Coalition of individuals, organizations uplift immigrant communities to build a more inclusive Baltimore
2024 Baltimore Immigration Summit brings together leaders, academics, policymakers to empower immigrant communities
By JAMIE ABELL on June 10, 2024
On Fri., May 31, Towson University, the (MIMA) and Baltimore County hosted the 11th Baltimore Immigration Summit at Morgan State University. The theme was Empowered Immigrant Communities: Engaging, Sharing and Growing Together. Pictured left are several members of the TU community that attended the summit, including (from left) Frances Washburne, Dean Chris Chulos,
鈥淭his summit allows us to highlight the collective power and momentum we have built to advance the well-being of immigrants in our city and region,鈥� says Catalina Rodriguez-Lima 鈥�06, summit co-coordinator and founding director of MIMA in Baltimore City. 鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled to join so many of our partners, along with Mayor Scott and Comptroller Lierman, to celebrate and share best practices on ways to drive positive change in the lives of immigrants in the Baltimore region.鈥�
This year鈥檚 summit brought together more than 250 academics, policymakers, service providers, activists, community leaders and others working with and for immigrants and refugees in the region. Baltimore and its surrounding suburbs represent an area with a growing and diverse immigrant population, and local governments view them as essential to the region's ongoing resurgence.
Founder and co-coordinator of the event and TU professor Elizabeth Clifford (pictured
right, standing with Brooke Lierman on the right) says, 鈥淭his summit allows people
doing the work to get together to share what they鈥檙e doing, network and learn from
each other. At Towson, we are part of this community.鈥�
During the summit, attendees heard remarks from Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott and Maryland State Comptroller Brooke Lierman. They provided more insight to challenges faced by immigrant communities and reiterated the importance of making connections, sharing ideas and continuing discussion about the important roles of immigrants in the area.
Throughout the day, experts led breakout sessions to provide a deeper understanding of specific topics to attendees. They also presented research and findings and posed current challenges and potential solutions. The session themes included:
- Education & Family Support
- Organizational Development & Dialogue
- Government, Law & Policy
- Business & Employment
- Health & Well-Being
鈥淭he main message of this summit is immigrants are here, and this is our home and as our home, we want to take care of it, we want to protect it, we want to serve our communities, but we need the support of the community,鈥� said Alejandra Balc谩zar, summit committee member and Latine/x coordinator in the Center for Student Diversity at TU, during an interview with FOX45, pictured right, following the event.
鈥淭he summit has been a really good way to support communities, to help them connect with different stakeholders. [...] This is a space to create awareness about what we are doing, who we are, what we bring to the table and what other people can do for us. If we work together, we can create a better space for immigrant communities.鈥�
The 2025 Baltimore Immigration Summit will take place on Fri., May 30, 2025, at Towson University.