PROJECT HANDSHAKE A Study of Immigrant Inclusion and Integration for Jersey City

Published by Starting Points Inc.’s International Institute for Community

Building (IICB) April 28, 2016

Catherine Tansey, Project Coordinator and Dennis George, Head Researcher and

Facilitator led the development, research and evaluations for Project Handshake. Ms.

Tansey and Mr. George also oversee IICB’s work in providing cultural and language

competency services primarily for Hudson County-based immigrants and agencies.

For more information, please contact:

Starting Points Inc.

2737 John F Kennedy Blvd.

Jersey City, NJ 07306

Tel. 201-216-1870 Ext. 2200

The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily

reflect the views of the report’s sponsor.

Project Handshake

Steering Committee

Dr. William Bajor

Division of Professional and Lifelong Learning

New Jersey City University, Jersey City, New Jersey

James Shafer

Global Language Institute

New Jersey City University, Jersey City, New Jersey

Helen Steblecki

Citi Community Development

Allison Solowsky

Office of Diversity and Inclusion

City of Jersey City

Catherine Tansey

International Institute for Community Building

Starting Points Inc., Jersey City, New Jersey

Dennis George

International Institute for Community Building

Starting Points Inc., Jersey City, New Jersey

Research Team

Dennis George

Head Researcher and Head Facilitator

International Institute for Community Building

Starting Points Inc., Jersey City, New Jersey

Catherine Tansey

Project Coordinator

International Institute for Community Building

Starting Points Inc., Jersey City, New Jersey

Co-Facilitators and Interpreters

Student Volunteers from New Jersey City University

Kirolos Mikhail Stephanie Quispilaya Jason Johnson

Hadja Diallo Mahvish Yousaf

M aya Angelou once said, “Courage is the

most important of all the virtues because

without courage you can’t practice any

other virtues consistently.” Immigrants

who give up their homes, family, friends, job, culture

and language in search of freedom, security and

economic opportunity are truly courageous and the

inspiration for Project Handshake – a study that offers

a snapshot of the needs and concerns of immigrants

living in Jersey City that we hope will lead to the

implementation of a framework for inclusion and

integration.

Cover photo courtesy of Helen Steblecki

5

April 25, 2016

Let me congratulate Project Handshake for the proposed “A Study of Immigrant Inclusion and Integration for Jersey City” This is truly a welcome effort to help the City of Jersey City find effective and efficient ways of serving our residents.

Our city is unique in many ways. As America’s Golden Door and with 39% of our population born outside of the United States, our city’s diversity provides an exciting vibrancy of cultures and languages that enriches and defines our city’s character.

We are a community that welcomes and continues to embrace all people from around the world.

Moreover, we recognize that our immigrant communities are active and indispensable partners in driving the city’s growth and progress: they contribute greatly to our local economy and serve as an important talent pool for business and industries.

Rest assured that every day, we appreciate our city’s diversity and strive hard to better serve our residents.

Sincerely,

Steven M. Fulop

Mayor

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April 25,2016

I am happy to extend my sincerest congratulations to the Project Handshake

coalition for coming up with the exhaustive research entitled “Study of Immigrant

Inclusion and Integration for Jersey City” The feedback they collected from the

immigrant communities in Jersey City, which is the nation’s most diverse city, is

always valuable to us as we work to develop, recommend, and implement

municipal, county, and state legislation to improve our services for these groups.

As the President of the Jersey City Municipal Council I am fully aware of the

importance and value of any effort that will help us guide our legislative work, and the work of

lawmakers at every level of government impacting the state of New Jersey. The proposals in this

study are worthy of the City Council’s thoughtful consideration and hopefully will result in a

meaningful and positive impact for the communities we’re targeting.

Jersey City has a significant and ever-growing immigrant population, which we have always viewed

as a welcome and unique advantage compared to other cities of comparable population size. Jersey

City, known as America’s Golden Door, has always viewed ethnic diversity a resource that is truly a

vital contribution to our individuality and economic success.

As such, I and my colleagues on the City Council will continue to work tirelessly to make our

beloved city the most inclusive and integrated city in the United States.

I wish you all the best.

Thank you.

Rolando R. Lavarro, Jr.

President, Jersey City Municipal Council

Jersey City, New Jersey

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OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

April 20, 2016

Project Handshake

International Institute for Community Building Starting Points, Inc. 2737 Kennedy Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07306

New Jersey City University (NJCU) congratulates the entire Project Handshake team for its tireless efforts at

identifying critical needs and challenges facing our immigrant communities throughout the City of Jersey City

while at the same time showcasing the unbreakable spirit foreign born residents contribute each and every day

to the very fabric of our City's daily pulse.

NJCU is proud to be partnering with the City of Jersey City, Starting Points, Inc. and Citi Community

Development on Project Handshake, an all too important initiative which will result in the harnessing and

nurturing of the talents within our local immigrant communities, bringing an array of currently untapped

social, economic, and intellectual capital into our City's already rich and dynamic cultural milieu.

In particular, we would like to salute NJCU's student volunteers for their great efforts at bridging cultural gaps

through their translation work spanning dozens of languages. NJCU's mission includes a commitment "to the

improvement of the educational, intellectual, cultural, socio-economic, and physical environment of the

surrounding urban region and beyond." Our role in helping facilitate the required research and data analysis

involved in the fine work of Project Handshake is a very tangible example of NJCU living that commitment.

Again, we are grateful for the opportunity to be partnering with the City of Jersey City, Starting Points, Inc.

and Citi Community Development on our shared interests and collective efforts, which in the case of Project

Handshake, is the unearthing of a wealth of hidden human potential, potential critical to maximizing the

immediate and long-term future of the City of Jersey City and its neighbors.

Sincerely,

Sue Henderson, Ph.D.

President

New Jersey City University | 2039 Kennedy Boulevard I Jersey City, New Jersey 07305

8

Citi Community Development, in collaboration with Starting Points, Inc., New Jersey City University (NJCU) and the City of Jersey City, is pleased to share the findings from Project

Handshake: A Study of Immigrant inclusion and Integration Framework for Jersey City.

There are more than 17,000 legal permanent residents in Jersey City who are eligible for citizenship. Project Handshake offers new and valuable insights into the complex social and economic needs of the Jersey City immigrant population, and highlights how access to citizenship and culturally competent services can have profound economic impacts on immigrant households and their communities. Naturalization would provide access to better paying jobs (up to an 11% increase to their personal earnings), academic scholarships, and other benefits.

At Citi Community Development, we support the City of Jersey City’s commitment to harnessing naturalization as tool for expanding financial inclusion and economic opportunity. In addition to the Citi’s local efforts, Jersey City is also a member of Cities for Citizenship (C4C), a major national initiative aimed at increasing citizenship among eligible U.S. permanent residents and encouraging cities across the country to invest in citizenship programs. Citi Community Development is the Founding Corporate Partner of Cities for Citizenship, and supports a variety of programs in cities around the country that promote pathways to citizenship.

We thank the City of Jersey City, Starting Points, Inc. and New Jersey City University for

producing this important research, and hope it will inform and inspire those who share the goal of building more inclusive cities. We hope the findings from this study will inform the development of innovative strategies to connect new immigrants to the services and resources they need to build a strong financial identity alongside a new national identity.

