Communicating strategically about public charge: An introduction to media advocacy and storytelling
Monday, August 19, 2019Recent immigration rule changes from the Trump administration will make it easier to deny migrants lawful permanent residence based on their use of public benefits. Under this so-called "public charge" test, an expanded number of programs, including those related to health, nutrition, and housing, will influence green card status. This storytelling module from Berkeley Media Studies Group, can help advocates communicate more effectively about these rule changes, what's at stake, and what can be done. The module, which includes a script to help guide presenters, was developed as part of the Public Charge Training Modules for Advocates & Service Providers, a package of train-the-trainer style presentations to support frontline staff, enrollers, community health workers, promotoras, service providers, health department staff, and others in discussing public charge with patients, the community, and the media.
The modules are among the many resources you can find on the California Primary Care Association's (CPCA) Immigration Resource Page, including videos of the presentations. The workgroup members are also willing to help provide a training to your organization. If you're interested in learning more please contact Elizabeth Oseguera at loseguera@cpca.org. For more tools and resources, visit Protecting Immigrant Families.
Other BMSG resources and projects on immigration and health
8 ways to communicate strategically about proposed federal immigration rule changes
To help local groups frame the issue in ways that further public health and social justice goals we prepared these tips to strengthen their op-eds, comments to the Federal Register, and other messages opposing the administration's proposed public charge expansion.
Messages for health departments to use
Berkeley Media Studies Group facilitated a workshop to support the Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative (BARHII) in developing messages on the proposed public charge rule change for local health departments and their partners. BARHII created this helpful handout to support health departments in the Bay Area and beyond.
REPORT: Immigration in the news: An analysis of coverage from four California counties
The hostile political climate facing immigrants in many parts of California means that communicating strategically and centering equity in those narratives is both challenging and urgent. To better understand the current conversation around immigration, BMSG conducted a news analysis of media coverage in four California counties (those that are part of TCE's Spread & Scale work). We explored the factors driving coverage, whose voices are over- or 5 under-represented, the degree to which health is present, and whether the news about immigration contains stigmatizing language.
BLOG: How news coverage perpetuates harmful language about immigration
Despite some progress in removing stigmatizing language from coverage of immigration, we found that the "i-word" still appears in a significant amount of news coverage.
Immigration: A dialogue with Alameda County Public Health Department
Immigration policy can have profound impacts on the health of our communities. In this webinar, part of a "Communicating About Health Equity" series supported by The California Endowment, Berkeley Media Studies Group engages the Alameda County Public Health Department in a conversation about how they are working to bring public health to the forefront of public discourse on immigration.
What can we learn from media coverage of trauma and family separation?
A BMSG analysis shows how the news about immigrant family separation, detention, and childhood trauma stands out from reporting on many other public health issues and offers insights for elevating trauma in other types of coverage.
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