Press Statement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 28, 2025
Researchers and Advocates Secure $350,000 Grant to Advance Pro-Immigrant Narrative Change, Improve Immigrant Well-Being
Two-year narrative research program will help drive pro-immigrant policy reform
Boston, MA – To promote positive, accurate stories about immigrants in Massachusetts, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has awarded a $350,000 grant to the Leah Zallman Center for Immigrant Health Research at the Institute for Community Health. As an awardee of RWJF’s signature research program, Policies for Action (P4A), the Leah Zallman Center will partner with Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition, Wonder: Strategies for Good, and a team of immigrant community researchers to study strategies to change hearts and minds and drive policy reform.
“Now more than ever, we are seeing how important it is to push back against false, misleading anti-immigrant narratives that instill hate and fear,” said Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition. “We are incredibly grateful for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s support, and look forward to partnering with the Leah Zallman Center to positively reshape how people think and feel about the incredible contributions immigrants make to our country every day.”
Over the next two years, the research grant will fund the study, “Policy on the Frontlines: Narrative Change for Immigrant Well-being.” A team of Leah Zallman Center and community researchers will conduct a mixed-methods study and develop narrative change tools that will not just drive immigrant-focused policy reform, but work to shift how people think about immigrant well-being. The MIRA Coalition will lead public communications and co-develop a statewide network of community leaders, healthcare partners, and local funders to inform and advance the narrative change efforts.
“The stories we tell ourselves and each other about immigrants in society have direct impacts on immigrant and community health and well-being,” said Jessica Santos, Director of the Leah Zallman Center for Immigrant Health Research at the Institute for Community Health. “LZC is thrilled to lead this research and partner with MIRA to produce concrete tools for community leaders and policymakers to ensure this work can inform ongoing policy advocacy priorities.”
The Leah Zallman Center and MIRA Coalition aim to push back against hateful, inaccurate, anti-immigrant narratives by showcasing how improving immigrant rights advances the well-being of all Americans. With reframed and factual immigrant narratives, advocates will be in a stronger position to pass policies that advance immigrant well-being.
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Support for this research project was provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Policies for Action program. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation. Learn more about the foundation here.
The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition is New England’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the rights and inclusion of immigrants and refugees.
The Leah Zallman Center for Immigrant Health Research is a research center at the Institute for Community Health. We partner with immigrant communities, advocates, policymakers, and social and health systems on actionable research to improve immigrant health and well-being.
For all media inquiries contact: Alex Psilakis | apsilakis@melwoodglobal.com