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Division of Equity and Social Justice
Division of Equity and Social Justice

The Immigrant Belonging Project

County of Santa Clara Office of Immigrant Relations and the Othering and Belonging Institute present, The Immigrant Belonging Project

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The County of Santa Clara values our immigrant communities and their experiences, and we want to hear directly from them. Therefore, the Office of Immigrant Relations (OIR) began the Immigrant Belonging Project in January 2023. The purpose of the project is to understand the needs, contributions, and challenges many immigrant communities face in reaching full belonging. The findings will inform current and future policy, funding, and service delivery. A final report will be released in February 2025. 

The Office of Immigrant Relations (OIR) is partnering with the Othering and Belonging Institute (OBI) at the University of California at Berkeley. The project includes gathering information shared by people living in Santa Clara County who are born outside of the US. To identify current priorities across immigrant communities The project will be completed in three phases. 

  • Phase 1 (completed): Interview local experts, immigrant service providers, and community leaders. (April 2023) 
  • Phase 2 (completed): Implement a survey to reach immigrants living in the county. (November 2023) 
  • Phase 3 (in progress): Hold community conversations with ​members of ​specific immigrant sub-groups ​to further explore key issues.  (June – September 2024) 

A countywide immigrant belonging project like this has not been completed in over 20 years. This project will help decision-makers understand the experiences of immigrants for many years to come. For more information on the project, please contact the OIR team and Kevin Lee, DrPH, MPH, Senior Research and Evaluation Specialist, at [email protected].  

This project has been made possible in part by a grant from Silicon Valley Community Foundation. 

Outreach toolkit

Download social media templates, print materials, and communication tools.

View outreach toolkit

Frequently asked questions

Which communities will this project include?  

OIR and OBI will reach out to immigrants who speak English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, Hindi, Farsi, Arabic, Russian, Korean, and Amharic to participate in the project. We will approach trusted community organizations to assist in this process. 

How can immigrant communities share their opinions?

We will collect information through a survey and community conversations. The survey was completed in 2023 and reached more than 2,500 immigrants. Community conversations will take place between June and September 2024. They will ​provide greater depth and context in understanding experiences of belonging, service delivery, and other important priorities.   

Who will the survey reach?  

​​​We exceeded our goal of reaching 2,500 immigrants living in Santa Clara County of diverse ethnicities, languages, income levels, and cities of residence. This was possible thanks to our collaborations with local, trusted organizations to reach our largest ethnic groups.

Will qualitative experiences be considered?  

Yes. Qualitative experiences will be captured through focused interviews with community leaders who work with immigrants and community conversations. The focused interviews were completed in 2023. Eight community conversations of 8-10 participants with different immigrant community ​sub-​groups will take place between June and September 2024. 

Who can participate in the community conversations? 

We will host 8 community conversations with 8-10 randomly invited individuals from the following adult immigrant communities: Latinos in South County (in Spanish language), Latinos in ​the ​San Jose/Mountain View ​metro area ​(in Spanish language), Vietnamese (in Vietnamese language), Koreans (in Korean language), East Africans, Muslims, US high school graduates ages 18-29, and those navigating and accessing disability services in the County.  

How can I support this project?  

Community-based partners can help by recommending ​members from the communities listed above for the community conversations. Those from the immigrant community can help by participating in the community conversation if invited. Invited participants will be contacted by a community-based partner or third-party agency via phone or email.  

Will participants be compensated for their participa​tion​​? 

Participants who participate in the community conversations will receive a stipend for their time.  

How will supporting this project benefit immigrant communities and local organizations?  

Local organizations and decision makers can use project findings to inform policy, funding, and service priorities. High levels of survey participation will ensure local organizations, advocates, and public officials have the best information to support immigrant belonging in the county.   

Why is OIR partnering with UC Berkeley’s Othering and Belonging Institute (OBI) for this project?  

OIR is committed to fostering the full belonging of immigrant communities in the county. OBI has the expertise to identify challenges and gaps in experiences of belonging. They will be able to recommend how to improve policy, services, inclusion, and recognition of immigrants.

Are there other similar projects that are happening? 

Yes, there is a Latino Health Assessment that is being conducted by the Public Health Department. The Office of Disability Affairs is also conducting a survey of families of children with disabilities, which ​​may include immigrant families.