Immigrant Angeleno Wellness and Connection

Immigrant and refugee support

Central LA East LA South LA San Gabriel Valley West LA San Fernando Valley Gateway Cities South Bay Long Beach Antelope Valley County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit) City of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a citywide benefit) LAUSD (select only if you have a district-wide partnership)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Immigrant communities often experience challenges with social isolation, language access, employment, housing, transportation, and barriers to health, education, and government services.  This is especially pronounced around mental health where there is a lack of mental health providers who reflect the needs of or come from immigrant communities. Immigrants may also find it difficult to express themselves in English and may be hesitant in sharing highly personal information. Immigrants may also be doubtful in accessing mental health services due to stigma and other factors. By incorporating culturally responsive wellness workshops and activities, like nature walks, organizations can create brave spaces for immigrants to express themselves, access resources, and receive peer support.  This is especially important given the current political climate that is creating stress, anxiety, and depression among immigrant communities due to fears of family separation and deportation.

For approximately 10 years, CHIRLA has incorporated mental wellness within its programming from mental health practitioners and staff with lived experience.  CHIRLA provides wellness workshops, resources, and one-on-one consultations to immigrant youth and their families. This project would expand immigrant wellness to immigrant communities of all ages to encourage intergenerational learning, play, and connection.
Wellness Workshops: CHIRLA will offer wellness workshops on nutrition, meditation, stress reduction, art, and sleep. Workshops will be tailored around raising awareness for physical and mental health issues, focusing on holistic health, community support, and cultural sensitivity.  Participants will receive information and resources to access no- to low-cost resources/referrals to address participant needs.
KYR Workshops: Participants will also participate in a Know Your Rights (KYR) workshop, so they are equipped with the knowledge and tools to exercise their rights as immigrants.
Nature Walks: Once a quarter, CHIRLA will take cohort participants on guided nature walks to promote physical and mental health while exploring green spaces in Los Angeles. Spending time in nature and feeling connected to the natural world is known to have positive impacts on people’s mental health and wellbeing. These activities are also meant to build connections among participants but also to mother nature.

This project will cultivate a sense of belonging among immigrant Angelenos and highlight their contributions to LA life while exploring physical and mental health issues from a culturally responsive lens.  According to 2020 Census records, LA County is home to an estimated 3.34M immigrants, making it one of the most diverse regions in the U.S. One in every three Angelenos is an immigrant. LA would be a completely different landscape without our immigrant communities. This project seeks to reaffirm immigrant contributions to the fabric of LA. By creating spaces for learning, playing, and connecting, we hope to advance equity and inclusion so that immigration status is not a factor in determining a person’s physical and/or mental health. We wish to break down silos among immigrant populations by encouraging immigrants of all backgrounds to participate and connect with their peers and play in Los Angeles’ natural surroundings.