Sincerely,

Eileen Auld

Market Director, NY Tri State, Citi Community Development

9

Acknowledgments

P roject Handshake is the result of a collaborative formed between Starting Points Inc., International Institute of Community Building (IICB), New Jersey City University (NJCU), the City of Jersey City Council President Rolando Lavarro and members of

the City Council, Citi Community Development (CCD), and numerous local community leaders and residents who represent the immigrant population in Jersey City. Sincere thanks to Marsha Nivins, the Chief Executive Officer of Starting Points, Inc., who provided ongoing support and a facility to develop the Project and hold focus groups. At NJCU, Dr. William Bajor and James Shafer of the Division of Professional and Lifelong Learning, who gave insights for our research and provided space within the Logistics Center at NJCU where we trained Project Handshake’s team of volunteer observers, interpreters and scribes. All of them are NJCU students or recent graduates - Kirolos Mikhail, Stephanie Quispilaya, Jason Johnson, Hadja Diallo and Mahvish Yousaf. Along with the City of Jersey City Council President, Rolando Lavarro, our gratitude to Jersey City's Resident Response Center's Allison Solowsky, Althea Bernheim, Pam Andes, Yalenny Vargas and Dustin Becker, who provided critical input in the development and data evaluation phases of Project Handshake. Thanks also to the City of Jersey City for the many photos featured in this study. For the philanthropic support that made Project Handshake possible, our appreciation to Citi Community Development (CCD) and its New York Tri-State team led by Eileen Auld, and CCD local representative, Helen Steblecki. Along with funding, CCD also provided links to similar work being done in cities across the U.S. in immigrant inclusion and integration that served to inform and inspire Project Handshake. Also, thanks to CCD for linking the City of Jersey City with the national Cities for Citizenship initiative. Special thanks to Elena Ponds of CCD’s Communications, Policy and Research Team, who provided editorial and design guidance in producing this report. Our sincere appreciation to William Armbruster for taking the time to give his comments and suggestions about the study. He served as a reporter and editor for the Journal of Commerce for 24 years and the editor of Shipping Digest for five years. We also gratefully acknowledge those dedicated community leaders who assisted in identifying study participants and organizing our focus groups: Ahmed Shedeed, Director of the Islamic Center; Dr. Vijaya Desai and Anil Shah, Directors of the Indoamerican Senior Citizens Association of Hudson County; Linda Mayo, Program Director of Pan American Concerned Citizens Action League (PACCAL); Helen Castillo-Bongon, Program Coordinating Committee Chair of Philippine-American Friendship Committee (PAFCOM); Yves Nibungco, Secretary General of ANAKBAYAN-NJ; Kamal and Irina Zaki, members of The St. George and St. Shenouda Coptic Orthodox Church; Rev. Jessica Lambert, Pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church; James Nelson, Executive Director (ex officio) of the Sharing Place; and Priscilla Renta, Community Affairs Director of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Most importantly, we salute the immigrants who raised awareness about our study and those who agreed to participate, some of whom graciously shared their personal stories in Project Handshake.

10

The Project Handshake Study Partnership The “Study on Immigrant Inclusion and Integration for Jersey City,” known as Project Handshake, is a joint collaboration between Starting Points Inc., Citi Community Development and the New Jersey City University, a manifestation of how non-profit and private organizations together with the academia work together in support of the immigrant communities in Jersey City.

Starting Points Inc., is a forward-thinking not-for-profit post-secondary private career school and institution of higher education meeting the workforce needs of diverse populations in New Jersey since 1995. The organization is comprised of three divisions: the Institute for Early Childhood Educators, International Institute for Community Building and the Workforce Development Center. The Institute for Early Childhood Educators prepares professional workers for our nation’s expanding early childhood education needs so that children are provided with high quality, developmentally appropriate care and in safe, nurturing environments. The International Institute for Community Building established in 2013 promotes linguistic and cultural competency through the inclusion and integration of immigrants in their respective communities and serves the needs of the large immigrant population in Jersey City and the surrounding area by providing services in interpreting and translation. The Workforce Development Center provides professional development training to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and General Assistance (GA) clients through various New Jersey Department of Labor initiatives.

New Jersey City University (NJCU) proves commitment to its urban mission by sustaining, celebrating, and promoting academically an understanding of community diversity, tapping the rich resources of the urban setting and cultures for the benefit of its learners, and employing its knowledge resources via faculty and students and with partner organizations, to identify and solve urban challenges. NJCU prepares its students to demonstrate proficiency in learning outcomes that include effective written and oral communication, quantitative literacy, critical thinking, information and technology literacy, responsible citizenship in a culturally-complex world, and knowledge of their disciplinary or interdisciplinary fields.

Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.

Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citigroup.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi.

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary …………………..…………………...…...…. 12

Study Objectives …………………..…………………………...…. 14

Methodology …………………..…………………….…...…...…... 16

Profile of Participants …………………..……………….…...……17

Focus Group Discussion Responses ……………….……..….. 20

Further Steps ………………………………………………………. 32

Proposed Immigrant Inclusion and Integration

Framework …………………………………….…………………..…33

List of References …………………………………………………..34

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Executive Summary

A new trend regarding immigrants has occurred in many cities across the United States from Los Angeles to Chicago to Atlanta. Jersey City, where the foreign-born population has reached 39 percent, has also been touched by this trend. More and more cities across the United States are focusing on

their immigrant population and striving to create an inclusive, active, diverse communities. This new norm is a celebration of diversity not a denial of it.

Immigrants have contributed socially and economically to America’s inner cities where many of them have resettled. “By boosting housing values, preserving jobs, starting businesses and volunteering at local, civic and religious organizations, foreign-born residents contribute greatly to the success and vitality of their neighborhoods….Immigrants gravitate toward the older, less popular neighborhoods most in need of a new infusion of residents and their corresponding economic contributions.” (Immigration and New York City: The Contributions of Foreign-Born Americans to New York’s Renaissance, 1975-2013).

In addition, the “The Economic Impact of Naturalization on Immigrants and Cities,” a report supported by New York City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and Citi Community Development and conducted by the Urban Institute, estimates that the naturalization of immigrants in Jersey City can contribute $73 million in increased earnings. Furthermore, the American Immigration Council in a paper entitled, “The Political and Economic Power of Immigrants, Latinos and Asians in the Garden State,” August 2015 noted that highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries and to the metropolitan areas within the state. It further states that “….new immigrant business owners (from 2006 to 2010) had a total net business income of $6.2 billion, which is 22.4 percent of all net business income in the state.”

With these developments regarding the impact of immigrants on cities, Project Handshake, a collaboration of Starting Points, New Jersey City University and with support from Citi Community Development conducted focus group discussions with the foreign-born residents of Jersey City about their ability to access services, their connection to the community and their understanding of the financial products and services available in the United States. The information the participants revealed was collected in this study. Also, we asked eight immigrants who are residents of the city to talk about how they arrived in the city, their connection with the community and their future plans. Each interview presents different aspects of today's immigrant.

The Focus Group discussions brought out these issues:

Housing and Jobs All the immigrants stated that they considered Jersey City their home and they wanted to stay in the city. However, they were concerned about affordable housing and reasonable rents. They noted that there were new buildings going up in their neighborhoods and they feared that they would be priced out of their community. Some immigrants had been laid off from jobs and they were unsure about their rights as workers, unemployment benefits or how to get a new job.

English Language Training The participants said that English language training must be a regular function at all schools and available for adult immigrants. Information about where the language trainings are conducted and when they are held should be posted in various languages, according to the needs of a Limited English population.

Interpretation and Translation Many said that they needed interpreters, particularly in accessing services from the government and other service providers. Since most informational material, including the city website, is only in English, immigrants ask family, friends, neighbors and church members to help them in English because these are the people they trust.

13

Community Connection and Participation When people, especially immigrants, invest time and resources to help the community, it shows that they are at home and would like to make their community stronger. Thirty-three percent of the participants said that they volunteer at neighborhood associations, community boards and at religious institutions. A majority of the participants noted that cultural festivals are important ways to celebrate diversity and their cultures.

Financial Literacy All the participants stated that they have relationships with banking institutions and are using financial products and services. However, except for the basic banking relationships of setting up and using bank accounts and an understanding of loans, participants expressed need for asset building and credit building information.

City Services in Place Jersey City has already made significant strides in helping all residents, including immigrants, through its Resident Response Center where information about the services of the city are conveyed over the telephone, in person or in flyers. Jersey City is one of 22 cities that has joined Cities for Citizenship and thus, provides information and clinics about the naturalization process. The Resident Response Center and the Office of Cultural Affairs have highlighted the diversity of the city through colorful murals, art exhibits, flag ceremonies and international buffets. Secondly, information about the services, budgets and work of the City Council is available through the city website, which provides transparency and accountability.

Recommendations – Inclusion and Integration Framework

The main recommendation of this study is the Framework for Immigrant Inclusion and Integration. The framework outlines two critical aspects, inclusion and integration, in serving and supporting a diverse community. Inclusion refers to the ways and means of showing that an immigrant is welcomed, accepted and encouraged to be part of the community. Integration refers to the harmonization and incorporation of programs and projects that will better serve immigrant communities and allow them to actively participate in community development with all residents. The glue which holds the framework together is Cultural and Linguistic Competency for city employees who serve the public, non-profit agencies and schools and for the immigrants themselves so that they can better understand and act in their new environment. This framework outlines the steps in helping a vibrant, diverse community grow and it sets up the guidelines for accountability and consistency. The hope is for public, private, and nonprofit institutions to support and promote supportive programing that builds a stronger, diverse Jersey City.

