Building Community Power in Action

Leadership • Organizing • Coalition Building • Systems Change

Advocating & Organizing

Our programs are not our mission—they are our methods

How We Advocate

The Immigrant Welcome Network of Johnson County is an immigrant- and refugee-led, membership-based organization built on a simple belief:

Lasting change happens when the people most affected by injustice have the opportunity to lead.

People often first come to IWNJC because something in the system is not working for them. It may be housing, employment, immigration, language access, or difficulty navigating public systems.

We begin by listening.

Through relationships, leadership development, organizing, and coalition building, community members move from addressing individual challenges to taking collective action on issues affecting their families and communities.

How We Build Community Power

We meet people where they are, listen to the issues affecting their lives, and build relationships rooted in trust and shared experience.

Listen & Build Trust

Community members build knowledge, confidence, and leadership skills to advocate for themselves and others. Through membership, leadership development, and our Leadership Academy, people gain the tools to participate in public life and lead change.

Develop Leaders

Leaders identify shared issues, organize their communities, and work alongside other organizations and institutions to build collective power.

Organize & Build Coalitions

Community members bring their voices directly to decision-makers and advocate for policies, practices, and public investments that create lasting change.

Create System Wide Change

Listening builds trust→ Trust leads to membership→ Membership develops leaders→ Leaders organize→ Organizing builds coalitions→ Coalitions create systems change.

Our Advocacy in Action

IWNJC organizes community members around policies that directly affect immigrant and refugee families.

Our members participate in public meetings, legislative advocacy, community education, and direct engagement with elected officials and policymakers.

In 2026, IWNJC helped mobilize more than 75 community members to the Iowa State Capitol to raise their voices on legislation affecting immigrant communities.

Immigrant & Refugee Rights

IWNJC has organized alongside community partners to protect Johnson County's Community ID and ensure that immigrants and other residents can continue to access an important form of local identification.

Community members have spoken publicly, contacted decision-makers, participated in advocacy efforts, and helped educate the broader community about what Community ID means for local families.

Community ID

IWNJC is advancing an immigrant-led vision for a Johnson County Welcome Center: a coordinated, accessible place where residents can connect with resources, opportunities, community organizations, and trusted navigators.

More than 40 community members joined IWNJC at the Johnson County Board of Supervisors as part of this advocacy effort, with community members speaking directly about the need for a more coordinated system of support.

The effort has opened an ongoing dialogue with county leadership about how Johnson County can build stronger infrastructure for welcoming and supporting immigrant and refugee residents.

Johnson County Welcome Center

Types of Advocacy

At IWNJC, we believe safe, stable housing is the foundation for building a successful future. We provide temporary housing through our Welcome Houses, offering newly arrived immigrant and refugee families a safe place to stay as they begin rebuilding their lives. At the same time, we advocate for housing policies that expand access to affordable, stable housing and reduce barriers for all members of our community. By combining direct support with long-term advocacy, we work toward a Johnson County where everyone has the opportunity to find a place to call home.

Housing Advocacy

At IWNJC, we empower immigrants and refugees to become active participants in their communities by providing education, leadership opportunities, and civic engagement resources. We believe that lasting change begins when people have the knowledge and confidence to make their voices heard.

In addition to supporting individuals, we advocate for policies that promote equity, protect immigrant rights, and expand opportunities for all residents. We work alongside community partners, local leaders, and advocates to address barriers, amplify immigrant voices, and advance meaningful change. Through community organizing and collaboration, we are building a more welcoming, inclusive, and equitable Johnson County where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Community & Policy

At IWNJC, we believe language should never be a barrier to opportunity, safety, or belonging. We provide English language classes, interpretation and translation support, and language resources that help immigrants and refugees confidently navigate daily life. By expanding access to education, healthcare, employment, and public services, we empower individuals to communicate, advocate for themselves, and fully participate in their communities. Through our language access initiatives, we are creating a more connected, inclusive Johnson County where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Language Access

Leadership development is at the heart of our organizing model.

The IWNJC Leadership Academy helps community members develop the knowledge, confidence, relationships, and practical skills necessary to become effective advocates and community leaders.

Participants learn about civic engagement, organizing, public speaking, advocacy, government systems, coalition building, and how to turn community concerns into collective action.

Our goal is not simply to teach leadership.

Our goal is to create opportunities for people to practice leadership and use it.

our existing presentation summarizes this nicely as Learn → Practice → Lead.