June is Immigrant Heritage Month in the United States. Immigrant Heritage Month is an initiative put forward by the I Am An Immigrant foundation that seeks to celebrate our shared heritage as an immigrant nation and the important contributions to our economy, culture and common identity by immigrants from all around the world.
The celebration formally began in 2014 and seeks to give immigrants and refugees in our country the opportunity to explore and celebrate their background as well as to create awareness on how diversity and immigration are both essential elements of our social fabric.
In the spirit of highlighting the diversity represented at BCHO we welcome and encourage staff to wear attire from their cultural heritage on Thursday, June 25th. For those that are working remotely, we welcome them to submit a photo in their cultural attire to be shared with colleagues during this month of celebration. You can email your photo to: [email protected]
Important details to go over with staff beforehand:
- Express your heritage with pride. Clothes and accessories are only one way to reflect one’s heritage and culture. It is not a fashion statement or costume, but rather holds cultural and historical significance.
- Take part in respectful dialogue. This is an opportunity to better understand each other’s perspective and journeys and foster inclusivity. Listen to people’s stories when they are ready to share.
- Practice cultural appreciation, when someone seeks to understand and learn about another culture. Taking a part of another culture without understanding its meaning or significance can be harmful. Appreciation involves respect and value of the culture and the person sharing it with you.
- People should be free to express their culture heritage freely and authentically. Engage and ask before attempting touch items or bodies, make assumptions about one’s narrative, or learn from them. Listen, understand, and participate when invited to do so.
Do's and Don'ts
- Do not appropriate another culture’s attire.
- Do not touch others’ articles of clothing.
- Clothing should still be appropriate for the workplace.
- Do wear clothes expressing your own cultural heritage with pride.
- Do ask your colleagues to share with you something about their heritage.
- Do share with colleagues about your heritage.
Books about Immigrant Experiences
Dreamers By Yuyi Morales
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt de la Pena
The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco
The Wall in the Middle of the Book by Jon Agee
Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant’s Tale by Duncan Tonatiuh
A Gift from Papa Diego: Un Regalo de Papa Diego By Benjamin Alire Saenz, Geronimo Garcia (Illustrator)
Islandborn By Junot Diaz, Leo Espinosa (Illustrator)
Mango, Abuela, and Me By Meg Medina, Angela Dominguez (Illustrator)
Mama's Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation By Edwidge Danticat, Leslie Staub (Illustrator)
Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan by Mary Williams and R. Gregory Christie
La Frontera: El viaje con papá/My Journey with Papa by Deborah Mills, Alfredo Alva, and Claudia Navarro
Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Journey by Margriet Ruurs and Nizar Ali Badr
One Green Apple by Eve Bunting and Ted Lewin
My Name is Yoon by Helen Recorvits and Gabi Swiatkowska
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Azzi in Between By Sarah Garland
“A Different Pond” by Bao Phi
Age 9-12
Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai
Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Lailah’s Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story by Reem Faruqi and Lea Lyon
Stormy Seas: Stories of Young Boat Refugees by Leatherdale, Mary Beth
Devolver al Remitente (Return to Sender) by Julia Alvarez
My Name Is Jorge: On Both Sides of the River By Jane Medina
Age 13+
Enrique’s Journey: The True Story of a Boy Determined to Reunite with His Mother by Sonia Nazario
Harbor Me By Jacqueline Woodson
Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate
Journey of the Sparrows by Fran Leeper Buss with Daisy Cubias
“Someone Like Me: How One Undocumented Girl Fought for her American Dream” by Julissa Arce
Book curators:
Booklandia
Barefoot Books: Diverse and Inclusive
Barefoot Books: World Cultures
Immigrant Statistics
California Immigrant Statistics
- California has more immigrants than any other state
- Foreign-born residents represented at least one-third of the population in five California counties: Santa Clara (39%), San Francisco (36%), San Mateo (35%), Los Angeles (34%), and Alameda (33%).
- Half of California children have at least one immigrant parent.
- CA has the nation’s largest GDP, and immigrants contribute about one-third of CA’s formidable GDP – some $715 billion each year.
- California has more immigrants than any other state. 27% of California’s population was foreign born.
United States Statistics
- The United States has a larger immigrant population than any other country, 43 million immigrants. This represents 19.1% of the 244 million international migrants worldwide, and 14.4% of the U.S. population.
Resources
Public Policy Institute of California: Just the Facts - Immigrants in California
CA Immigrant Policy Center 2017 report: “Resilience in An Age of Inequality: Immigrant Contributions Report”
“Resilience In An Age of Inequality” highlights the ever growing gap in economic inequality, taking a look at how immigrant workers generate enormous wealth for major industries that power the state's economy, yet often face exploitation and displacement - an experience they share with all workers who are struggling to make ends meet. The latest report on immigrant contributions to California includes statewide and regional demographics, labor force participation, and economic contributions. Resilience in an Age of Inequality also goes beyond the numbers, and lifts up stories of immigrant community leaders who are fighting for a better world. We look at two families who challenged gentrification in San Francisco's Mission District and a family working to make ends meet despite being displaced from LA's Koreatown.