Life-changing support to refugees and immigrants in Greater Boston
International institute of new england
Celebrating 100 Years of Welcome
The International Institute of Boston was founded on a simple but radical idea: to welcome and support people from all around the world and to celebrate the diverse heritages they bring with them.
From the start, the mission of the International Institutes was to uphold the value of a pluralistic culture based on immigrant integration—the belief that the unique cultures and customs of new community members should be preserved—rather than assimilation or “Americanization,” the belief that new community members should conform to the majority culture.
This commitment was in direct opposition to the popular sentiment of the time. The same year of IIB’s founding, the U.S. adopted a highly restrictive law that curtailed immigration to the country for decades. The political tone in the country did not deter the leaders of the International Institute of Boston; they were determined to help immigrants settle and thrive in Boston. That passion continues to guide the work today.
PART 1
Founding and Early History
Exploring Boston’s Colorful Legacy
Throughout its history, Boston has been a vital destination for immigrants. Beginning with the Irish potato famine in the 1840s, thousands of Irish Catholics settled in the North End and waterfront areas. They were joined by Canadians, Germans, Russians, Italians, and Eastern European Jews, who found work in factories, on docks, and as store or construction workers. By the 1910s, foreign-born residents made up 36 percent of the city, and combined with their native-born children, immigrants accounted for nearly three-quarters of Boston’s population.
New Legislation Fuels Discrimination
As immigrant neighborhoods became crowded, resentment among native-born residents grew. In response, Congress enacted the National Origins Act of 1924, establishing a discriminatory quota system that significantly limited migration from southern and eastern Europe and banned most Asian groups.
The YWCA Nurtures New Beginnings
While some resented immigrants, others showed compassion by offering education and services. Founded in 1910 by Edith Terry Bremer in New York, the YWCA’s International Institute provided immigrant women and girls with English classes, recreational activities, and assistance with employment, housing, and citizenship, serving as a model for similar organizations in 55 U.S. cities.
While some resented immigrants, others showed compassion by offering education and services.
The IIB Pioneers a New Era
Founded in 1914 by YWCA volunteer Alfrieda Mosher, the International Institute of Boston (IIB) began with weekly open houses and clubs for immigrant women. In 1924, the Boston YWCA formally established the IIB at 12 Newbury Street. It celebrated immigrant cultures through clubs, performances, and art shows, offering language classes and bilingual services. In 1935, the IIB became an independent organization serving non-Protestant groups and immigrant men and boys.
“The value that immigrants bring to our communities is that they give us new life…they enter our workforce, they improve our culture, they make us more diverse. They make us a stronger and better country.”
Jeffery Thielman
President & CEO
PART 2
Responding to Depression and War
Navigating a world in turmoil
The Depression and World War II posed challenges for immigrants, as Boston’s immigration slowed after the 1920s restriction acts. Economic hardships in the 1930s sparked anti-immigrant congressional bills aimed at deporting those on relief. In 1937, Executive Secretary Marion Blackwell rallied members to oppose this legislation.
Rising from the Post-War Ashes
After the US entered World War II, the International Institute of Boston (IIB) joined the Soldiers and Sailors Recreation Committee, hosting events for servicemen and advocating for the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 in 1943, enabling them to hire their first Chinese secretary for Chinatown newcomers.
Despite public support, IIB faced anti-foreigner sentiments against Axis nationals. Under the motto “Don’t Condemn, Understand,” Marion Blackwell aided enemy POWs and helped resettle Japanese evacuees from internment camps. IIB also assisted foreign-born wives of US servicemen under the War Brides Act of 1945-1946, providing housing, English classes, and vital support amid immigration-related mistrust.
Chinese Exclusion Act in 1943, enabling them to hire their first Chinese secretary for Chinatown newcomers.
PART 3
Empowering Refugees Championing Equality, Healing After War
Rising from the Post-War Ashes
After World War II, Boston saw an influx of refugees from Europe, the Soviet Union, China, and Cuba due to Cold War tensions. Jewish Holocaust survivors and others displaced by the war were housed in European refugee camps. The US responded with the Displaced Persons Acts of 1948 and 1950, the first laws focused on refugee admissions. The IIB provided essential services like English classes and job placement.
From Trauma to Triumph
In 1949, journalist Norman Cousins brought a group of Polish women, the “Ravensbrück Rabbits,” to the US for reconstructive surgery after suffering horrific medical experiments in concentration camps. The IIB provided housing, financial support, and interpretation.
