January 6, 2022
Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) and the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) co-hosted “Welcoming Unaccompanied Minors into our Schools and Communities,” a national virtual convening that brought together over 250 teachers, school board members, county officials, and other stakeholders from across the country. Throughout the two-day event hosted as part of our Opportunities for Youth project in California, attendees from across the country, such as Maryland, Washington DC, Ohio, Washington, Texas, New York, and California heard presentations from a number of KIND and OUSD staff, as well as insights from expert panelists. A highlight of the convening was the youth panel, where young immigrants shared their experiences with going to school and receiving legal services, and provided insight into how they would like to be served. A key takeaway is that immigrant children want to be heard, understood, respected, and kept informed of their cases. KIND and OUSD also created an infographic resource (linked under additional resources) titled, “How to Support Unaccompanied Immigrant Children & Youth Students in U.S. Schools.”