14

Study Objectives

Thirty-nine percent of the population of Jersey City, New Jersey is foreign-born. According to the United States

(U.S.) Census Bureau, “Foreign-born persons include anyone who was not a U.S. citizen at birth. This includes

respondents who indicated they were a U.S. citizen by naturalization or not a U.S. citizen. Persons born abroad

of American parents or born in Puerto Rico or other U.S. Island Areas are not considered foreign born.” For

purposes of Project Handshake, “foreign-born” and “immigrant” are used interchangeably.

Like any U.S. citizen, immigrants with Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) status, also known as Green Card

holders, are taxpayers and contributors to the economy. Those granted LPR status may avail themselves of

government services and assistance, such as Medicaid, social security benefits, public housing, and Federal

student loans. Since those with LPR status are not U.S. citizens, they cannot run for public office and/or vote

during local and national elections and cannot be issued a U.S. passport. As LPRs, they can be deported if

they commit crimes and or violations as stipulated in “8 U.S. Code § 1227 - Deportable Aliens.”

Based on the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Estimates in 2014, New Jersey ranks third

among the states with the highest foreign-born population with 21.9 percent while California with 27.1 percent

and New York with 22.6 percent were ranked first and second, respectively (Table A-1). Based on total

population, NJ ranks fifth in terms of number of foreign-born residents, with 1.96 million, with California having

the highest number at 10.5 million (Table A-2). Among the northeast NJ counties, Hudson County ranks

second, with 282,560 foreign-born residents, after Bergen County with 287,560 foreign-born residents (Table A-

3). Among Hudson County localities, the City of Jersey City (hereinafter referred to as Jersey City) ranks first in

terms of the highest number of foreign-born residents, with 102,237 individuals (Table A-4).

State 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010

California 27.1 26.9 27.1 27 27.2

New York 22.6 22.3 22.6 22.2 22.2

New Jersey 21.9 21.6 21.2 21.5 21

Florida 20 19.4 19.4 19.4 19.4

Texas 16.8 16.5 16.4 16.4 16.4

Table A-1 Percentage of Foreign-Born Population , Top 5 States

State 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010

California 10.50 10.31 10.30 10.19 10.15

Texas 4.52 4.36 4.26 4.20 4.12

New York 4.46 4.38 4.42 4.31 4.29

Florida 3.97 3.79 3.74 3.70 3.65

New Jersey 1.96 1.92 1.88 1.89 1.84

Table A-2 Top 5 States with Highest Foreign-Born Population (in millions)

County 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010

Bergen 287,026 278,399 279,994 272,677 260,084

Hudson 282,560 283,506 272,574 257,555 264,091

Middlesex 269,329 265,246 265,372 259,336 242,990

Essex 200,888 200,232 192,396 206,451 193,774

Union 167,437 163,048 148,235 158,537 164,665

Table A-3 Foreign-Born Population in Selected Counties

Locality Total

Population Foreign-Born

% Foreign -Born

Jersey City 262,146 102,237 39

Union City 68,668 39,415 57

Bayonne 65,975 18,077 27

Hoboken 53,312 7,890 15

West New York

52,597 31,243 59

Kearny 41,837 17,069 41

Secaucus 18,416 5,893 32

Harrison 15,376 8,272 54

Guttenberg 11,418 6,851 60

Table A-4 Foreign-Born Population in Selected Localities of Hudson County

15

The natural flow of immigration is towards family reunification. By law, immigrants who are granted legal

permanent residency (Green Card) and eventually citizenship are eligible to petition for their immediate family

members to join them in the U.S. This cycle is growing and therefore, in a locality like Jersey City with nearly 40%

of its residents foreign-born, there should be a proactive movement towards integrating and including these

residents so they help drive the economic and cultural vibrancy of the community.

The “War of Blood Diamonds”

T he “War of Blood Diamonds” ravaged Sierra Leone and tore Janatu's family apart. It started in 1991 and it was exacerbated by tribal and political conflicts. At the height of the conflict in 1997, Janatu and her

children were separated from her husband for 11 unsettling years. At that time, her son was 5 years old while her daughter was barely 5 months old.

“I had lost all my hopes and dreams.... I desperately missed my husband and my children longed to see their father.” However, one day, a Red Cross staff member handed Janatu a letter from her husband who was a refugee in Ghana. “I cannot describe my feelings after hearing from my husband. He told us that he was suffering greatly and just wanted us to know that he was alive.” Eventually, her husband got refugee status and was reunited with his family in Jersey City.

As a refugee, starting over again was not easy for Janatu and her children but a refugee resettlement agency, the International Institute of New Jersey, helped them build their new lives. Her son and daughter are both studying engineering at Hudson County Community College and they have part-time jobs.

Janatu has worked as a Certified Home Health Aide (CHHA) since she came to the U.S. Although she graduated from Makeni Teachers College in Sierra Leone and was an accomplished teacher of middle school children, she had to find work quickly. “Being a CHHA is not easy, but I have to work.” So she decided to pursue higher education and enrolled at New Jersey City University in Sociology and majored in Family, Health and Youth Services. In 2014, she was inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Service and the Honor Society in Sociology by NJCU.

Janatu still aspires for a safe and better life for her family, as well as to constantly enrich her knowledge of how to help people, especially youth. In December 2015, she earned a college degree in Sociology and she hopes to land her first job as a social worker soon.

Janatu is a refugee from Sierra Leone

Project Handshake aims to:

1. Determine the services needed by Jersey City’s immigrant

community;

2. Determine the ways and means that immigrants can partici-

pate in the development of their respective communities;

3. Determine immigrants’ ability to access and use traditional

financial products and services;

4. Develop thematic program recommendations to address the

needs of Jersey City’s immigrant community that can be im-

plemented through public-private partnerships;

5. Develop a Framework for Immigrant Inclusion and Integration

for Jersey City.

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Methodology

I n order to obtain a snapshot of the perceptions, expectations and aspirations of immigrants residing in

Jersey City, along with how they feel they are contributing to their community, the Project Handshake study

group used the Rapid Field Appraisal (RFA) research approach, applying the Focus Group Discussion

method which aims to bring forth the sentiments of participants. Key informant interviews were also conducted

to gather data on what services are available to immigrant communities. In addition, the study group

conducted desk reviews of available materials whose sources are cited in the body of this report, in support of

the analysis of the data.

Project Handshake also drew upon the latest available data from the U.S. Census Bureau in conducting

comparative analysis of data related to the foreign-born in states and counties, as well as the localities of

Hudson County. It should be noted, that unless specified otherwise, the tables and charts contained in Project

Handshake were derived from the latest U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2014 data.

The Project Handshake study group sought participants to represent the local immigrant community through

referrals obtained from the office of the City Council President, City Council members, and the Jersey City

Resident Response Center’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Recognized leaders within the individual

immigrant communities, neighborhood associations and local churches were also tapped for referrals.

Focus group participants were invited from each of the six wards of Jersey City. A total of six focus groups

were conducted with the active participation of 48 individuals, 54% male and 46% female; between June-

November, 2015; each lasting approximately 60-90 minutes.

After receiving an explanation of the focus group process, participants were given Consent to Participate and

Confidentiality and the Demographic forms to complete. The Consent to Participate form is an agreement that

ensures participants that there will be no public mention of their names or other personal information, and that

their responses will not be attributed to them personally. This is to allow participants to interact freely during

the discussions. The Demographic Form did not require names and its sole purpose was to create a profile of

the participants. It should be noted that some participants did not fill in the Demographic Form completely.

Thus, there are items that will not tally with the total number of participants.

Catherine Tansey is Project Handshake’s Project Coordinator and is currently the Director of Development for Starting Points Inc. where she manages the International Institute for Community Building. Ms. Tansey is an expert in English language teaching and Cultural Competency which she acquired living and working outside the United States for 20 years. For Project Handshake, she helped train the volunteers from New Jersey City University, met with community leaders and set up focus groups.

Dennis George is the Director of Public Policy at the International Institute for Community Building. He is

responsible for the design and facilitation of the focus groups. Mr. George is the Head Researcher and

Facilitator of the study and was responsible for the data gathering, presentation and analysis of data, and

wrote the body of the study. He also developed the proposed Immigrant Inclusion and Integration Framework

for Jersey City. Mr. George, who is a refugee himself, is a trained facilitator and trainer, has more than 25

years of combined work experience in refugee resettlement, workforce development, assisting people with

developmental disabilities and as a local governance expert for developing countries.