Forging Equality
IIB also supported the civil rights movement, joining a coalition in 1946 to pass the Massachusetts Fair Employment Act, which created the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination to enforce laws against employment discrimination. By 1950, its mandate expanded to include housing and public accommodations.
PART 4
Driving Change: A Path to Diversity and Inclusion
The Fight for Immigration Reform
By the 1960s, the foreign-born share of the US population had steadily declined for over forty years, raising questions about the discriminatory immigration policies from the 1920s. Since the early 1950s, the International Institute, led by Executive Director Pauline Gardescu, had lobbied for reform and the abolition of the quota system, appealing to Congress and Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.
Celebrating Change
In 1965, IIB and its allies celebrated the signing of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which eliminated discriminatory quotas and prioritized skilled workers and family reunification, aligning with civil rights ideals. This legislation transformed immigration patterns in Boston and the US, shifting from a predominantly European population to a more diverse one with newcomers from Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
Global Connections at IIB
IIB, under its first foreign-born executive director, Gaspar Jako, introduced several global programs to support new arrivals and educate the community. In 1970, he launched the Whole World Celebration, an annual fair showcasing diverse cultures through arts, crafts, food, and performances. At the same time, IIB began the Ambassadors for Friendship program, facilitating exchanges for over 9,000 American students by 1973.
Opening Doors to Diversity
The Golden Door Awards, named after a line in Emma Lazarus’s poem about the Statue of Liberty, have been recognizing the contributions of notable foreign-born U.S. citizens since 1970, starting with architect I.M. Pei. Now honoring individuals from 25 countries, these awards celebrate immigrant contributions and support the International Institute’s initiatives.
PART 5
Turning Struggles into Strength
Connecting Cultures
After the Vietnam War, the International Institute experienced dramatic changes. The brutal thirty-year conflict, which resulted in over three million deaths, devastated Vietnam. Although combat ended in 1975, the aftermath drove hundreds of thousands of refugees to flee Vietnam, with many resettling in the US, particularly in the Boston area, a top ten resettlement site.
Refugee Resilience
The first refugees, primarily South Vietnamese officials, arrived after the war. A larger wave came to greater Boston between 1978 and the mid-1980s, following Vietnam’s 1979 invasion of Kampuchea (Cambodia) and the ensuing genocide. Simultaneously, a border war with China prompted a mass exodus of Vietnam’s ethnic-Chinese population, many fleeing in unsafe boats. In the 1980s and 1990s, Boston also welcomed former political prisoners and children of US servicemen and Vietnamese women who faced discrimination.
Multiple US laws authorized refugee admissions, notably the Refugee Act of 1980
Resettlement in America
Multiple US laws authorized refugee admissions, notably the Refugee Act of 1980, which raised the annual ceiling to 50,000 and established a federally funded Office of Refugee Resettlement to work with states and local organizations like the International Institutes.
With increased funding, IIB expanded its resettlement, education, and employment programs, hiring Vietnamese staff and sponsoring refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. It offered culturally relevant youth English programs and adult literacy classes. As its team grew, IIB focused on education and direct services, collaborating in the 1980s to address community violence, support trauma, and train local law enforcement.
Transforming lives
IIB’s work with Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees spanned over two decades, transforming into a professional service organization. It addressed complex issues by hiring lawyers, counselors, and specialists, diversifying funding, and collaborating with government officials and the UN. The lessons learned during this period would influence IIB’s future initiatives despite the arrival of new groups after 1990.
PART 6
New Bostonians
From Conflict to community
In the 1990s, Massachusetts experienced a diverse influx of new arrivals as the end of the Cold War sparked ethnic nationalism and conflict, displacing millions. Globalization and climate change further drove many refugees and immigrants to seek services from the International Institute, including resettlement and job training.
After the Soviet Union’s breakup in 1991, Russian Jews became the largest refugee group in Massachusetts, soon joined by refugees from Bosnia and Kosovo due to civil war. Similarly, conflicts in Africa led to widespread displacement and food insecurity.
The US also faced violence, including the 9/11 attacks, which prompted invasions of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003, resulting in refugee crises. The IIB aided those fleeing the Taliban and sectarian violence, as well as Iraqis and Afghans who assisted US forces. In the 2010s, the IIB resettled refugees from Bhutan and Myanmar, such as Lhotshampas and Rohingya, escaping repression.
