In the first weeks of the new administration, a series of executive orders have introduced significant policy changes affecting nonprofits.

These cover areas like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), gender and LGBTQ+ rights, international aid, and immigration.

It raises critical questions about compliance, funding stability, and long-term program sustainability.

In this episode, Drew breaks down what these changes mean for nonprofit organizations connected to these areas and how they can adapt.

Charlotte, NC is an “immigrant gateway” that has one of the fastest growing immigrant communities in the country. Over 30,000 students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools speak a language other than English at home. Immigrant students and their parents encounter all kinds of challenges at school, and immigrant youth often lag behind their peers in a variety of academic and social indicators.

To talk about the challenges immigrant families face, we invited Sil Ganzó of ourBRIDGE for Kids to talk about her work in providing services for immigrant and newcomer families to Charlotte, NC. On the episode, she discusses the importance of meeting families where they are, how to truly be community-centered and culturally-responsive, and ultimately how to help immigrant youth feel welcome in a place that can feel very unfamiliar - and at times uninviting - to them. Sil also shares great examples of how ourBRIDGE uses survey and focus group data to gather insights into the immigrant family experience, and how they used empirical data to show how youth and their families enrolled in their programs were able to develop an increased sense of cultural identity and pride. We also discuss the importance of ethical storytelling, building a team for evaluation, and share exciting news about the opening of the new Charlotte is Home Center.

How does your organization use data and storytelling to drive positive narratives and engage stakeholders in the “why” of your mission? We are joined today by Becca O'Neill and Stefania Arteaga of Carolina Migrant Network who talk about their work protecting immigrant communities through the provision of legal assistance and organizing/advocacy work. This compelling episode will help you better understand the challenges facing undocumented individuals, including the difficulties of obtaining asylum and the ways that enforcement and detention can dehumanize migrant communities. We also discuss how data can drive narratives - both negative and positive - and the importance of storytelling in communicating an organization’s mission and values.