The Washington-based Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS), the nation’s leading Caribbean American advocacy and development organization, will convene a delegation of Caribbean American community leaders from around the US at the 20th Annual Caribbean American Legislative Briefing and Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, on June 21st.
“This year’s Briefing reflects the growing strength of our leadership alliance and the hope that Caribbean Americans have in the HR 4939 or Public Law 114-239 promise for consistent US-Caribbean strategic engagement” said Dr. Claire Nelson, ICS President & Founder. “Since 1999, ICS has worked together with other Caribbean American community leaders, and strategic partners to grow our advocacy stance. Our role as the diaspora partner to the State Department for the articulation of HR 4939 signaled a sea change in Caribbean immigrant relationships with the political and policy elite.”
Legislative briefing
The Legislative Briefing on June 21st is part of the week long National Caribbean American Legislative Week which includes a Webinar on Census 2020; a Briefing at the US Senate; a Forum on Diaspora in Development “SMART CARIBBEAN” at the Inter-American Development Bank; and a Forum on Cyber-Security at the Organization of American States.
National Caribbean American Heritage Month has been celebrated annually every June since 2006. For ICS, it represents an opportunity to bring together Caribbean American community leaders across the country to address common concerns; to allow Caribbean Americans everywhere to feel a sense of place in the American public discourse and to bring highlights to the contributions past, present and future being made by Caribbean immigrants to the USA.
Architect and campaign chair
The Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS), founded in 1993, is the architect and campaign chair for commemoration of June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month, established by President George Bush in 2006. ICS is a non-partisan, non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization founded by Dr. Claire A. Nelson, White House Champion of Change. The premiere Caribbean-American Think/Do Tank, ICS seeks to address development challenges facing Caribbean peoples, and to adopt a thorough, systematic and coordinated long-term perspective towards their resolution.
