Celebration Will Honor Immigrants' Contributions
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Beginning at 4 p.m., the Berkshire Immigrant Center will host the fifth annual "Immigrants' Day" at First Baptist Church. The event aims to celebrate the cultural and social contributions of the immigrants of Berkshire County while offering attendees the chance to learn more about immigration, taxation, banking and finances, job opportunities, and social services. The event is free and open to the public.
"It's just as much an opportunity for members of the community to meet the area's newest members as it is a chance for immigrants to celebrate," said Brooke Mead, the center's program coordinator.
The evening will provide a variety of social services resources, including pro bono consultations with immigration attorneys and a tax specialist (which will be available on a first-come, first-served basis), along with a workshop in Spanish on banking and financial education from a representative from Berkshire Bank. Representatives of various social service agencies and employers will also be present to distribute information about services and job opportunities available in the county.
The program will be presented in both English and Spanish and Spanish-speaking interpreters will be available for the individual consultations.
"The Berkshires is now extremely reliant on new immigrants to counter a decline in population, fill an abundance of job openings and help to stimulate our local economy," said Hilary Greene, director of the Berkshire Immigrant Center, which is the only agency of its kind in the county and serves more than a thousand immigrants and refugees every year. "This is in addition to enriching our community with their unique histories and cultures. The true goal of Immigrants' Day in the Berkshires is to recognize and celebrate these contributions while bringing together people who came to the Berkshires from all over the world."
Musical entertainment will feature performances by Kusika (African dance), Ritmo Latino, Bangrha (Indian dance), Argentine Tango, Poetry Lab and the nationally-recognized group "Los Ciegos del Barrio" will perform salsa, merengue and bachata from 6 to 8 p.m. A free dinner will include samplings from the Brazilian Pub & Grill, Hot Harry's, Lee's Garden, Spiceroot, Tahiti Takeout, La Fogata, Cantihno DaGente, Panda Garden and the Richmond Bakery.
Activities for children will also be available.
In its fifth year, the celebration has been growing - "It's gotten bigger and better every year," said Mead - and the organizers hope they'll see a turnout much like last year's, when nearly 400 people stopped by.
The Berkshire Immigrant Center provides citizenship assistance, immigration information, advocacy, referrals and counseling to the growing immigrant communities in Berkshire County. The program is funded in part by the Berkshire United Way, the City of Pittsfield, the Mass Bar Foundation, the Berkshire Bank Foundation, the New World Fund, and the state Citizenship for New Americans' Program.
For more information about Immigrants' Day or the Berkshire Immigrant Center, call 413-445-4881 or e-mail info@berkshireic.com.
