Using the Media to Engage Communities: Dispatch from the U.S. National Immigrant Integration Conference

---

The Fourth Annual U.S. National Immigrant Integration Conference took place in Seattle,Washington from October 24 to 26, 2011. The conference brought together policy-makers, practitioners, researchers, elected officials, government employees, business representatives, and faith communities for three days of dialogue. Keen to benefit from the discussion, the Welcoming Communities Initiative participated in a number of conference sessions.  In the weeks that follow, we will share some of the key findings and best practices from the conference. This article is the first in the series and puts the spotlight on a session entitled, “A Buzz for Welcoming: Using New and Traditional Media to Change the Conversation.”

 

This session explored the ways in which organizations can use the media to engage communities in immigrant integration, a recurring and important theme that appeared in many of the LIP strategies. It showcased four projects.

 

The first project, Uniting North Carolina, focuses on telling stories to highlight the contributions that newcomers make to their communities.  These are broadcast via the radio, on the internet, and through billboard advertising.  You can view these stories here.

 

The second, Welcome to Shelbyville, looks at a small American town as it adjusts to a growing Latino population and the influx of refugees from Somalia.  The project is based on a film and a set of companion activities, including a series of YouTube videos, discussion guides, and training modules.  You can learn more here.

 

The third project, Not in Our Town, highlights community responses to hate crimes and violence. It aired as a film on PBS, and the project includes a website with a number of engagement activities. Among these are an interactive map depicting recent sites of violence, information on local anti-hate groups, and a blog. The website also serves as repository for dozens of Not in Our Town videos, which you can view here.

 

The fourth, the Immigrant Stories Project, shares the experiences of new and established immigrants. These are based on hour-long interviews with participants, which are edited into a three-minute radio spot that is aired daily on a community radio station. The interviews also run as a Q&A feature in the local newspaper. More than 150 stories have been produced; you can listen to them here.

 

From these case studies, we can extract a number of best practices, which are summarized below.

 

Top 10 Tips for Engaging the Media

 

1. Change cannot be a “one off.” Activities must be linked, integrated, and ongoing. For example, Welcome to Shelbyville advanced the notion of an “ecosystem of change” that included funding, research, leadership, grassroots organizing, policy, and philanthropy. These pieces fit together, as did their strategies and products; nothing was stand-alone.
2. The focus must remain on the community.   Communication strategies must be place-based in order to resonate emotionally with their audience.  The emphasis must be on why activities matter to the community. If videos or projects with a more national or regional focus are produced, local screenings and discussion groups should be organized to involve the community.
3. Multiple channels are needed to reach multiple audiences. These include having an active website and a Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube presence. Short, punchy video clips and small news articles can be forwarded, shared, and “liked.” People are more likely to pay attention to items that come from their friends.
4. Traditional media can be engaged by simplifying their work.  In place of simply sending out media advisories about activities and events, the media should be provided with professional copy and ready-made clips and images that can be printed or aired.  This meets the need for interesting stories about people in the community. 
5.  Communities have a voice. Supporters and contacts can be encouraged to submit op-ed pieces or write letters to the editor about community activities and the contribution that newcomers are making to the community. This helps spread the message and builds connections with the mainstream media. 
6. Stories matter. Though facts and data are essential, stories will be remembered more easily and powerfully.  Stories engage receiving communities and show them the diversity of the immigrant experience. 
7. Media engagement is possible even with limited resources. Communities should use the skills and resources of their network and supporters.  Supporters can help make films, serve as actors in public service announcements, and call on their contacts in traditional media. 
8. Communities should find ways to identify their supporters.  At a minimum, communities should develop electronic distribution lists, but they can also employ more creative techniques. For example, Uniting North Carolina had supporters sign an online pledge to support immigrant integration; they were then added to the organization’s email list and now receive all communications. 
9. Communities should take advantage of the power of leveraging. Communities should create engaging, fun content that supporters can disseminate to others.
10. 10. Communities should not forget the “and then what?” question.  Engaging local communities in immigrant integration is a long-term project. Videos, news clippings, and radio ads all have a shelf life. To go from story-telling to action, it is necessary to bring together groups, not just to listen and learn but to work together to welcome newcomers.

 

For more information on the National Immigrant Integration Conference, visit here.