Road to Citizenship - Engaging and Enabling New Americans to Become Voting Citizens

Description

The Road to Citizenship is a new collaboration between various agencies who share a common goal to assist legal permanent residents (LPRs) to become citizens and increase their civic engagement in the communities in which they live. The Road to Citizenship collaboration connects a group of agencies to provide a seamless pathway of services to assist legal residents to become citizens.  Built into the Road to Citizenship program is education and encouragement to increase civic engagement, starting with the message that becoming a citizen is not the last step, but a first step to participate in this democracy.  We envision in a few years immigrants and former refugees sitting on school boards, city councils, commissions and boards. Agencies participating in this collaboration and their roles include: VT Multicultural Alliance for Democracy (VT MADE) – organizer, capacity-building (fundraising), voter education and registration, and civic engagement support; VT Immigration and Asylum Advocates (VIAA ) – fee waiver and naturalization case management, and legal services; VT Adult Learning (VAL) – English and civics classes; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) – federal guidance and updates; State Refugee Office – support and information dissemination to other agencies; Human Rights Commission – legal rights education; the League of Women Voters – voter registration. Panelists include: Jeanine Bunzigiye - Congolese Community Leader, Americorps State Team Leader, Michelle Jenness- Legal Services Coordinator at VT Immigration & Asylum Advocates, Sara Martinez de Osaba - Director, VT Multicultural Alliance for Democracy, and Mohamed Abdi, President of Somali Bantu Community Association of Vermont..

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