Immigrant Heritage Month

In honor of Immigrant Heritage Month, LACOE encourages education communities to observe this month by acknowledging the often difficult journeys of immigrants and understanding the circumstances that have led people throughout history to migrate for family reunification and safety; and to support efforts to protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants.

LACOE will offer LEAs a range of professional development opportunities designed to provide differentiated supports that meet the needs of immigrant students:

Child Welfare and Attendance – June 3, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (register here)
Trauma-Informed Practices for Caregivers – June 11, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (register here)
Getting Reading Right K-5 Boot Camp, Summer 2025 – July 14- 18, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – (register here)
California HETAC Training Series Course 3: McKinney-Vento 101 – June 30, 2025 – (register here)

LACOE has also curated the following resources in support of students who are also newcomers and/or refugees:

2025 Student Empowerment Summit: Breaking Barriers, Making History!
Newcomer Resources for Distribution
New Arrival Support Resources
Unaccompanied Children & ORR Presentation 5.1.25 - Google Drive
AB699 Toolkit - Google Docs – Legal Protections for Immigrant Students
LACOE: Immigrant Relations - Resources
Supporting Schools & Newcomers - Padlet
The Office of Immigrant Affairs - Know Your Rights

Here are some recommended texts that offer insights into the experiences of immigrant children, youth, and families:

"Little Bird Laila” – Childhood experiences navigating Ramadan as a new immigrant to the United States from India.
“Pedro’s Yo-yos”— How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of Toys.
“I Was Their American Dream: A Graphic Memoir” – I Was Their American Dream is at once a coming-of-age story and a reminder of the thousands of immigrants who come to America in search for a better life for themselves and their children.
“If Only You Knew” – Emily Francis' memoir tells her story through a series of letters she writes to eight immigrant students in whom she sees pieces of herself. o “Safe haven?” – A history of refugees in America.
“The New Americans” – Immigrant life in Southern California
“Lailah’s Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story” – Childhood experiences navigating Ramadan as a new immigrant to the United States from India.
“A Shelter in Our Car”—Jamaican American Zettie and her mother come to the U.S. for a better life after Zettie’s father passes away.
“Enrique’s Journey” – When journalist Sonia Nazario met Enrique, an undocumented immigrant teen, she was stunned by his story of immigrating to the United States alone.
“Denied, Detained, Deported: The Dark Side of American Immigration” – For teens who are interested in learning the history of immigration in the U.S.
“Something in Between” – The author explores the experiences of undocumented teens in Something in Between.
“We are Displaced” offers more insight into the life of an extraordinary woman and an introduction to lesser-known conflicts and refugee experiences around the world.
“We Are Here to Stay: Voices of Undocumented Young Adults” - Anonymous young writers share their stories of being undocumented

“This Land is Our Land” - Osborne organizes her immigration history to the United States into waves of immigrants, making it an excellent resource for highlighting parallels in the immigrant experience through time.

Immigrant Heritage Month

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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