Center to Support Immigrant Organizing

The mission of the Center to Support Immigrant Organizing (CSIO) is to support and help develop the work of individuals, groups, organizations and communities dedicated to organizing immigrants around the issues that affect their lives. Our goal is to help immigrants in the forefront of community and workplace struggles to develop their power and leadership not only to succeed in their immediate context, but also to contribute to the broader effort to build a more just and democratic society.

CSIO was founded in 1999 in response to an assessment of the barriers to organizing for social and economic justice in immigrant communities in the greater Boston area. Since 1999, CSIO has worked to strengthen immigrant community capacity to organize and build grassroots leadership. CSIO work happens through a variety of programs that have emerged from our support for and dialogue with immigrant activists, organizers and directors.

Currently, CSIO programs include the Grassroots Leadership Initiative/Grassroots Leadership Network, Network of Immigrant & African American Solidarity (NIAAS), Immigrant Youth Leadership Program, Immigrant Executive Director Support Initiative, and Organizational Development.