National Immigrant Heritage Month is an annual celebration held in the month of June recognizing the achievements and contributions of immigrants in the United States. In 2014, the organization titled I Stand With Immigrants / I Am An Immigrant Initiative, powered by the FWD.us Education Fund, Inc., launched the campaign to recognize June as Immigrant Heritage Month. At the time, their campaign centered around sharing the stories of immigrants through narrative and visual media, demonstrating how immigration is good for our communities, economy, culture, and the country overall. They continue to share stories online to further communicate how immigrants enrich our lives every day. Additionally, this month encourages everyone to explore their individual heritages and celebrate both distinct and shared experiences. On May 31, 2022, U.S. President Joseph Biden signed a proclamation declaring the month of June as National Immigrant Heritage Month.
Changes to U.S. immigration law in the 1970’s has contributed to a distinct increase in the number of immigrants within the country. Many of these antiquated laws were rooted in discrimination and xenophobia. We hope that this country’s immigration system continually becomes more accessible and more humane, and that immigrants can safely and comfortably share their talents, culture, and skills. At UNM HSC’s Office for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, we value our students, faculty, and staff’s heritages and histories, and work to highlight the stories and achievements of individuals, regardless of legal status.
Learn more about Immigrant Heritage Month at I Stand With Immigrants / I Am An Immigrant – homepage.