BY JULIEN GODMAN
Fifth in our interview series highlighting Global Detroit’s Changemaker Awardees is Karen Phillippi, with the Global Detroit Champion award at our flagship open-to-the-public fundraising event, Tapestry, in Detroit on November 13. This award goes to a mainstream institution or individual that exhibits inclusive practices or has championed immigrant inclusion.
Karen Phillippi is a Senior Policy Advisor/Fellow for Welcoming America. She supports the organization in navigating federal and state policy and creates greater alignment among state and local actors and national partners. She also serves as a strategic thought partner for the state Office for New Americans network. Karen has been working in the field of immigration law and immigrant/refugee integration for over 30 years. She worked in various law firms for two decades developing and managing employment-based immigration practices before joining the State of Michigan where she played a key role in establishing and operationalizing the Office for New Americans for over 9 years, developing programs and policies supporting immigrant and refugee inclusion at the state level. Most recently, she completed a one-year Fellowship as a Senior Advisor with the US Citizenship & Immigration Service’s (USCIS) Office of Citizenship, Partnership & Engagement (OCPE) serving as a liaison with state and local governments and partnering with federal government colleagues to develop sustainable efforts of inclusion within the federal government.
Karen has also been instrumental in helping to build Global Detroit from its beginning over fifteen years ago. She served as the organization’s first Board Chair for 10 years, and currently holds the role of Secretary of the Board. Karen is active in promoting the cultural and economic benefits that immigrants and refugees have on communities and striving for a more welcoming nation.
Sophia Chue (left), Kathryn Brennan (center), Karen Phillippi (right)
What originally drew you to champion immigrant inclusion?
“I’ve been working in the field of immigration law and immigrant inclusion for my entire professional career – which spans over 3 decades. I’ve worked in the public and private sector, as well as the nonprofit sector. This work has resonated with me in a deeply profound way. I found my first real home in this work through Global Detroit. In 2009, I served on the advisory board for the paper that Steve was writing about immigrants having a positive impact on economic development. When I read Steve’s paper, I really saw and believed in that vision and in the ideas and initiatives that Steve brought forward so I was grateful to serve as Global Detroit’s first Board Chair. Then, in 2014, I had the opportunity to help the state of Michigan create a brand new office supporting immigrant and refugee inclusion. My work with the state really served as a bridge between my initial years of working in immigration law and the last 12 years championing immigrant inclusion through policy and programming. All of my experiences in this field have deepened my passion and dedication for the work, grounded in a personal belief in striving to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.“
What does “inclusive practice” mean to you? Why?
“It means bringing voices to the table who have lived experiences and are participating in, for example, co-creating programs, drafting legislation, identifying service gaps and driving systems change. And most of all, inclusive practice must be intentional. We should be building programs, policies and services with immigrant communities – not just for them. It also means building bridges across sectors — encouraging cross-sector collaboration. Inclusive practice is a way of showing up, but I believe that it can really only happen when we invest in developing and maintaining relationships, and building trust.“
What gives you hope about the future of immigrant inclusion work?
“The people who are in it. This current climate makes the work incredibly hard — but the people I get to work with every day remind me why it matters. There are many people across the US who are passionate, persistent and deeply invested in this work, and I’m blessed and grateful to call many of them friends and all of them colleagues.“
What are small but powerful things individuals or organizations can do to support immigrant inclusion more meaningfully?
“Speak up about supporting immigrants – especially when it’s not easy. Support local immigrant-owned businesses. Employers should ensure that they have inclusive hiring practices that don’t exclude individuals who have been educated outside of the US. These small acts send a powerful message about who belongs and whose contributions matter.“
What do you consider your proudest achievement in your work? Why?
“My proudest work achievement has to be the creation and implementation of Michigan’s Office for New Americans. In 2014, Bing Goei (the first Governor-appointed Executive Director of the office) and I took a 2 page Executive Order issued by then Governor Rick Snyder and built the foundation for the office that exists as the Office of Global Michigan today. We initially took time to meet with immigrant and refugee communities and ethnic service organizations around the state to determine the specific focus of the office — building off the Governor’s mandate that the office be created with an economic impact lens. Throughout the years, we partnered with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to become a nation-leader in foreign-educated occupational licensing efforts; we created the Michigan International Talent Solutions program to serve foreign-born, degreed individuals who were unemployed or under-employed; we were one of only a few states invited to participate in the first immigrant inclusion conference at the White House; and we brought the ethnic commissions and state refugee resettlement program under the office’s umbrella. Additionally, we developed and maintained relationships with over 100 multi-sector partners across the state. We also began intentional and focused work with state agencies to help them minimize or eliminate barriers to immigrants and refugees accessing state-level services. This is just some of the work that we were able to accomplish. At the time the office was created, Michigan was one of only 5 states with a state-level office that focused on immigrant and refugee inclusion — now, there are 23 states with offices. I’m extremely proud that we were able to create a national leader in the field working across political spectrums to accomplish bold goals.“
Beyond the usual trimmings of good food and great networking opportunities, this year, in spite of the spike in anti-immigration national policy and discord we anticipate high attendance and a record breaking fundraising goal. We invite you to join us for the celebration, speakers, and to recognize the efforts of Karen and others, of whom model the simple idea that Michigan Prospers with Immigrants.
Julien Godman is a multi-medium storyteller and communications strategist. He has over 15 years experience working in the Detroit creative nonprofit and philanthropic industries, with focus on equitability and access. His work in communications, specifically public relations, brand development, and social media, is further enriched with a background in writing and journalism, with dozens of articles and print published over the years.