Change My Community

09/05/2026

An Evening to Remember at The Migration Conference 2026

What an incredible way to close out an important day of dialogue and connection: the Gala Dinner for The Migration Conference 2026, held at the historic National Council of the Slovak Republic in Bratislava.

Beyond the beautiful setting, this evening was about the people. Connecting with the South African government delegation, meeting Emily Pandora, founder of the Pandora Foundation in Greece, and having the honor of speaking with a member of the Slovak Parliament. Conversations like these are exactly why spaces like this matter. They remind us that migration work is global, and that real progress happens when we keep showing up in the room together.

Grateful to Change My Community for the opportunity to represent our work on this stage, and to everyone who made this evening possible.

09/03/2026

Day 2 at The Migration Conference 2026, Bratislava 🇸🇰

Change My Community’s President & CEO, Guerly Adonis, presented “From the Ground Up: A Grassroots Nonprofit Model for Holistic Immigration Legal Services and Food Security in Underserved Haitian and Francophone Communities in the United States” to an international audience of migration scholars, policymakers, and practitioners.

Behind every case file at CMC is a family navigating fear, uncertainty, and the search for stability. Sharing that human reality alongside the data is what resonated most with the room.

The conference brought together leading voices in migration policy, including a panel featuring IOM regional leadership addressing migration governance and public perceptions across Europe — a reminder of the caliber of expertise convened at this year’s event, and the importance of CMC’s community-level work being represented in that same conversation.

Grateful to Bratislava University of Economics and Business and Transnational Press London for hosting, and to everyone who engaged with CMC’s work this week.

09/02/2026

Day 1 at The Migration Conference 2026 — Bratislava 🇸🇰

Change My Community is on the ground at the Bratislava University of Economics and Business for the opening day of The Migration Conference 2026, joining researchers, advocates, and practitioners from around the world to talk migration, connection, and community.

CMC connected with fellow U.S. presenters and leaders working across borders:

🎤 Melanie Merkevich — IHM Center for Literacy, Philadelphia
🎤 Alphonso Mercado — University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
🎤 MD Rahman — Queen Margaret University, UK
🏛️ Eunice Nomandla-Diagne — Government Official, South Africa

So much wisdom in one room — from literacy advocacy to academic research to policy work, all connected by a shared commitment to migration, dignity, and community. More to come as the week unfolds! 🌍

08/01/2026

Change My Community was proud to join Dress for Success Palm Beaches today for their event supporting local teachers! Dress for Success Palm Beaches has been doing incredible work empowering women toward economic independence, and today’s focus was on the women who shape our classrooms every day. It was an honor to connect with these educators, including some navigating visa questions, and share how CMC’s Immigration Center can help.

Grateful for partners like Dress for Success Palm Beaches who are building a stronger, more supported community for the women who serve our children every day.

06/26/2026

Professional Development in Action!
Change My Community was proud to send our team to the International Legal Resource Center’s two-day training on immigration and naturalization in Atlanta, Georgia!
Investing in knowledge translates to investing in the families and individuals we serve. We are grateful for a team that demonstrates dedication not solely for financial compensation, but for the community.
At CMC, we remain committed to providing the highest quality immigration legal services to those who need it most.

06/11/2026

Change My Community congratulates Florida Bar President Sia Baker Barnes on being named one of Forbes’ Top Women Lawyers 2026! President Barnes has been a supporter of our community, and this recognition is well deserved. Representation in the legal profession matters deeply to the families we serve. Congratulations, President Barnes! 🙌🏾⚖️

The Florida Bar President Sia Baker Barnes has been named one of America's Top Women Lawyers by Forbes!

This inaugural list recognizes women who are shaping the legal profession, and we could not be more proud to see Sia included among this distinguished group.

A shareholder at Searcy Law, Sia has achieved many landmark victories and continues to be a powerful force in the legal community. In this Forbes feature, she shares insights on the future of law, the impact of AI, and what it takes to succeed at the highest levels of the law profession.

Congratulations on this outstanding honor!

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lianejackson/2026/06/03/americas-top-women-lawyers-on-career-success-ai-and-raising-the-bar/

05/14/2026

🎓✨ Celebrating Dr. Shilah James, Ed.D.!
Change My Community is honored to celebrate Dr. Shilah James, who today earned her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Higher Education and Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
From England to the United States, Dr. James has built her American story with grace and grit: raising a family, serving as First Lady of New Life Worldwide Apostolic Church, encouraging everyone she meets, and advocating tirelessly for immigrant women and children. She is living proof that immigrants do not just arrive in this country; they elevate every community they enter.
CMC has been blessed to know her not only as a scholar, but as a partner in the work. She served as guest speaker at our Annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony, and through her leadership, New Life Worldwide Apostolic Church and Change My Community joined hands in partnership for our Back to School initiative, standing together with the immigrant families we exist to serve.
Dr. James, thank you for being a beacon of faith, leadership, and generosity. Today, we celebrate you. 🎓💛

05/13/2026

🎓✨ Celebrating Dr. Shilah James, Ed.D.!
Change My Community is honored to celebrate Dr. Shilah James, who today earned her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Higher Education and Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
From England to the United States, Dr. James has built her American story with grace and grit: raising a family, serving as First Lady of New Life Worldwide Apostolic Church, encouraging everyone she meets, and advocating tirelessly for immigrant women and children. She is living proof that immigrants do not just arrive in this country; they elevate every community they enter.
CMC has been blessed to know her not only as a scholar, but as a partner in the work. She served as guest speaker at our Annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony, and through her leadership, New Life Worldwide Apostolic Church and Change My Community joined hands in partnership for our Back to School initiative, standing together with the immigrant families we exist to serve.
Dr. James, thank you for being a beacon of faith, leadership, and generosity. Today, we celebrate you. 🎓💛

05/10/2026

05/07/2026

Behind every box of food is a family doing their best to make ends meet.

As Guerly Adonis, President & CEO of Change My Community, shared, “Through our partnership with Farm Share, Change My Community distributes food every single month to approximately 250 families in our community — working parents, seniors, immigrants, and children who would otherwise go without. Over the course of a year, we serve more than 3,000 families who depend on this consistent, dignified source of nutrition simply to make ends meet."

Interested in becoming a partner agency? Visit our website to get started: https://www.farmshare.org/become-an-agency