Dear Friend,

Check out our most recent work and updates on ongoing efforts below. We couldn't do this vital work without you, and are grateful as always for your support!

-The Upwardly Global Family

Upwardly Global is committed to supporting newly arrived Afghan evacuees as they rebuild their careers in the United States. 20-30% of evacuees have advanced training and are proficient in English, making their skills and talent a crucial asset for the professional U.S. workforce. 

Starting in the fall of last year, we worked tirelessly to build partnerships with military sites in the U.S. where this population first arrived. Our commitment to our Afghan allies continues into the new year with some exciting developments.

We have:

• Set up Career Readiness Centers and programming at all major Safe Havens (military bases where evacuees first arrive)
• Recruited 4 Afghan Employment Services Advisors to support the application and enrollment process while ensuring culturally competent care,
• Leveraged over $600,000 of humanitarian support with volunteers and partners to address immediate short-term needs
• Launched an Afghan rapid response portal with job readiness e-learning pathways for all English-proficient Afghans with up/reskilling courses organized by career pathway

Our goal for 2022 is to continue to work with the evacuees to pursue opportunities that align with their professional backgrounds, provide one-on-one career coaching service to 1,400+ Afghans, and increase access to our job readiness and learning management system for an additional 5,000 Afghans. 

This work was made possible through a partnership with the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement, who supported with a $1.5 million grant to support evacuees before they are resettled and to stay with them throughout the career rebuilding process, as well as over 1,000 individual donors to the Haven Fund at Microsoft. Additional critical funders include: 

• Accenture
• Achelis & Bodman Foundations
• The Applebaum Foundation
• Carson Family Charitable Trust
• Crankstart Foundation
• Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust
• Latter-day Saints Charities
• LinkedIn
• Paul M. Angell Family Foundation
• S&P Global Foundation
• The Starbucks Foundation

Read more about Upwardly Global’s Support for Afghan Evacuees on our website and please consider donating to our Haven Fund here. 

In early January Illinois Governor JB Pritziker invoked emergency powers to allow the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to “modify professional license and certification statutes and regulations for foreign trained physicians to provide for medical assessment, screening, and treatment.” This proclamation was issued in response to the current public health crisis related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of this proclamation, restrictions placed on international medical graduate (IMG) physicians and surgeons will be suspended, giving them the authority to practice medicine in Illinois. This modification of licensing regulations will continue to be in effect until May 31, 2022 or until the expiration of Illinois’s COVID-19 Disaster Proclamations. We consider the emergency proclamation a step in the right direction and look forward to working closely with the state and partners to build strong implementation and permanent pathways to relicensing. 

Upwardly Global has played a critical behind-the-scenes role in lifting up the issue of un- and underemployed immigrants and refugees with healthcare training in Illinois and beyond. We are working with hundreds of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who are eager to support the COVID response. 

In Illinois, our Chicago Leadership Council approached State Rep. Theresa Mah last summer about the licensing issue. She then involved key stakeholders in the legislature and state leadership. 

Read the full statement from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation here, and see our recent profile of Upwardly Global healthcare alum Adebola in Illinois here.

• NY Governor Announces $10 billion Plan to Grow Healthcare Workforce
  Kathy Hochul’s healthcare plan promises to “grow the healthcare workforce and strengthen the healthcare system” by improving recruitment and retention of healthcare workers. Part of this healthcare plan will work specifically to bring immigrants back into the workforce through an apprenticeship job training program. 
• Biden Administration Pledges Support For Immigrant Workforce
  On January 21, 2022, the White House released a statement on their plans to attract global talent, specifically in the STEM fields. This builds on Biden’s promise last year to remove barriers to immigration and improve educational opportunities for immigrants in the United States.
• Economic Recovery Presents Opportunity to Create a More Inclusive Workforce
  The recent Omicron variant has exacerbated the labor shortages that have been damaging the U.S. economy since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. While rebuilding the economy will be a challenging feat, we can use it as an opportunity to create a more inclusive workforce. Increasing accessibility for educated and professionally-trained immigrants in the workforce can help to address current labor shortages and provide new talent for industries. 
   

We are excited to announce that Tammi Ling is Upwardly Global's new Board Chair. Tammi has been a critical part of the UpGlo family for some 10 years, starting on our New York Leadership Council, building a deep partnership and leading a major strategic planning pro bono effort in her former position at Oliver Wyman, and contributing in myriad ways to our organization and our immigrant and refugee community. Along with Tammi, Steve Ostler steps up to become our Vice Chair, Bob Garenchana is our new Treasurer, and Joshua Winter is Board Secretary. Welcome to these officers and all of our Board members -- we have so much wonderful work to do together with you!

Interested in working at Upwardly Global? Visit our career opportunities page here!
Current openings include:

• Program Associate – Chicago
• Employment Service Advisor, IT – Washington, DC
• Employment Service Advisor, Health Care – DC
• National Director of Employment Services
• Sr. Grants Associate- NY, SF, Chi, DMV
• Grants Accountant- Part Time
• Individual Giving Manager- NY, SF, Ch
• Product & Account Manager (Jobversity)- NY, SF, Chi, DC

Are you doing exciting work for Upwardly Global or have a story to share about immigrant professionals?
Submit a short piece to us and have your work published in our next newsletter at media@upwardlyglobal.org!