Thank you to everyone who was able to attend or support our Solas Luncheon on October 6th! We are incredibly thankful for our community of supporters.

Watch our Solas video below and view our Solas program book here!

Immigration Legal Services

In July 2022, Rian and the Massachusetts Immigrant Collaborative (MIC) launched our Centralized Legal Services. Our Legal Immigration Services team is accepting referrals from other Collaborative partners for legal consultations and full representation. We recently hired Jose Maza as the MIC Intake Coordinator. We are excited for the continued development of this program and collaboration with our partners!

In addition, ILS recently onboarded two co-op law students from Northeastern University, Julian Zuzarte and Kelly Zimmerhanzel, and we are very excited to have them on board! Finally, our paralegal Jonah Hahn recently became a Board of Immigration Appeals Accredited Representative and is now able to provide legal consultations and representation. We are so proud of Jonah!

Lastly, we are happy to announce that the Department of Homeland Security published a final rule to protect the DACA program. While we still wish for broader immigration reform, we are excited about the additional protection that will benefit some of our clients.

Vote Yes on 4!

On November 8th, be sure to vote yes on 4! A "yes" vote will keep the Work & Family Mobility Act law. This law will allow qualified drivers, no matter their immigration status, to pass a road test, buy insurance, obtain a license, and legally drive in Massachusetts, starting after June 2023. This law is vital for our immigrant and refugee communities!

Learning Exchange Program

We are excited to be back helping our J-1 Exchange Visitors with the wonderful adventure which is their J-1 visa after fully rebuilding our program!

Some of our current Exchange Visitors or those arriving soon are looking for work in their area of study – and we hope you can help! Although Rian is based in Boston, we sponsor J-1 Exchange Visitors all over the country with degrees in a variety of areas. We currently have J-1s in Boston, New York, Texas, and California who are seeking internships in the areas of Communications, Marketing, Business, IT, Biomedical Science, and more! Please email Adelina Harvey, Manager of Intern Placements or complete this form to indicate interest in hosting an exchange visitor at your organization! Here is all the information you need to assess if hosting would be a good option for you!

Interested in just learning more about our Learning Exchange Program? Check out our website! Read one of their stories here in the Boston Irish Reporter, and follow along with others’ adventures on our Instagram!

Education Services

Our Education Services launched our new academic year last week in welcoming 73 immigrant students into our ESOL classes. In addition, in partnership with the Arbella Insurance Foundation, we are launching a skill-building webinar series for students and clients. We are really excited to work on this project with Arbella!

Resource and Support Services

RSS is preparing to launch a NEW remote weekly support group this fall for women-identified clients who speak Spanish as a first language. The group will be facilitated in Spanish by social worker Tori Dicianni and our incoming graduate MSW intern, Mary, and it will be based on the same mutual-aid model currently being used with the English-speaking women's group.

RSS appreciates our ongoing collaborations with Rian’s various programs. We are challenged by the ever-growing need for more affordable housing for immigrant and refugee families and our team is working hard to troubleshoot where best to refer individuals and families for housing assistance.

New Date Announced for Boston Unity Cup 2022 - November 5th at Madison Park Stadium

The excitement is once again building for Boston Unity Cup, the city-wide adult soccer tournament celebrating Boston’s diverse immigrant community around a shared passion for sport. Hosted in collaboration with local leaders, community organizations, non-profit programs, and the City of Boston Mayor’s Office, the competition has -20 different countries represented, a true testament to the power of partnership and what our city can do when we come together.

The Unity Cup Finals taking place on Saturday, November 5th at Madison Park Stadium. Or you can check out the group stage games, which will take place over five Friday nights (October 7th, October 14th, October 21st, October 28th & November 4th).

Rian is delighted to be involved in this wonderful event and to have coordinated this year’s Team Ireland for the tournament. Team Ireland are pictured here at the stage games back in July. Ronnie Millar, our Executive Director is pictured on the far right in the photo.

Come along and enjoy the action, and spread the word about this wonderful event!

Learn more!

If you or anyone you know is interested in volunteering at the tournament, email [email protected] and she can connect you to the organizers. In addition to having an up close view of the action, you will also get a cool commemorative T-shirt.

Irish Outreach team excited about upcoming festivals

It’s that time of year again! Our Irish Outreach Coordinator is getting ready to attend a number of upcoming Irish festivals, starting with the Lowell Irish Festival this Saturday, followed by the Weymouth Irish Heritage Day on September 25, and then the Irish Fest at the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton on October 22! These festivals provide a perfect opportunity to connect with the Irish and Irish American community throughout Massachusetts. If you are at any of these events, please come by the Rian table and say hello. For more information on these upcoming Irish festivals check out the links below.

Irish Cultural Center

Lowell Irish Festival

Weymouth Irish Heritage Day

Rian joins Irish Community Reception aboard Irish Naval Ship the L.É. James Joyce

Lieutenant Commander Donnchadh Cahalane and Ireland’s Consul General to New England, Dr Laoise Moore, welcomed Rian to their Irish Community Reception. Our team was thrilled to hop on board the Irish Naval Ship L.É. James Joyce for an evening of celebration and reconnections!

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