RESOLUTION NO. RS2016-485

A resolution to honor the occasion of the National Immigrant Integration Conference in Nashville, Tennessee December 11-13, 2016.

WHEREAS, the National Immigrant Integration Conference (NIIC), the largest annual conference on immigration in the country, will be held in Nashville, Tennessee on December 11-13, 2016; and

WHEREAS, the Nashville-based Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) will cohost the event with the National Partnership for New Americans; and

WHEREAS, this year’s conference will mark the first time in the nine-year history of the NIIC that the event will be held in a “new gateway city” or in the southeastern United States; and

WHEREAS, the decision to host this important conference in Nashville is a testament to the work of the TIRRC and allied organizations and to the earned reputation of Nashville as a model city for immigrant integration in new gateway cities across the country; and

WHEREAS, twelve percent (12%) of Nashville residents were born outside of the United States; and

WHEREAS, nearly 30 percent of Metro Nashville Public Schools students speak a language other than English at home; and

WHEREAS, the residents and elected officials of Nashville and Davidson County have shown their commitment to being a welcoming city to immigrants and refugees; and

WHEREAS, the voters of Davidson County soundly defeated a measure in 2009 that would have required conducting the city’s business in English only, with 57 percent of voters opting to defeat the measure; and

WHEREAS, former Mayor Karl Dean saw fit to create, and Mayor Megan Barry saw fit to continue, the Mayor’s Office of New Americans to engage immigrants and empower them to participate in our government and our community; and

WHEREAS, the Office of New Americans recently graduated its fourth class in MyCity Academy, a free leadership-training program that is the first of its kind in the country for New Americans to learn to participate in their local government; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Barry and the Metro Council have reaffirmed publicly Nashville’s status as a warm and welcoming city to all.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY THAT:

Section 1. The Metropolitan Council hereby goes on record as welcoming the 2016 National Immigrant Integration Conference to Nashville, and encourages NIIC speakers and guests alike to enjoy Music City and to visit often.

Section 2. The Metropolitan Clerk is directed to send a copy of this Resolution to Joshua Hoyt, Executive Director for the National Partnership for New Americans; and to Leticia Alvarez, Organizing director for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC).

Section 3. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its passage, the welfare of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.

Sponsored by: Fabian Bedne, Mina Johnson, Jacobia Dowell, Erica Gilmore, Bob Mendes, Brett Withers, Tanaka Vercher, Karen Johnson, Sharon Hurt, Colby Sledge