Henry Cisneros to Introduce American Dream Initiative at U of A

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Henry G. Cisneros

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Henry Cisneros, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Clinton will present “Immigrant Integration: Investing in America’s Future” at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, in the Arkansas Union Theater. The event is free and the public is invited.

Cisneros served four years as the HUD secretary before starting the Cisneros Center, which promotes social, economic and educational advancement in the lives of Latinos and immigrants seeking to fully integrate and participate in the promise of the “American Dream.”

 “While our political leaders focus on a workable legal framework for a successful immigration policy, I believe our nation, through our educational, social and economic institutions, will be called to work smarter and in even greater partnership and create programs that foster the full integration of immigrants into American Society,” Cisneros said.

Cisneros is visiting Northwest Arkansas to promote the center’s American Dream Initiative. The initiative is the Cisneros Center’s inaugural program and will focus on communities that have experienced a significant growth in new immigrant population and where the infrastructure for immigrant integration is not fully developed.

Northwest Arkansas families are participating in the American Dream Initiative’s pilot program to engage stakeholders to work with new immigrants whose economic and cultural presence merits greater understanding by the receiving community. After assessing the pilot program, the Cisneros Center will implement the initiative in other communities across the country to expand the opportunities available to new Americans. Additional goals include initiating public affairs campaigns that create awareness among immigrants and generate understanding in the general public. 

The pilot program is designed to identify and promote best practices for immigrant integration and instill a sense of urgency about education. To promote integration, the initiative seeks to improve access for new immigrants to the resources and services they need to pursue the American Dream, including use of an “American Dream Road Map” developed by the Cisneros Center. The road map includes several goals tied to education to engage family members in educational goals and breaking down barriers to academic achievement.

The Cisneros Center is a 501(c)(3) non partisan, non-profit institution headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, committed to providing a national forum and platform for dialogue, information sharing and best practices cross-pollination that further accelerates the measurable social, economic and educational achievements in the lives of Latinos and immigrants.