(L-R) Joe Torres, Dr. Belinda Miles, Sec’y Rodriguez, Carola Otero Bracco and Robert Weisz
Speakers site the need to change the strategy and narrative to reap economic and cultural benefits of new immigrants
Leaders in education, non-profit, business and government, appeared on stage together at SUNY Westchester Community College to participate in a panel discussion to illustrate the many benefits and dispel the many myths surrounding the settling of migrants in neighboring communities. The event was co-hosted by the college and Neighbors Link.
The theater in the Hankin Academic Arts building on WCC’s campus was almost full to capacity. The audience heard the immigrant stories of all the panelists. New York Secretary of State, Robert Rodriguez, whose family came to New York from Puerto Rico, said, “But for a war in 1898, my family would have come as immigrants, but as a result of that war, we are citizens!”
Moderator, Joe Torres, news anchor for WABC Eyewitness News and host of the public affairs. show, Tiempo!, opened the discussion by having each panelist share their origin story as a way to honor the idea that so many of us are immigrants. He then teased out their perspective of current trends in immigration through their respective expert lens.
This was done with the backdrop of 4,000 migrants arriving each week from the southern border to the New York City area over several months. This has spurred concerns about the ability to process and house the newly arrived residents. The strain on services has revealed and laid bare issues such as a lack of affordable housing that plagued the city prior to the arrival of the migrants. Compounding the housing issue is the lethargic process of obtaining work authorizations, which would allow the migrants – many of whom have extraordinary marketable skills that are needed in the workforce – from being able to earn income to provide for themselves and their families.
Carola Otero Bracco, Executive Director of Neighbors Link said, “We have immigrants coming in who are playing a key role in our economy and in our culture. And it’s important to understand the value they bring.”
Secretary Rodriquez said, “The governor’s focus has been on expediting the legal process to allow immigrants work authorization. Neighbors Link is a vital partner to making sure we provide the legal support to help folks navigate their asylum and work authorization applications. In the case of Venezuelans, we’ve been able to expedite their work authorizations to where it is now 30-60 days as opposed to 180 days from when the application was submitted.”
Belinda Miles, President of SUNY Westchester Community College, said, “Having doors of higher education open– and having a commitment to open access to institutions that provide a pathway and shine the light for people to see what opportunities exist is critical and we do that here at WCC.”
Robert Weisz Chairman and CEO of RPW Group, who was born and raised in Montevideo, Uruguay, offered these comments, “People are coming here to rebuild their lives and work. Companies are desperately trying to find employees from the restaurants to the landscapers to doctors and nurses and researchers. One area that requires creative thinking is how to bridge the language gap and create incentives for the employer and opportunities for the
worker to close that gap.”
For more information visit www.neighborslink.org.
