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Reflections on the Fund’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Journey
In 2021, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund team set out to specify how we center justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in our work. We asked ourselves what our priorities and philanthropic practices looked like, and the steps we could take to put equity at the forefront. As a funder focused on building more inclusive […]
NASH Announces $230,000 Grant from the Fund to Catalyze Leadership Role for Public University Systems in Refugee Resettlement
Funding will enable public higher education systems across the nation to support their campuses in serving as communities of welcome for refugees in both urban and rural areas as U.S. ramps up refugee resettlement efforts Washington, D.C. – The National Association of System Heads’ (NASH) Refugee Resettlement Initiative (RRI) announced today a $230,000 grant from […]
Policy Roundup: State Efforts to Advance the Economic Inclusion of Immigrants and Refugees
Natalie Torres |
The United States currently faces deepening labor shortages in critical sectors including health care and education. At the same time, internationally trained immigrants and refugees have education, credentials, and experience that could help meet immediate workforce needs and bolster the nation’s long-term economic vitality. An estimated two million college-educated immigrants and refugees are unemployed or […]
Five Ways Employers Can Invest in Untapped Immigrant Talent
This blog piece was originally published by JFF (Jobs for the Future). At JFF’s 2022 Horizons summit, experts from across sectors offered insights on how to engage, support, and upskill an overlooked talent pool—and boost your company’s bottom line. With more open roles than jobseekers to fill them, employers in every sector are rethinking how […]
How Six Community Organizations are Bridging Economic Gaps for Newcomers in the Peel Region of Ontario
Originally published on the Future of Good website, this post was written by Neha Chollangi. The WES Mariam Assefa Fund is partnering with Future of Good on a series of digital stories to highlight the Fund’s first ever participatory grantmaking project. Developed in the Peel region of Ontario, the project is facilitated by the Tamarack […]
How an Adult Education Coalition is Advancing a More Inclusive Workforce
Hillary Gardner |
Efforts to create a vibrant, responsive Adult Basic Education (ABE) system can advance racial equity and economic mobility both inside and outside the classroom: Over the past two decades, 78 percent of adult education students self-identified as people of color, according to the National Association of State Directors of Adult Education. In 2019, 23 percent […]
New Maryland Legislation Promises Reform for Health Care Workforce
Jacki Esposito |
Over the past several decades, staffing shortfalls have imposed dramatic negative effects on Maryland’s health care system, including increased hospital readmission and higher mortality rates among patients. But new legislation in Maryland may offer some hope. States Face Critical Health Care Shortages Statistics confirm Maryland’s current health care shortages: In 2020, the state had only […]
Fund Announces $1M in Grants to Advance Inclusive Employer Practices and Career Pathways for Immigrants in the U.S. and Canada
The WES Mariam Assefa Fund today announced US$1 million in grants to eight organizations in the United States and Canada working to shift employer practices and develop career pathways that support the economic mobility and success of immigrants and refugees. In the U.S., the Fund awarded grants to African Bridge Network, Center for Southeast Asians, […]
Advancing Efforts to Create a More Inclusive Workforce Through Mentoring
Isabel Schroeder |
The Global Talent Leadership Network (GTLN) of WES Global Talent Bridge is teaming up with JVS Toronto to connect internationally trained immigrants and refugees with mentors who share the same occupation. In communities across the United States, the GTLN Group Mentoring Program will build on a proven model that leverages the networking power of immigrant- […]
IMPRINT Welcomes Ten New Members
Natalie Torres |
The IMPRINT Coalition launched in 2011 with five members and an ambitious goal: to advance policies and promising models that support the economic inclusion of internationally trained immigrants and refugees. A decade later, IMPRINT is nearly 30 members strong and includes service providers, advocacy organizations, and higher education institutions from across the United States. All […]
Fund Announces Grants to Support Newly Settled Afghan Refugees in the U.S.
Over the past 10 months, resettlement agencies in the United States have welcomed more than 76,000 Afghan refugees as part of Operation Allies Welcome. As they settle into their new communities and lives here in the U.S., there is a need to ensure their longer-term social and economic inclusion. Refugees need more than a roof […]
Increasing Access to Higher Education for Refugees: State Policy Solutions
Fatima Sanz |
In May of 2022, the number of people forced to flee conflict, violence, human rights violations, and persecution surpassed 100 million for the first time. Approximately 40% of these individuals are refugees. Data from the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) shows that in 2020 around half of refugees worldwide were under the age […]