Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month!Happy Asian Pacific American (or Asian American and Pacific Islander) Heritage Month! This month is a time to celebrate the histories and futures of Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders across the country and in Baltimore. Here are a few fun facts about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders living in Baltimore: - About 15,000 people of Asian descent live in Baltimore City, and 9,600 of them are immigrants.
- Asian Americans have lived in Baltimore for many years! Baltimore’s first unofficial Chinatown was established in the 1880s and the first unofficial Koreatown began in the 1960s.
- This year, 2023, marks the 120th year of Korean immigration to Baltimore!
- Many Asian immigrants from various countries have found home in Baltimore: Vietnamese, Filipino, Afghani, Bangladeshi, Indian, Nepalese, Sri Lankan, Thai, Taiwanese, and more!
The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MIMA) hopes you have a great Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! Some MIMA events that are happening: Asia North 2023: TRANSition/TRANSformation/TRANScendence - Parlor (108 W North Ave, Baltimore, MD 21201) and Motor House (120 W North Ave, Baltimore MD 21201). Friday, May 5 to Saturday, June 3rd. EmpoweReer Leadership Development Summer Program from Islamic Leadership Institute - This year Baltimore is accepting a total of 65 youth for a six-week career empowerment and leadership development program. Young adults aged 14-19 will have an opportunity to learn project management skills, leadership styles and traits, public speaking, build a professional Linkedin presence, visit global employers in Baltimore, and enjoy a couple of inspiring outdoor retreats. This is a great opportunity for those inspired to align personal development and career growth with real-life hands-on projects. Learn more and apply online at https://empowereer.org/ The Program runs July 17th through August 20th, 2023. Participants are eligible to receive stipends at the end of the program based on their performance. Transportation stipends are available as needed. Note that the Program is conducted in English. For questions, email info@empowereer.org. Are You Ready to Become a US Citizen? While permanent residents have most of the rights of U.S. citizens, there are additional important reasons to also consider becoming a citizen. Listed below are a few of the many benefits a person receives when he or she becomes a U.S. citizen: - Ability to vote.
- Serve on a jury.
- Travel with a U.S. passport which allows you to get assistance from the U.S. government while overseas, if necessary.
- Get priority when petitioning to bring family members permanently to the U.S.
- Obtain citizenship for children under 18 years of age.
- Apply for federal jobs.
- Become an elected official.
- Become eligible for federal grants and scholarships.
- Obtain government benefits.
For information regarding citizenship services such as application assistance, interview or exam preparation, and more in the City of Baltimore, please see the following brochures in different languages: ***** Source: MIMA Monthly Newsletter - May 2023. The mission of MIMA (Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs) is "to promote community wellbeing, economic development, and the integration of immigrant communities by identifying needs and opportunities that immigrants bring to our city, while developing public-private partnerships to strengthen the development of these communities." | 