Recently, the IIB has helped unaccompanied minors from Central America reunite with families after fleeing gang violence. In 2011, it launched a reunification program for youth from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, helping them connect with Massachusetts and New Hampshire relatives. The International Institute continues to support survivors of war, unaccompanied youth, and asylum seekers in Boston.
The IIB moved from Back Bay to Downtown Boston to accommodate its expanding programs
PART 7
New Homes and New Programs
IIB’s Journey of empowerment and innoation
In 1998, the IIB moved from Back Bay to Downtown Boston to accommodate its expanding programs. Under Executive Director Westy Egmont, the Institute sold its former mansion and secured funding to renovate a historic building at 1 Milk Street, offering various services, classes, and a computer lab.
The Institute preserved ESOL and literacy classes while launching new programs, including summer sessions for refugee youth, multilingual Homebuying 101, and a Savings for Success financial literacy initiative. A 2003 grant from the Boston Foundation funded a successful employment training program for hotel workers, partnering with Hilton and Encore Boston to secure stable jobs for hundreds. Later, the Institute expanded similar training to healthcare, facilities maintenance, and construction.
In 1986, it launched a Victim Assistance program for survivors of assault, harassment, and domestic violence. In the early 2000s, it established an International Survivors Center for those facing torture or war-related trauma. It collaborated with the US Justice Department to provide counseling for human trafficking survivors.
Since the 1980s, IIB has pioneered refugee trauma support, being the first Boston agency to integrate mental health into ESOL classrooms
Amid strict immigration policies, IIB bolstered its legal services, hiring a full-time attorney in the 1970s and opening a weekly legal clinic in 1986. After its downtown move, it launched a Citizenship Center for naturalization assistance, expanding its services in 2018 to include work authorizations and family reunification.
In 2016, the Institute relocated to the Chinatown Trade Building at 2 Boylston Street, its current location. Located at the edge of a historic immigrant neighborhood, IIB continues to serve Boston’s diverse newcomer community.
PART 8
Responding to Global Crises in the 21st Century
Navigating a changing world
The early 21st century introduced unprecedented crises for the Institute, notably the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the Covid-19 pandemic. While these events disrupted operations and impacted migrant communities, they also fostered innovation and adaptability.
On September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four planes, killing nearly 3,000 people and shocking the world, including Boston. Arab Americans, Afghans, Muslims, and others perceived as Middle Eastern faced violence and blame. Many refugees at the Institute were Afghan, and in partnership with local organizations, the Institute provided counseling for traumatized migrants and facilitated meetings between community leaders and the Boston Police to enhance safety. Additionally, it focused on resettling Afghan refugees during the U.S. war in Afghanistan.
Covid-19
In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic made Boston an early epicenter, impacting immigrants who lost jobs as businesses closed or faced increased exposure in essential roles. Crowded living conditions and food insecurity worsened their struggles.
As immigration halted, the Institute adapted by creating an Emergency Relief Fund for cash assistance and gift cards. Staff delivered groceries and protective supplies to clients in quarantine. Key services moved online, and laptops were loaned to those in need, with success in online courses leading to their continuation post-pandemic. While we hope for no future crises, the Institute has demonstrated its ability to adapt during disasters.
PART 9
Outreach and Partnerships for Change
Connecting Communities
As the Institute’s mission has evolved, collaboration and public education on immigration have become essential. Following the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, the Institute was designated to help unauthorized migrants adjust their status. It helped establish the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) in 1987, with former IIB Programs Director Muriel Heiberger as its first executive director.
In the early 1990s, ESOL students formed the Vietnamese Mutual Support Group, which shared resources and organized Citizenship Days in 1998 for immigration assistance. The Institute also partnered with local employers to provide job training and, in 2018, established an onsite food pantry with the Greater Boston Food Bank to address client food insecurity.
Public education on immigration has become a key focus, highlighted by the opening of the Dreams of Freedom immigration museum in 2000 and co-sponsorship of the Human Rights Watch Film Festival from 2000 to 2004. More recently, Suitcase Stories has shared clients’ migration experiences through performances and public television.
The Birth of IINE Sparks Unity
Perhaps the Institute’s most significant partnership was formalized in 2011, when the Boston, Lowell, and Manchester, New Hampshire offices formally merged to become the International Institute of New England (IINE), consolidating resources and enhancing services. Shortly after, IINE launched Resettle Together, collaborating with local groups to support refugee resettlement, evolving into an essential network across eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire that welcomes newcomers who become vital contributors to our workforce and communities.
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