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Learning English Added to Her Cultural Identity

M aria arrived in the United States from Sweden as a member of the global education organization, Up With People. This organization brings young people together through service and music, aiming to build bridges between people of different cultures. She was one of 120 cast members from 24 countries who stayed with host families in

70 cities across the U.S. After this experience, Maria got her college degree at the University of Arizona in media and political science.

Although she studied English in Sweden, the most difficult part of living in the U.S. was getting comfortable with English. At first, understanding jokes and finding the appropriate words to deal with people in authority were challenges. She remembers when she was a student and the University of Arizona told her that she had to enroll in the school’s insurance policy even though she was covered by her own health insurance which was issued in Sweden and applicable in the U.S. After a lot of persistence, she convinced administrators to recognize her insurance. As a result of this experience, she has learned that it is important to ask questions and not be shy. She also said that learning English is crucial. Some people may worry that they will lose their cultural identity by speaking English. However, she believes that learning another language will enrich you and add to your cultural identity; not erase your original one. Maria became an American citizen in 2005 and moved to Jersey City. She works in Manhattan but loves living in Jersey City. She is a court-appointed special advocate for children in the foster care system at Hudson County Court Appointed Special

Advocates (CASA) and she is a volunteer at We Are One New Jersey where she teaches citizenship classes. Maria believes that there is much that can be done in the community to increase understanding among different groups and enrich young lives by learning about all the different countries and cultures represented in Jersey City. She likes reaching out to immigrants because she understands how lonely it can be going through the transition and adapting to a new country. So she intends to keep giving back to others and building bridges between cultures.

Maria (right) volunteering at CASA in

Jersey City.

Profile of Participants

Gender and Age

Of the 48 individuals who participated in the six

Project Handshake Focus Groups, 26 (54%) were

male and 22 (46%) were female. (Table B-1). Of

the 41 participants that provided information about

their age, there were 21 (46%) who recorded their

age as 51 years old and above, seven (15%)

recorded their age as between 41 and 50 years

old, six (13%) said they were between 31 and 40

years old, five (5%) said that they were between

26 and 30 years old, and seven (15%) said that

they were between 18 and 25 years old. (Table B-

2).

Employment Status

All 48 FGD participants provided their employment

status wherein 24 individuals or 50% said that

they were currently employed. There were 17

individuals or 35% who said they were not

employed but were attending full-time to their

children and senior adults. The remainder of the

participants said they were either self-employed or

retired. (Table C-3)

Male Female Total

Total 26 22 48

% 54 46

Table B-1 Gender

Age # %

18-25 7 15

26-30 5 11

31-40 6 13

41-50 7 15

51+ 21 46

Total 46 100

Table B-2 Age

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Residency in the United States and Jersey City

With regard to residency in the U.S., there were 42

focus group participants who responded, wherein, 16

individuals (34%) said they have been in the U.S. for

more than 21 years (Table D-4). There were 12

individuals or 29% who said they have been residing

in Jersey City for more than 21 years while 9

individuals (21%) said they have been living in Jersey

City at least for 16 years. There were 9 individuals

(21%) who said they have been residents of Jersey

City for at least 6 years and only 3 individuals ( 7%)

who said they have been in Jersey City only for 1 year

(Table D-5).

Family Household Size

Based on the American Community Survey 2009-

2013 estimates, Jersey City has 96,239

households and each household has 2.59

members. Jersey City’s household size is not far

from the estimates for New Jersey with 2.71 and

the U.S. with 2.63.

There were 9 focus group participants (21%) who

said that their household size is 2 members, 8

participants (19%) said that they have 5 members

in their households, and 8 participants (19%) said

they have 4 members (Table E-6). One participant

said that he/she has 10 members in their

household. There were 5 individuals (12%) of the

participants said they live alone.

Table E-6 Number of Household Members

# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10+ Total

To-tal

5 9 4 8 8 5 1 1 0 1 42

% 12 21 10 19 19 12 2 2 0 2 99

Educational Attainment

Based on U.S. Census Bureau American Community

Survey 2009-2013 estimates, 84.8 percent of Jersey

City’s population has attained a high school diploma

or above, which is close to the New Jersey

population of 88.1 percent holding a high school

diploma and above; and the population of the U.S. at

86 percent. In its favor, Jersey City also recorded

having 42 percent of its population with a Bachelor’s

degree or higher for persons 25 years and older;

compared to New Jersey with 35.8 percent and the

U.S. with 28.8 percent.

In terms of educational attainment, 23 individuals

(53%) said that they have finished college and 9

individuals (21%) had post-graduate education

(Table F-7). There were also 9 individuals (21%)

who said that they were high school graduates. The

53 percent of participants who attained college

degrees reflects the available figures for Jersey City

from the U.S. Census Bureau in terms of level of

education citywide.

Table C-3 Employment

Status Number Percentage

Employed 24 50

Not employed 17 35

Self-employed 4 8

Retired 3 6

Total 48 100

Table D-4 Number of Years Residency—U.S.

Years 1 2 3 4 5 6 -

10

11 -

15

16 -

20

21

+ Total

# 4 2 5 0 1 7 4 8 16 47

% 9 4 11 0 2 15 9 17 34

Table D-5 - Number of Years Residency - Jersey City

Years 1 2 3 4 5 6 -

10

11 -

15

16 -

20

21

+ Total

# 3 1 4 1 1 9 2 9 12 42

% 7 2 10 2 2 21 5 21 29

19

Annual Individual or Family Income

The median household income (in 2013 dollars)

2009-2013 estimates, in Jersey City is $58,206

which is lower than New Jersey with $71,629 but

higher compared to the U.S. with $53,046.

There were 32 focus group participants who

recorded their individual or family income. There

were 13 individuals (41%) recorded in both the low

and high ends of the family income bracket

(Table G-8). The first 13 participants said that their

family income is below $17,000, while the other 13

participants said that they earn more than $50,000

annually.

Languages Spoken

Fifty-two percent (52%) of Jersey City residents

speak a language other than or in addition to

English. Project Handshake FDG participants spoke

languages, including Hindi, Gujarati, French,

Spanish, Arabic, Lithuanian, Punjabi, Swedish,

Pilipino, Japanese, Russian, Polish and Tamil. In

the case of some groups, interpreters were provided

during the focus groups.

High

School Associate College

Post Gradu-ate

Total

# 9 2 23 9 43

% 21 5 53 21

Table F-7 Educational Attainment

Table G-8 Individual/Family Income

<17

K

17-

25K

26-

30K

31-

40K

41-

45K

46-

50K

50

K+

To-

tal

# 13 2 0 3 0 1 13 32

% 41 6 0 9 0 3 41

20

Focus Group Responses

All the responses in each focus group were consolidated and are presented as a group response or

consensus. There were three main focus group questions:

1. What services needed by immigrants do you feel should be available

through the City government?

2. In which activities are you actively participating in within your community?

3. What financial products and services do you use or access?

The focus group questions were geared toward generating responses as to participants’ perceptions and

experiences.

Question one identified services that an immigrant needs, some of which may already be available through

the City but participants were not necessarily aware of.

Question two sought to determine participants’ involvement (such as volunteerism, block association

member, issues advocate) in their respective communities – an important factor in fostering inclusion and

integration.

Question three was geared to get a better understanding of the level of financial literacy of immigrants.

1. What services needed by immigrants do you feel should be available through the

City government?

Table Q1 - Top Responses to Question #1

Rank Response %

1 Affordable Housing/Rental 67

2a English as a Second Language for Students and Adults 50

2b Translation and Interpreting Services 50

2c Job Referrals/Employment Services 50

2d Public Information – List of Available Services 50

2e Immigration and Other Legal Services 50

2f Health Insurance (Navigators) 50

3a Daycare/Baby Sitting Services 40

3b Job/Skills Training 40

3c Free Health Services 40

21

1. Affordable Housing/Rental According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 2009-2013 estimates, the owner-occupied housing unit rate in Jersey City is 30 percent. This is low compared to New Jersey with 65.6 percent and the U.S. with 64.9 percent owner-occupied housing rates. The median gross rent in Jersey City was listed as $1,174, while in New Jersey it is $2 less with $1,172 and $270 more than the U.S. at $904. Figures listed in what is considered more “real” time on the real estate website Trulia, show that in selected areas in Jersey City the median listing prices of all properties range from $196,000 to $694,000. Properties along the Hackensack Riverfront were average $239,000 and as you go eastward to the Downtown and Newport areas, the median price listing ranges from $499,000 to $694,000. The properties in the Heights areas have a median price list at $315,000, and going south in the Greenville neighborhood the median price is $196,500. Rental properties in Jersey City according to Trulia are listed as follows: the median rental price along the Hackensack Riverfront is $797; with the Downtown and Newport areas ranging from $1,600 to $2,300. The median rental prices in the Heights is $625, while going southward in the Greenville neighborhood it is $425. The majority of the focus participants said that they needed assistance finding and maintaining for-purchase and rental affordable housing. Housing problems hold true for highly urbanized and highly populated cities across the U.S. They cited the growing number of apartment buildings under construction, particularly in Jersey City’s Downtown and Waterfront communities, which may be seen as “development” but the costs of these new housing units seem prohibitive to them. Participants also said that if they can no longer afford the rent, they will have to move out of Jersey City.

