We are witnessing a tremendous overlap in communities across New York -- between refugee and immigrant services supported by the NYS Department of State's (DOS) Office for New Americans (ONA), and community revitalization efforts through the DOS Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI).
On September 14th, the NYSEDC and Department of State hosted a webinar discussing how refugees and immigrants contribute to the DOS' efforts to create vibrant, diverse downtowns, and conversely how the DRI creates and supports welcoming communities for New Americans.
The webinar took place during National Welcoming Week and featured state, local, and national leaders, including presenters from Utica -- which has successfully integrated its DRI award with refugee and immigrant services, supported by the DOS' Office for New Americans. Presenters included:
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Kisha Santiago, Deputy Secretary of State for Planning, Development & Community Infrastructure, NYS Department of State
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Laura Gonzalez-Murphy, MS, PhD, Executive Director of the Office for New Americans, NYS Department of State
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Robert Palmieri, Mayor, City of Utica
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Shelly Callahan, Executive Director, The Center (formerly the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees)
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Alivia Haibach, Northeast Regional Manager, Welcoming America
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Zachary Osolo, Job Coach, InterFaith Works of Central New York
Resources from the Webinar and Beyond
