A community is democratic only when the humblest and weakest person can enjoy the highest civil, economic, and social rights that the biggest and most powerful possess.

—A. Philip Randolph, Civil Rights & Labor Leader

 

We define civic engagement as the ability to access and navigate critical services, the capacity to participate in relevant and meaningful ways, and the motivation and opportunity to give back to one’s community and country.

Access, inclusion, meaningful participation and voice are earmarks of a civil society and democracy. OCEIA’s civic engagement work involves out-of-the-box, street-smart, relevant and creative approaches to engage and mobilize the public. Rather than addressing the needs of immigrants and vulnerable populations in a piecemeal way, OCEIA integrates services with civic engagement, participation, workforce development, leadership training and volunteerism. This broader approach leads to informed, empowered and financially stable communities.