(Source: http://www.cityofjerseycity.com/uploadedImages/For_Residents/ward-map.jpg500bxd.jpg, January 20,2015)

A Lucky Escape

H issien came to the United States as a political refugee in December 2005 but his journey was not easy. Chad, his home country, has been led by a dictator who has been president since 1990.

Hissien was a university student at the Kharkiv National University of Radioelectronics in the Ukraine when he saw for the first time a progressive country whose people have a deep pride and love of their country. While studying abroad, he participated in an opposition group composed of Chadian students. In 2002, after returning to Chad as a university graduate, he joined the opposition party and became a “marked” man. Although he worked at a non-profit which helped the poor in his community, he could not get a job in the government because of his party affiliation.

In 2004, the intelligence agency picked him up, interrogated him and brutally tortured him. Fortunately, when he was left unguarded one day, he managed to escape. Realizing that the next time he might not be so lucky, he applied for a visa at the U.S. Embassy in Ndjamena.

He arrived in New York with little money in his pocket and he felt lost because he didn't know anyone. When he learned that there was a Chadian community in Jersey City, he came to the city and applied for asylum. Three years later, his application was approved.

Fluent in French, Arabic, Russian and English, he took odd jobs and worked as an Airport Receptionist for the International Office of Migration at Newark International Airport. Hissien currently works as a cab driver in New York City. He said that life in the U.S. is not easy, but he is still hopeful about the future. His early challenges were the English language and adapting to his new culture. He is now reunited with his wife and they have a young son.

He and a friend have started the process of establishing a health transportation company which should begin operating in 2016. Hissien is the president of the Chadian Community of New Jersey, helping fellow Chadians navigate life in the U.S., while preserving the Chadian culture and traditions.

Hissien visits Starting Points

22

The Letter with a Bullet

M ajid, born and raised in Baghdad, was a successful businessman until the war began in 2003. He owned a large men’s clothing store in downtown Baghdad. He had a family and friends. Majid never imagined that he would have to leave Iraq. However, as the war progressed, lawlessness was everywhere. In 2006, he got a letter

containing a bullet with a telephone number to call and a message “The next bullet will go to your head.”

Businessmen like him often got this kind of message from extortionists. But this time, he realized that he was no longer safe.

Fearing for his life, he got a job managing a water distillation plant in Kurdistan. Later, his wife and other family members emigrated to Jordan after his brother-in-law was released from a “Kidnap-for-Ransom” incident. There they applied for refugee status with the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR).

In December 2008, Majid’s wife and two daughters, arrived in Jersey City where they were reunited with relatives who had previously resettled in the city. Majid continued working in Kurdistan until he joined his family two years later.

Majid learned English and after six months he could speak, read and write. Although his first job was at a warehouse, he eventually found a job as a logistics associate at an electronic hardware recycling company. He has been with this company for more than three years and he is earning enough to support his family.

According to Majid, the education of his daughters, who are in a charter school in Jersey City, is very important. When his wife finishes a medical assistance course and gets a job, Majid will start thinking of opening up his own business again.

Right now he is concerned about getting access to affordable housing because they are still living with his in-laws. Majid explained that the “United States is a very good country, safe place to live and raise children, but (life) here is not easy. You have to learn the language and work very hard. Now I am better off than in Iraq because we have a future.” Majid became a U.S. citizen in November 2015.

2.a. English as a Second Language Training for Students and Adults Fifty-two percent (52%) of Jersey City residents speak a language other than or in addition to English. Project Handshake focus group participants spoke languages including Hindi, Gujarati, French, Spanish, Arabic, Lithuanian, Punjabi, Swedish, Pilipino, Japanese, Russian, Polish and Tamil. In the case of some participants who do not speak English, interpreters were provided during the focus groups. Participants said that it is important to learn the English language in order to succeed in the U.S., and there is a need to have English as a Second Language training in the schools for all limited English proficient students. Learning English leads to better job opportunities. There was a suggestion from Arabic-speaking participants that the school should provide Arabic as a foreign language course to any students in high school. If you are an adult and would like to pursue a college education, Hudson County Community College offers English as a Second Language programs either through grants, financial aid or by self-matriculation. The Jersey City Public Library, Jersey City Public Schools and the Union City Board of Education offer free or low-cost ESL programs. Various other smaller programs supported by religious institutions are scattered throughout the city. However, the information about these programs is not easily available to the public.

2.b. Translation and Interpreting Services All focus group participants agreed that immigrants from non-English speaking countries experience problems with original documents when interacting with the U.S. agencies and require interpretation services. It is required that they present translated versions of their documents such as birth, marriage or death certificates, driver ’s license, passport, medical and vaccination records, diplomas or professional certifications, transcript of records, among others. According to the participants, when they need documents to be translated, they have to pay between $30 and $80. Participants, particularly those with numerous family members, would like to have access to free or low-cost translation and interpreting services.

Majid is now safe in Jersey City

23

2.c. Job Referrals/Employment Services Focus group participants who said that they are not working or would like to look for better opportunities wanted to seek out job referrals and employment services. They were not aware of City-operated or locally available services that could help them find jobs. Although there is a Jersey City Training and Employment Program and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development One-Stop-Shop, participants had no information about these agencies. 2.d. Public Information – List of Available Services According to participants, there is a need for a list published in multiple languages of all available services in Jersey City with addresses, contact persons and locational maps. The New Jersey Community Resources (NJCR) is a very useful and comprehensive website that provides updated information about available services in New Jersey that are provided by government, private sector and non-profit service providers. However, the information provided by NJCR is only in English. 2.e. Immigration and Other Legal Services Immigrants who are granted Legal Permanent Resident status are normally eligible to file for citizenship, but this requires immigration legal services as does family reunification, another common goal. Although the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service provides user-friendly forms, the presentation of documentary evidences may be difficult for the average individual and may delay the process if the incorrect documents are submitted. According to participants, they also see the need for legal services for non-immigration related issues, such as housing and rental contracts and traffic violations. 2.f. Health Insurance (Navigators) Focus group participants said they need help in accessing the Affordable Health Care Act because New Jersey residents can only purchase health insurance through the Federal exchange. They would like to get the best plan when the enrollment is open. They said that when the enrollment is open, the Health Insurance navigators, who assist clients in enrollment and determining the appropriate insurance packages, must be accessible for consultation.

Her First Job Paid $2 an hour

I rina was born in Belarus and came to the United States in 1995 in order to flee the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, the chaotic

economy of the collapsed Soviet Union and a violent marriage. She borrowed money for the trip, left her two children with family

members and gave up her managerial position at a leather factory.

She arrived at Kennedy Airport in the early morning hours with $80 in her pocket and the address of a friend

of a friend. Fortunately, the taxi ride from the airport did not use up all her American money; the driver brought

her quickly to the friend’s house in Queens. This couple housed her for one night and the next morning she

searched the classified ads in the morning paper for a cleaning job. After finding work, she called the employer

and got on a bus to upstate New York for the advertised job of $300 a week and 8 hours a day. When she got

to her destination, the employer demanded her passport and told her that she would receive only $2 an hour

and work for 10 to 12 hours a day. Although she felt like a prisoner, she stayed because she did not have

enough money to go back to New York. Despite the terrible work conditions, she was determined to repay the

people who lent her the money to come to the U.S. and to bring her daughters to this country. She survived this

period of her life by working hard while crying at night and smiling in the morning. Gradually, she found other

work that was easier and paid better wages as she made her way to New Jersey. She moved to Jersey City in 1998. For Irina the hardest

part of being an immigrant was the language and the culture and the inability to get information. However, she had a strong faith in God and

she was fortunate that several kind people helped her.

