On June 27-29, 2019, Re-imagining Migration gathered a selected group of leading teachers, scholars and professionals in education working in schools, museums, after-school spaces and policy at the National Gallery of Art and The Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC. The purpose of this convening was to inspire a global network of educational innovators ready to re-imagine migration education in a way that fosters the academic, civic, social and emotional capacities of immigrant-origin children and youth and their peers.

In this unique seminar, Re-imagining Migration Educational leaders learned with and from leading scholars of migration and education as well as educational leaders. Participants engaged in a blend of instruction, interaction and construction of learning experiences designed to ensure that young people grow up understanding migration as a shared condition of our past, present, and future. We seek to cultivate learning environments that cultivated the knowledge, empathy, and mindsets that sustain inclusive and welcoming communities. Each participant left with a plan to carry out an inquiry project based on the Re-imagining Migration framework which they will carry out during the 2019-2020 school year. Leaders in Boston, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC will convene in focused professional learning communities facilitated by Re-imagining Migration staff.

Look for information about our 2020 seminar in the spring.

Lead Faculty

Veronica Boix-Mansilla
Director of Research,
Re-imagining Migration
Principal Investigator, Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Adam Strom
Director,
Re-imagining Migration

Carola Suarez-Orozco
Co-Founder,
Re-imagining Migration
Co-Director of the Institute for Immigration, Globalization, and Education, UCLA

Marcelo Suarez-Orozco
Wasserman Dean,
UCLA GSE & IS
Co-Founder,
Re-imagining Migration

What are Re-imagining Migration Fellows?

Central to our efforts to spur educational innovation is the Re-imagining Migration fellows project. Now entering its second year, Re-imagining Migration fellows are leaders from across the educational ecosystem, including artists and filmmakers, community organizations, museums, schools and schools of education.

Applicants to the Re-imagining Migration fellows program propose an action research project based on our educational framework, attend our annual seminar, design their project with the assistance of Re-imagining Migration staff and fellows, and agree to share the results of their world with educators around the world.

Travel and accommodations will be provided for selected RMI Fellows.

2019 fellows will:  

– Attend the three-day convening in Washington, DC from June 27-29, 2019.
– Participate in at least three follow up meetings with Re-Imagining Migration staff and fellows.
– Develop and carry out an inquiry/action project for quality migration education with the assistance of Re-Imagining Migration staff and fellows.
– Document their practice and share their learning with our network.
– Present their inquiry/action project in at least one professional development setting (e.g. conferences, workshops, webinar, etc.).

Fellowships have been announced for the 2019-20 academic year.

Why a Re-imagining Migration network?

Today in the United States, there are 18 million children under the age of 18 who are children of immigrants or immigrants themselves—26% of the school-aged population. These numbers echo across the world. Children of migration come into school eager to learn and thrive. Yet because of existing policy and entrenched prejudice, they are often marginalized. Considering increasing polarization in the public debate about migration and continuing and the rising number of children from immigrant families entering our educational institutions ignoring the situation is not an option.

At Re-imagining Migration, we seek to present a research-based, fresh, new perspective on the experience of migration. The story of migration is the story of our shared human experience. Stories of migration shape and are shaped by our understanding of history, literature, art, sciences. Ignoring them, breeds misunderstanding, polarization. Understanding them can reconcile us with our common humanity and inform our interactions in a world of increasing diversity and complexity.  We believe educating young people to recognize our shared narratives ad learn to live with, work with, and respect our differences is essential for the survival of democracy.

To do this, we are developing an evidence-based education program and large scale network that fosters academic, civic, social, and emotional growth by inviting educators and students to understand, reflect upon, and take action on issues related to migration. We are seeking educational leaders, inside and outside of schools, including community organizations, museums, and after-school programs to join us in this venture!

These photos were taken at our April 2019 Seminar, Mapping Human Migration: Setting the Educational Agenda.
Credit: Lindsey Michelle Photography

Join Our Mailing List!