NBC News: How an Oklahoma city is using data to make immigrants feel at home

A new program under way in Tulsa aims to support immigrants and make the transition to living in the United States easier.

The New Tulsans Initiative is a project designed to learn best ways to welcome and integrate immigrants through local government and nonprofit programs. The Oklahoma city of 400,000 is home to a large group of immigrants from Latin America as well as Asia.

“Our goal with the New Tulsans Initiative is to create a city that helps immigrant Tulsans feel more welcome and included,” Christina Starzl Mendoza, a community development and policy assistant in the office of Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, said.

Tulsa was one of 25 communities selected in the nonprofit New American Economy’s 2017 Gateway for Growth Challenge. Launched in 2015, the program is a partnership between New American Economy and fellow nonprofit Welcoming America to support cities that the organizations said see value in immigrant populations and wish to integrate immigrants into the community, according to Kate Brick, director of state and local initiatives at New American Economy.

Read the full story from NBC News: “How an Oklahoma city is using data to make immigrants feel at home”