In going through the steps to citizenship Irina had numerous problems getting information from the immigration office. She always had to

take a day off from work and ask the right questions – a challenge for her in English. Irina passed the citizenship exam but she thought that

the test should have included some common-sense questions. For example, knowing the Speaker of the House of Representatives never

helped her in her daily life but knowing about giving up her seat to an elderly or pregnant person on a bus was important.

She advises other immigrants to the U.S. to learn English as quickly as possible, be prepared to start life at the lowest level no matter how

old or accomplished you are and respect and follow the laws and rules of the country where you live. Irina is happily married now and her

daughters live nearby with two beautiful grandchildren. She doesn't work full-time but she continues to volunteer to help her community and

others through the Journal Square Block Association, the Egyptian Festival and her church.

Irina reunited with daughters.

24

3.a. Daycare/Baby Sitting Services Focus group participants also cited the need for affordable and safe daycare and babysitting services. While there are numerous service providers in Jersey City, they need a list so that they can compare the prices and the services. 3.b. Job Skills Training Focus group participants who would like to acquire new skills said that they need information about where to go for job/skills training. 3.c. Free Health Services Focus group participants feel they have little or no information on what free health services may be available to Jersey City residents. An additional question that focus group participants were asked regarding needs was: Q1.a When you need services, where do you go? Thirty-three percent of focus group participants said they go to friends, relatives and community members when they need to find out how to access services. Friends and relatives were referred to as people they trust. Churches and fellow church members were also recorded, along with City Council members, as sources for information on services. Participants also said that they contact government agencies/services directly, including the Social Security Administration, Medicaid, and Employment and Job Training. They stated that when they need the assistance of Jersey City, they will use and were aware of Jersey City’s Online Help Center (website) and the Residence Response Center.

2. Which activities are you actively participating in within your community? Community involvement is a key indicator of how immigrants assimilate in their communities. It also shows how comfortable they are in their communities if they actively interact with the people there. The top four responses from the participants said that they were actively involved in their Neighborhood Associations and Community Boards, local church groups, and that they performed volunteer work within their communities. Participants mentioned that they volunteer with organizations including, the Hamilton Park Association, Morris Canal Association, Liberty Harbor, and CASA – We are One.

25

From Cuba to Jersey City

J acqueline came to the U.S. in her 20s for freedom and economic reasons. Coming to Jersey City was a second chance for Jacqueline. She chose to leave Cuba to improve her living conditions and pursue her dream of getting a good education.

Leaving her family and friends and learning English were very difficult. However, she enrolled in the English as a Second Language program at Hudson County Community College and later, in their Criminal Justice program. Today she advises new immigrants to dedicate enough time to learn the English language. Secondly, she believes that it is important for people to leave their communities and take risks outside their own circles. Education is one way to help immigrants step outside familiar boundaries. It also provides an extra bonus because the more we learn about others, the more we learn about ourselves. During her studies, she became a volunteer intern in the Ombudsman Office of Hudson County Superior Court for one semester. She enjoyed this position because she learned about the U.S. law and about customer service. Treating everyone with courtesy and respect are important elements of working in the Ombudsman's office and living in the community. As a result, she discovered her passion for helping people and connecting with people of many different nationalities and backgrounds. Immigrants come to the U.S. thinking that there is only one kind of American, the Hollywood version, but actually there are many kinds of people. Everyone has to learn to work with each other. Jacqueline recommends that people volunteer as one way to expand their skills, acquire experience, learn about others and explore opportunities for the future. Although Jacqueline has had to work hard, she believes that she has learned a lot to help her secure a better future.

A follow-up question to community involvement was raised: Q2a.“Which activities do you think allow you to participate in the development of your community?” In Table Q2a, 67 percent of the participants feel that getting involved in cultural activities and festivals is a good way to help develop their communities – building understanding, appreciation and trust for individuals from different backgrounds. Cultural activities and festivities present an opportunity to open lines of communication and find out what the neighbors are doing. In addition, they often cross neighborhood boundaries, bringing in individuals from other parts of the state and region. It was noted that it is critical that those organizing cultural activities and festivals promote them widely so that everyone feels welcomed to attend. Ranking second for community involvement with 33 percent of participants is joining their neighborhood

associations. They feel these associations give them the opportunity to know the issues and concerns of their

community, as well as contribute to the plans and programs that will benefit their community.

Table Q2a Community Participation Opportunities

Jacqueline at Hudson County Superior

Court’s Office of the Ombudsman.

Response %

Cultural activities/festival 67

Participate in neighborhood associations 33

Engage in regular dialogue with government officials, advocate for more bilingual programs, and Arabic-speaking teachers and science programs in the schools, participate in arts and sports activities, disseminate help wanted opportunities, volunteer to teach, mobilize retired teachers,

work in support of schools and NGOs, use Facebook and social media in community outreach, support election candidates who will provide representation, and meet with church groups and

serve the church.

17

26

With regard to how the participants could directly impact community needs, Table Q2b – Ways to Help

the Community, shows that 33 percent said that support should be targeted to day care programs for the

senior citizens and serving the church. (It should be noted that 46 percent of the participants are 51

years old or more.)

Table Q2b – Ways to Help the Community

Focus group participants said that the Jersey City government and private sector involvement in supporting

key initiatives is critical to developing the community. Their suggestions are recorded in no particular order.

Observations obtained with the comments above show that focus group participants feel discriminated against

when accessing services and applying for jobs because they are immigrants. The education, training and

experience that they have achieved abroad often does not matter to U.S. employers and they need assistance in

getting their educational credentials evaluated or re-credentialed.

Focus group participants also would like the government and private sector to review the ethnic or race portion of

job applications. They feel that for those who consider themselves as Arabs, it is confusing if they are put under

the category of African. Also, the Arabic language is spoken in many places around the world – North Africa,

Africa and the Middle East; not just in Egypt.

Participants also expressed an interest to do volunteer work for City government programs, and suggested that

companies in Jersey City should sponsor Volunteer Days, wherein employees could devote a day in doing

volunteer work in the community.

Response %

Day care programs for senior citizens 33

Serve the church 33

Transportation for senior citizens, helping assisted living homes, help college students get jobs, come

up with “Volunteer Day” for companies, establish a Jersey City “Suggestion Box,” conduct resident

satisfaction survey, private sector participation, interaction with other immigrant communities, voter

registration, participate in national holiday celebrations, serve as interpreters and translators, push for

programs that will develop the communities, volunteer and participate in dialogue with city

government .

17

Advocate for equal opportunity

Review the "Arab" background question in

job and other applications

Sponsor cultural activities/festivals

Advocate for better transportation services

Hire more bi-lingual teachers

Create local neighborhood clean-up

volunteer teams

Promote private sector participation in

community development

Establish resident suggestion boxes

Create volunteer opportunities that support

City government

Promote intercultural activities

Communicate better about opportunities for

volunteer involvement

Provide more information about childhood

education

Advocate for more interpreters and translators

27

3. What financial products and services do you use or access?

Being able to access quality and affordable financial products and services and knowing how to manage personal finances are key factors in pursuing a satisfying and productive life in America. The third focus group question sought to determine the level of knowledge about financial products and services and how (in-person, online, mobile) individuals do their banking. Table Q3 – Financial Services and Products, shows that all participants said that they have banking relationships and that half of them use the Online Banking services of their banks. They felt their money was safe in banks and that they could ask for financial advice on loans and investments as needed. During the discussions, some participants said that they were aware of the negative implications of having a bad

credit history and the higher cost of borrowing if their credit is bad. They also acknowledged that employers and

rental property owners do credit checks.

Table Q3 - Financial Services and Products

Response %

Banked 100

Used online banking 50

Mobile banking, college grant and financial aid, 401K, insurance, ATMs, bonds, post office, credit

union, credit card, direct deposit and loans.

17

28

Immigrant Inclusion and Integration Framework

A n immigrant’s initial goal is family reunification and it may come before or after arrival in the U.S. Once the

immigrant is granted status as a Legal Permanent Resident, he or she may be eligible to apply for

citizenship in the future. Other immigrants have visitor, student or work authorization visas and their stay in

the U.S. is temporary. There are also people who are granted refugee status and temporary protected status.

Whatever status they have, and like any citizen they live in communities, contribute to the economy and utilize

services.

The end goal for an immigrant is to become a productive, community involved and law-abiding citizen. The

Framework for Immigrant Inclusion and Integration for Jersey City (see chart on page 33) is a schematic diagram

of how the aspects of immigration, governance and community participation will interact and converge to establish

a city that is “Culturally and Linguistically Competent,” a desired state where the residents, government and private

sector act in consonance for genuine and meaningful progress.

