Ithaca Welcomes Refugees

06/04/2026

What a beautiful ribbon cutting ceremony yesterday to launch our mural celebrating refugees and immigrants and the local spirit of welcome!

Thank you to everyone who came and celebrated with us. This project has been an incredible collaborative effort and we are thrilled by the results!

We are so grateful to Hugo Medina for the amazing work of transforming an idea into a stunning, community-informed artwork!

Our special thanks also to Ithaca Murals for supporting us all the way from site selection and permit navigation to hands on painting. A huge thank you to the Southern Tier AIDS Program, Inc. and Tompkins County for hosting this artwork on your walls. We are also thankful to our generous project funders: This project was made possible in part with funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, administered by the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County, and in part by a grant from the Tompkins County Tourism Program.

Photos by Adam Kokoni and video footage by Kristen Gregg, Downtown Ithaca

With thanks to Pastor Kirianne, First Presbyterian Church Ithaca NY, for quenching our thirst and adding joy with pink lemonade!

06/02/2026

06/01/2026

Happening this week: a free panel and webinar on Friday June 5 from 10:30-11:30 AM Eastern time.

"The New Immigration Regime: Restrictions, Outcomes & What’s Next"

Immigration has been a top priority in President Trump’s second term. The administration has restricted immigration in many ways, ranging from travel bans to mass deportations.

In the meantime, employers face labor shortages. Over 10 million people in the United States lack immigration status and fear deportation. And our immigration courts face a backlog of over 3 million cases.

Join retired Cornell immigration law professor Stephen Yale-Loehr, former immigration judge Angela Munro, and Cornell clinical professor of law Jaclyn Kelley-Widmer to learn how immigration law and policy have changed in this administration and what you can do to help immigrants.

To register, visit:

Immigration has been a top priority in President Trump’s second term. The administration has restricted immigration in many ways, ranging from travel bans to mass deportations. The White House has stated that the United States may have negative net migration to the United States for the first time...

06/01/2026

Join us this Wednesday, 1pm at 314 W State St to launch our new community mural celebrating immigrants and refugees in Tompkins County!

Celebrate with us, get photos, hear the backstory from artist Hugo Medina and our ED Casey Verderosa, mingle and enjoy!

This project was made possible in part with funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, administered by the Community Arts Partnership, and in part by a grant from the Tompkins County Tourism Program.

05/21/2026

Earlier this month, community members gathered for a joyful paint day to help bring to life a new mural celebrating refugees and immigrants in Tompkins County. See the teamwork in action and read all about it in our latest blog post!

See the mural evolving on side of the Southern Tier Aids Program building, facing the courtyard opposite the Department of Social Services.

All are welcome to join us as we celebrate its completion at a ribbon cutting ceremony in front of the mural on June 3, 2026 at 1pm! NB photographs at the event may be published by local media.

Our thanks go out to muralist Hugo Medina, to Caleb Thomas of Ithaca Murals, to photographer Sara Tro, and to all participants for making the paint day a success, as well as to Wide Awake Bakery and Gimme! Coffee for treats and beverages that enhanced the occasion.

We are also grateful to the grant-makers backing this effort: This project was made possible in part with funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, administered by the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County, and in part by a grant from the Tompkins County Tourism Program.

Photo credit: Sara Tro Photography

Caution - wet paint! Community members recently gathered to help us paint a new mural celebrating refugees and immigrants in Tompkins County. Join us for the ribbon cutting on June 3,

05/21/2026

The Immigrant Solidarity Group is participating in the Ithaca Parade Ithaca Festival on Thursday May 28th and is looking for volunteers to join in and spread a message of welcome and community!

Sign up via the link to carry a banner at the parade itself or join an art party in the coming days to craft signs and butterflies. No art skills needed, everyone is welcome! Details provided following sign up. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc4pHZSCEDER_ZlgT65JioXyRwwulWVcikj6WFlMWPCilRGGA/viewform

05/20/2026

This month, IWR's community partner, Cornell's Translator Interpreter Program (TIP) highlights IWR's work in context with a blog post on resettling in Ithaca, featuring insights from our Programs Coordinator Leigh Bacher.

Thank you Translator Interpreter Program for helping us provide vital translation services for newcomers in need in our community!

Migration has long been a central aspect of the human experience. People move for a range of reasons, whether it be to seek better opportunities, reunite with family, or pursue personal enrichment. However, migration does not always occur by choice. Sometimes, people move not because they want to, b...

05/20/2026

**Happening this evening!**
Virtual event: Supporting Immigrant Families in Our Community
Organizer: Mary Jo Dudley, Director, Migrant Advocacy and Support (MAS)* Migrant Advocacy and Support
May 20th, 7PM on Zoom
Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdALE1-nvGoN66dcYqRdc_BJdTk8sL_ozx43uPK659IAdEePw/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=117570110349409352671

Dudley is the former Director of the Cornell Farmworker Program and has partnered and built deep trust with farmworkers throughout the past 20 years. She has been widely published in local, national, and international media and is the recipient of numerous local and national awards, including the Obama White House Champions of Change Award and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation award. She currently serves as the Chair of the National Advisory Council on Migrant Health.

Discussion will cover:
● What motivates people to migrate?
● What roles do immigrants play in our communities?
● How do immigrants contribute to the economy?
● How can families plan to prevent family separation?
● What can we do to help?

05/13/2026

The public is invited to celebrate Becky Davis and Paul Hayden receiving Community Difference Maker Awards on Friday, May 15. Paul, a student at Southern Cayuga High School, generously shares his time volunteering at the food pantry, where his kindness and willingness to help make a real difference. Becky and Paul both represent the spirit of giving that strengthens our entire community.