From vision to action: NorQuest grads changing lives in Edmonton

A shared vision becomes reality 

A dream that began as a shared vision between two Settlement Studies students and local migrant support agencies has officially come to life. On October 12 of this year, Diana Ramirez and Francisco Escobar—two passionate advocates for vulnerable newcomer populations—launched Familia Migrante Latino (FAM), a grassroots organization that advocates and promotes Latino migrants’ rights and welfare in Edmonton. 

The focus of FAM’s work 

With a focus on empowering Latino migrants, raising awareness, and driving a movement to address the root causes of migration to Canada, FAM is already making waves in the local Latino migrant community. But this is just the beginning. 

How it began 

Diana and Francisco first crossed paths as students in the Settlement Studies program at NorQuest College, and then again when both volunteered for Alberta Workers Association Research and Education (AWARE). They learned that, as members of the Latino community themselves, they both shared a deep commitment to advocating for newcomers in the Latino community. 

Identifying the need 

From their perspective as settlement studies graduates, and from Francisco’s own personal experience as a newcomer, they deeply empathize with the systemic and practical challenges faced by newcomers—challenges that are often exacerbated by a lack of targeted support. With the needs that they saw, and their complementary backgrounds and skills to draw from, they quickly recognized that there was an opportunity to make a real difference. 

The early stages of FAM

FAM did not begin overnight. Diana recalls, “A year into my program at NorQuest, I began raising questions with my professors, the City of Edmonton, and during my practicum about the gap in services provided to temporary foreign workers. They all suggested I contact the Director of Migrant Alberta, a migrant rights grassroots organization. I reached out to him and began volunteering with the non-profit AWARE.” 

“We saw a need for an organization dedicated to helping Latin American migrants. For two years, we had been meeting to try to find consensus on what type of organization to start. Then in November of 2023, we had our official first meeting.” 

The founding team 

In the year between the first meeting and the official launch, Francisco and Diana have been busy, with Diana serving as Director of FAM, and Francisco as Vice Chair. Diana oversees the organization, collaboratively plans, develops community advocacy with research projects, and builds alliances to grow FAM through outreach. Francisco takes on a front-facing role, supporting FAM’s activities, giving workshops, participating in rallies, and encouraging community participation. 

Diana and Francisco emphasize that although they are featured here as alumni, FAM is, in fact, an equal group effort, supported by a dedicated board of six Latin Americans living in Edmonton. The board includes Rocio, a Mexican artist and Chair, Perla, a working mother as Secretary, Galadriel, another Settlement Studies alumni, Heydi, a Colombian migrant and Francisco's wife, alongside Francisco and Diana.  

The rewards and challenges of their work 

While FAM has just begun its work, they have already seen a mix of joy and tragedy. For all the newcomers they help, there are many who continue to struggle. Diana explains that dealing with marginalized communities is challenging: “Dealing with marginalized communities takes a lot of commitment, and it can become overwhelming to hear the stories of discrimination, exploitation, and abuse.” 

Even though the work is often difficult, Diana and Francisco find it rewarding. Diana shares, “I love being able to advocate for migrants’ rights through different opportunities... I also love contributing to social research, my hope is that this research can serve as a basis to change policies.” Francisco enjoys interacting with people from a variety of organizations, which helps him learn how agencies support migrants. 

Valuable skills from NorQuest’s Settlement Studies program

The skills they learned in the Settlement Studies program at NorQuest College have been invaluable in launching and running their organization. Diana notes that many of the courses she took “are skills I use daily. For instance, community organizing, campaign development, social imagination to link issues, recognizing oppression, interviewing skills, and setting boundaries with clients.” 

Francisco highlights the CUSEN values as essential to his work: "CUSEN stands for: 

• Confidentiality 
• Unconditional positive regard 
• Self-determination 
• Empathy 
• Non-judgmental attitude 

I consider Self-Determination and Empathy as the most important because my goal as a cultural broker is to help clients become independent within the Canadian system.” 

Future goals  

Looking ahead, Diana and Francisco plan to continue in the same vein as they started. Diana intends to focus on advocating for human rights: “I want to focus on advocating for human rights, as I have seen so many violations of human rights in my community.” Francisco, on the other hand, plans to continue his front-line work as a settlement worker: “I am a migrant that wants to help other migrants.” 

Get involved with FAM 

As FAM grows and finds its footing, Diana and Francisco see room for expansion and volunteer opportunities. They encourage anyone interested to check out their FAM Facebook account and become a member. Volunteers with lived experience are always welcome for research projects highlighting community issues. 

FAM also encourages people to attend their events, rallies, and marches to get involved in grassroots advocacy. 

You can find FAM on Facebook at @FAM or email them at fammigrante@gmail.com. You can also attend their Global Café meetings, dedicated to sharing, workshops, and awareness. Keep an eye out for announcements on their social media for these monthly events!