Laura Gardner founded Immigrant Connections in 2017 after noticing a great need for training on how to support immigrant students and families in schools. Nearly every training available for educators was on the instructional aspects of teaching English, but almost nothing was available on understanding immigrant students' backgrounds and journeys, the immigration systems that they and their families must engage with, how to partner with parents and community-based organizations, how to address immigrant students' social-emotional needs, and so on. After all, working with English Learners is about so much more than language! With these burning unmet training needs, Immigrant Connections was born!
Immigrant Connections' Vision:
Immigrant Connections envisions a world where educators and other professionals understand the backgrounds, strengths, and needs of the immigrant children and families they are working with and have the information and tools needed to engage and support them as they integrate into their new country.
Immigrant Connections' Mission:
Immigrant Connections improves the lives of immigrant children and families by helping educators and other professionals better serve this population through training, coaching, and consultative services.
"No Human Being is Illegal" Statement:
We recommend using respectful and accurate terminology when describing individuals living in the U.S. without authorization. Terms like “illegals” or “illegal immigrants” are dehumanizing, legally misleading, and technically inaccurate. Presence in the U.S. without proper documents is a civil offense, not a criminal one. While an action may be illegal, a person cannot be. The only way to request asylum is to arrive in the U.S. Seeking asylum is legal, no matter how a person enters the country. Asylum seekers are allowed to remain in the U.S. legally while pursuing their asylum claim. The language we use matters, especially in front of students and their families. Let’s respect the dignity and humanity of individuals by emphasizing their status rather than reducing them to a label. We encourage the use of terms such as “undocumented,” “unauthorized,” “non-citizens,” or “without status”. No human being is illegal.