The challenge now is how will the immigrants, communities, businesses, service providers and the local government respond and work together to create a thriving diverse community.

Therefore, there is a need to have a practical and executable framework for immigrant inclusion and integration that will effectively achieve Cultural and Linguistic Competency in all aspects of government and services delivery.

Legal Basis

There are two very important documents that guarantee non-discrimination as well as access to services for

persons with limited English—Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Executive Order 13166 issued in

August 2000 (Shown on right).

Moreover, the United States Supreme Court in Lau v. Nichols (1974) stated that one type of national discrimination

is discrimination based on a person’s inability to speak, read, write or understand English (Affirming LEP Access

and Compliance in Federally Assisted Programs Brochure, New Jersey Department of Health and Human

Services). Title VI and the U.S. Supreme Court assertion clearly guarantees that persons with Limited English

Proficiency (LEP) will be served by agencies receiving funding from the federal

government.

Executive Order 13166 not only reinforced Title VI, it clearly identifies and

gives emphasis to LEP individuals. Furthermore, E.O. 13166 directed federal

agencies to: 1) Publish guidance on how their recipients can provide access to

LRP persons; 2) Improve the language accessibility of their own programs; 3)

Break down language barriers by implementing consistent standards of

language assistance across federal agencies and amongst all recipients of

federal financial assistance.

The proposed Immigrant Inclusion and Integration Framework for Jersey City

is anchored on Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Most of the services, such

as social security, health and human services, education, housing and

community development, among others are provided by agencies at the state,

county and local levels which are funded in whole or in part by federal

agencies. The federal funding streams are funneled through the state,

counties and to certain extent local governments.

The proposed Framework (developed by Dennis George, Director, Public

Policy, International Institute for Community Building at Starting Points Inc.)

defines and distinguishes the inclusion and integration aspects of the

framework and how these can shape the appropriate Cultural and Language

Competency approaches in the communication and delivery of services.

Title VI of the 1964 Civil

Rights Act states that “No

person in the United States

shall, on the ground of race,

color or national origin, be

excluded from participation

in, be denied the benefits of,

or be subjected to

discrimination under any

program or activity receiving

federal financial assistance.”

Executive Order 13166,

issued by former President

Clinton in August 2000

entitled “Improving Access

to Services for Persons

with Limited English

Proficiency.”

29

Inclusion and Integration

T he terms “inclusion” and “integration” are often

used interchangeably in many efforts to

effectively serve immigrants. But they are not the

same and can be confusing if used interchangeably.

The over-arching components of the framework are

the institutionalization of inclusion and integration

mechanisms.

“Inclusion and integration” is often used in schools to

help students with disabilities. Bryan Harman in his

article “Inclusion/Integration Is There A Difference?”

explained that “Inclusive schools and classrooms talk

about helping everyone. School personnel will

emphasize how the classroom/school will be changed

to support the success of a child. The talk will be

about how the extra adaptations and services will

benefit everyone. Celebrating diversity, helping

everyone and having a support worker for the class

are key. When looking at the Individual Educational

Plan (IEP), strategies will be used to adapt and

improve the classroom so that all students achieve

success. Inclusion is about helping everyone.“

With regard to integration, Harman said “The biggest

clue for determining whether a school is integrating or

including students is in the language that is being

used. If school personnel talk about extra adaptations

or services to help the child fit into a classroom, it is

integration. References to overcoming problems,

acquiring functional abilities and support worker for

the child will be used. If the IEP focuses on strategies

to help a child fit into a classroom, this is integration.”

In reality, there is a difference between immigrant

inclusion and integration efforts. Inclusion refers to the

welcoming environment for immigrants that exists

when family or friends together with faith-based

organizations, schools, government and other

non-profit organizations guarantee that they will be

guided properly and as they navigate their new lives

in their newly adopted country and communities.

Immigrant inclusion refers to establishing an

environment that welcomes, admits, involves and

embraces immigrants.

.

Integration is a conscious and deliberate effort

by government at all levels, businesses, medical and

government and non-government frontline service

providers to develop ways and means to effectively

communicate and provide immigrants with the same

quality services they provide across the board.

Integration, therefore, refers to the harmonization,

synchronization, consolidation and incorporation of

policies, rules and regulations, program and projects

that will ensure services, encourage immigrant

participation and level the playing field.

Meeting the Needs

A t the core of the framework is the immigrant

individual or family. Their initial goals are: 1) To

be resettled as quickly as possible; 2) Gain

economic independence; 3) Family reunification.

There are three levels of needs that must be met to

ensure the immigrants’ success—Basic, Enabling

and Empowering.

The Basic Needs – food, clothing and shelter should

be met immediately upon arrival. It is essential that

their U.S. ties, their family or friends must be able to

secure them suitable housing that can comfortably

accommodate them. Many local governments have

strict occupancy rules and regulations purposely to

ensure safety, health and sanitation. Immigrants

must be able to access ethnic food and delicacies in

their communities while they develop their tastes for

American food. Appropriate clothing must be

provided to them, especially those in areas that have

cold weather.

After ensuring that the basic needs are met, the

Enabling Needs must quickly be put in motion.

English language training for adults and children,

together with cultural orientation, must take place

quickly to move the assimilation process forward.

They must know the Do’s and Don’ts in the U.S.,

how the government works and their duties and

responsibilities at home, school and communities

where they reside, proper health and sanitation,

among others. Community familiarization will allow

the newly arrived immigrants to navigate life in the

community. They should know where the shops,

hospitals and places of worships are, what to do in

case of emergencies, how to get help, places of

interest, among others. It is important that the school

-aged children immediately be enrolled in nearby

schools.

30

The provision of the Empowering Needs constitute

the next level of needs that must be met. Meeting

these will allow the immigrant who is capable the

necessary means to become viable contributors to

their communities and the local economy.

Immigrant should be able to avail themselves of

social and medical services and must be able to

access or use transportation. In addition, they

should be able to access skills training, job

readiness and employment services. It is also

important that there is a conscious effort to assist

on the immigrant’s pathway to citizenship.

Immigrants should know the critical timetable for

becoming naturalized citizens. Many Legal

Permanent Residents are not pursuing the

naturalization process because of the lack of

information on how to go about the process and

the benefits of being a U.S. citizen.

Cultural and Linguistic Competency

S ynthesis of inclusion and integration requires a

culturally and linguistically competent way of

communicating and delivering services to the

immigrants. Immigrant inclusion and integration

are the bookends of the framework that hold

together efforts to ensure that the basic, enabling

and empowering needs are met to achieve genuine

and meaningful success.

Cultural Competency first recognizes that there

are different ways of viewing the world, setting

priorities and behaving. Secondly, a culturally

competent person is willing to take the extra step of

bridging these different world views so that the non

-native speaker could understand. This kind of

competency is a critical skill whether one is doing

business outside one’s own home country or

whether one is an immigrant and living in a diverse

community. Cultural Competency is needed by

people providing services to immigrants as well as

for immigrants themselves who are resettling in a

new country and culture. All of us need to

recognize different world views and learn how to

bridge the differences.

A research project at the University of Southern

California’s School for Communication &

Journalism surveyed the business leaders in the

United States and abroad asking them what

attributes executive need to succeed in today’s

digital global economy: “They identified five as critical:

adaptability, cultural competence (the capacity to think, act

and move across multiple borders), 360-degree thinking,

(holistic understanding), capable of recognizing patterns of

problems and their solutions, intellectual curiosity and of

course, empathy.” (Ernest J. Wilson II, Harvard Business

Review, September 2015)

But one of the greatest differences between American

culture and many other cultures is the focus on

individualism and how this is strengthened at home, in

school and in the workplace. Immigrant parents are often

amazed that their children in schools are asked for their

opinions and the reasons for their opinions. Adults who

have resettled in the United States may gain sufficient

English proficiency, but they still may not be comfortable in

promoting themselves in a job interview or in the workplace

or questioning a supervisor or other person of authority. A

culturally competent person will recognize this difference

and encourage the adult immigrant to practice some new

communication styles.

Customer service is challenging on the telephone or in

person when the situation involves a native speaker of

English and a Limited English Proficiency (LEP) adult.

Patience and good communication strategies are important

on both sides.

Linguistic Competency is present when service

providers may need some translated informational material,

pictures or simple step-by-step procedures or interpreters to

reach understanding or when communication breaks down.

LEP adults need to think of the simplest way to explain their

situation and write down their questions before the

encounter.

Most people say that everyone who wants to live in the

United States should learn English as quickly as possible.

