina, CHIRLA
• Cynthia Gomez, CHIRLA
11:20-1145 Buffet Lunch
11:45-12:45 Plenary Panel
California Leads on Immigrant Rights: Ensuring Central Valley Communities Benefit
• Gina Da Silva, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of the Governor
• Dr. Joaquin Arambula, California State Assemblymember
• Moderator: Allison Davenport, ILRC
12:45-1:15 Presentation of Champions of Immigrant America Awards
• Hon. Juan Arambula, Former State Assemblymember and CVIIC Founder
• Immigrants Rising
• Naindeep Singh, Executive Director, Jakara Movement
• Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA)
• Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño
• Genoveva Islas, Executive Director, Cultiva la Salud and Trustee, Fresno Unified School District
1:20-2:30 Round 3 Panel Breakout Sessions
Combating Immigration Fraud
• Miguel A. Gradilla, Deputy City Attorney, Complex and Affirmative litigation Team, Office of San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu; and
• Agustin (Gus) Hernandez, Supervising Attorney, Office of Chief Trial Counsel, The State Bar of California.
• Manuel Jimenez, Senior Deputy District Attorney, Consumer and Environmental Protection; Office of the District Attorney, Fresno County;
• Ryann Jorban, Deputy in Charge, Economic Justice & Notario Fraud Unit, Consumer Protection Division, Office of the District Attorney, Los Angeles County;
• Moderator: Lazaro Salazar
California Immigrant Policy Center: California Budget Training
• Alexis Castro, Government Affairs Director,
• Chloe Steck, Legislative Assistant,
• Andrea Amavisca, Senior Legislative Advocate
Meeting the Needs of Newcomers Students in PK-12 Schools in the Central Valley
• Moderator: Ruth Barajas, Californians Together
• Efrain Tovar, Selma Unified School District
• Lindsay Bird, TeachPlus
DACA Today and Tomorrow: Strategies for Working with DACAmented Individuals
• Moderator: Veronica Garcia, Immigrant Legal Resource Center
• Jennifer Doerrie, Law Offices of Jennifer Doerrie
• Gregorio Matiaz Sebastian, Education and Leadership Foundation
• Olga Grosh Pratt, Pasifika Immigration Law Group
2:35-3:20 Plenary: Regional Priorities and Strategy for 2023
3:20-4:00 Mixer
Participating organizations
Access Plus Capital Alianza del Valle ALRB America Works of California American Red Cross Belen Sanchez Insurance Agency Bethany Christian Services Build from Within Alliance California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice California Department of Justice California Pan-Ethnic Health Network California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation Californians Together Catholic Charities, Diocese of Fresno CCAEC Central California Legal Services, Inc. Central Valley Children’s Services Network Central Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative Central Valley Women’s Entrepreneur Center Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indigena Oaxaqueño Centro La Familia Advocacy Services CHIRLA City of Fresno Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs CIYJA Community Justice Alliance Consulate of Mexico in Fresno Contra Costa Immigrant Rights Council on American-Islamic Relations CRLA Foundation Cultiva La Salud Education and Leadership Foundation Fresno Adult School Fresno City College Fresno City College Dream Center Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board Global Detroit Immigrant Legal Defense Immigrant Legal Resource Center International Rescue Committee Jakara Movement Kids in Need of Defense Law Offices of Jennifer Doerrie Law Office of Jesus Martinez Law Office of Joshua Longoria Lazaro Salazar Law, Inc. Legal Aid at Work Madera Unified School District Merced County Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project Mi Familia Vota Oasis Legal Services Office of Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula Pasifika Immigration Law Group Prosperity Lab Proteus, Inc. Radio Bilingue Root & Rebound San Joaquin College of Law New American Legal Clinic Selma Unified School District Sequoias Adult Education Consortium Small Business Administration SIREN State Bar of California State Center Adult Education Consortium State of CA Teach Plus CA The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society UC Merced UFW Foundation Unidos Por Salud United Way of Merced County Valley Caregiver Resource Center Valley Community Small Business Development Center Vision y Compromiso West Coast Mennonite Central Committee Westside Family Preservation Services Network WKF Fund
We look forward to seeing you at the 2022 Regional Conference!
Photos