Learning a new language for children is relatively simple

and quick. However, adults might encounter language

learning problems.

For adults, some patterns of communication may become

embedded in the brain so it becomes difficult to add or

substitute another pattern. Or, sometimes adults can learn

the English words but use them in the same past native

language patterns which they used in their home country.

This may not make sense to native speakers. For

example, an LEP adult may understand a question but

because of cultural reasons, may not be able to respond

with a direct “Yes” or “No.” Their response might simply be

a lukewarm “maybe” or no response at all.

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Secondly, English is predicated on the fact

that if the listener does not understand, he/she

will ask questions. However, with many other

languages speakers learn to provide the entire

context instead of waiting for questions. This

means that the LEP adult might not be able to

ask the appropriate questions which the native

speaker expects. Or, the adult immigrant

might present a lot of extraneous information

trying to present the entire context at the

beginning. A culturally competent person

should understand this communication and

respond appropriately.

In this increasingly complex and multicultural world it is crucial for everyone to understand cultural competency and to know how it affects us and others. Cultural competency prepares all of us for today’s complex, diverse world and it stretches our creativity boundaries as we all search for a common ground of understanding. It is the glue which keeps a diverse community together.

An Unstoppable Woman

I n Nepal, Bishnu’s family was called Dalit or “untouchable.” This meant that her family was denied education, economic opportunity and acceptance as human beings in their own society. Bishnu was determined to get her education so she managed to get a

scholarship to a college in Boston where she earned a liberal arts degree. Later, she received her master’s in international development and community organizing from Clark University. While living in Boston, Bishnu received the “Bridge Builder Award” from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government as a grassroots leader in international development and community organizing. After nearly 15 years of volunteer and full-time work in community and social services helping women and children, she moved to Jersey City in 2014.

Bishnu is an organizer and a doer who works for those less fortunate. Although she is still job-hunting in Jersey City, she has not stopped volunteering. After the earthquake in Nepal last April, Bishnu advocated for Temporary Protected Status for Nepali immigrants before the City Council of Jersey City. As a result, Jersey City became the first city in the country to pass a resolution authorizing Temporary Protected Status for Nepali immigrants. In addition, she founded “Women for Cause,” which is currently assisting eighty-five immigrant victims of domestic violence in New York and New Jersey. Since the earthquake, Bishnu has returned to Nepal twice to distribute aid and help her family rebuild. She is relieved that her parents are well, even though they are still living in a tent on the street.

Because of the language and cultural issues, she says it is not easy to be an immigrant in the U.S. However, there are many ways here to help others, receive an education and find economic opportunities. Bishnu wants to continue to advocate for those who need help in the community. This means that she will continue assisting victims of domestic violence, building bridges between Nepal and the U.S., finding support for the victims of the earthquake and advocating for the human rights of Dalit women in Nepal and in the U.S.

Bishnu at Women for Cause Meeting

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Further Steps

In conclusion, Project Handshake shows that the stakeholders of Jersey City – the local government,

the business community, the academic institutions, non-profit and community-based organizations,

community leaders and the immigrants themselves must work together to address the following

issues:

1. Language access for the immigrant community through translations of relevant

informational material for the various language groups and interpreting for Limited English

Proficient adults. At the same time, immigrants should strive as much as possible to learn the

English language through the programs in the area. These programs should be adequately

explained to the public.

2. Housing is a basic need of all members of a community so it is natural that immigrants who

have limited English may not understand their responsibilities or their rights in this area. Most of the

focus group participants want to be part of the community of Jersey City and provide shelter for

their families.

3. Getting and holding a job is critical for everyone but sometimes immigrants do not

understand how to promote themselves in job interviews or follow the rules of the workplace

because the workplace which foreign-born adult immigrants were trained for is different from the

American workplace.

4. Financial literacy is necessary for immigrants to live and to grow. Since immigrants may

come from cultures which have very different systems for handling money and having a credit

history.

5. Community connection which provide immigrants opportunities to become active members

of the community and to demonstrate their pride in their cultural heritage.

Lastly, Project Handshake through its Framework for Inclusion and Integration provides a systematic

way to address all the concerns of immigrant communities and provides opportunities for engagement

on the part of all the stakeholders to create a thriving, diverse community.

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34

References

U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey, 1 Year Estimates.

U.S. Census Bureau, 2009-2013 American Community Survey for Jersey City,

Household Size, Educational Attainment, Median Household Income, Owner-Occupied

Housing Unit Rate.

“Immigration and New York City: The Contributions of Foreign-Born Americans to New

York’s Renaissance,” 1975 to 2013, Americas Society and Council of the Americas (AS/

COA), April 2014.

“The Political Power of Immigrant Latinos and Asians in the Garden State, American

Immigration Council,” August 2015.

City of Jersey City Website (http://cityofjerseycity.com/residents/), December 2015

Jersey City Wards Map (http://www.cityofjerseycity.com/uploadedImages/For_Residents/

wardmap.jpg500bxd.jpg), January 20, 2015

Real Estate Home and Rental Prices, Trulia (http://www.trulia.com/home_prices/New

_Jersey/Jersey_City-heat_map/), November 8, 2015.

New Jersey Community Resources (http://www.njcommunityresources.info/commres.html),

December 2015.

Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Executive Order 13166 issued by President William J, Clinton, “Improving Access to

Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency,” August 2000.

Affirming LEP Access and Compliance in Federally Assisted Programs Brochure, New

Jersey Department of Health and Human Services, January 2002.

Bryan Harman, “Inclusion/Integration Is There A Difference?” (http://www.cdss.ca/images/

pdf/general_information/integration_vs_inclusion.pdf), January 2016.

Ernest J. Wilson II, Harvard Business Review, September 2015.

Dennis Lopez, Refugee Resettlement Framework, International Institute of New Jersey, Jersey City, October 2009.

Resource Guide For Adult English, Language Learners of New Jersey, State of New Jersey, Last Updated June 2014.

Trulia, http://www.trulia.com/home_prices/New_Jersey/Jersey_City-heat_map/, November 8, 2015

CDSS, http://www.cdss.ca/images/pdf/general_information/integration_vs_inclusion.pdf, January 2016

NJ Community Resources, (http://www.njcommunityresources.info/commres.html)

From a Camp to a New Home

Andrew was born into a Lithuanian refugee family in Kempten Displaced Persons Camp, the U.S. Zone in West Germany. The camp was a temporary safe haven and the refugees were supposed to go home when peace returned after the war. But for nearly 70,000 Lithuanians, normalcy never returned.

As a result, immigrant communities in the U.S. lobbied Congress to pass the Displaced Persons Act in 1948, which allowed 200,000 refugees to be resettled in America – as long as relatives guaranteed a place for them to live. Fortunately, Andrew's family had relatives in Queens. His parents, who couldn’t speak English, found jobs in factories where English was not necessary. They saved, bought a house and sent all their children to college.

Andrew retired nearly five years ago after a career in publishing and also as a data expert. In the 1990s he became intrigued by maps, so he now spends his time as secretary and webmaster of the New York Map Society. He often lectures on the challenges faced by immigrant families in the New York area and how maps can help us understand both the past and the present. Andrew’s wife is an artist who was exhibiting artwork at the Jersey City Museum when they found a comfortable, reasonable home in Jersey City.

Andrew explained that recent immigrants always seem to be resented, often by people whose families were immigrants not long before. They are considered freeloaders or they take jobs away from other Americans. As a refugee child in the early 1950s, he remembered elementary school teachers calling him and his sister hurtful names because they didn't quite fit in the community.

In view of Jersey City's diversity, Andrew believes that the government should translate all the city’s web pages into multiple languages, not just Spanish, but into other languages based on the city’s demographics. For Andrew, there is nothing more important to accommodate new immigrants. He also said that the city could probably find volunteers in each language willing to help “if it would only ask.” Andrew is confident that Jersey City will continue to become a stronger welcoming city for immigrants.

Andrew at "The Camps," a traveling exhibition called "No Home to Go To," at the Lithuanian Embassy in Washington, D.C. The exhibition was originally created by Irene Chambers for the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture in Chicago: https://balzekasmuseum.org/displacedpersons

U.S. Citizenship Oath-Taking Ceremony and Awarding of Naturalization Certificates of Jersey City’s new Americans with the City of Jersey City Mayor Steven M. Fulop and City Council

President Rolando R. Lavarro, Jr. and USCIS Northeast District Director John Thompson, September 17, 2015 at Liberty State Park. Photo by Dennis George.