Patience Lehrman, Director of Project SHINE, offering her acceptance speech for the Migration Policy Institute E Pluribus Unum Award 2011 for Excellence in Immigrant Integration!

Project SHINE was honored with the E Pluribus Unum 2011 award by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI). The E Pluribus Unum Prizes are a national awards program that provides awards annually to exceptional initiatives that promote immigrant integration.

The awards recognize outstanding immigrant integration initiatives of all types, whether led by nonprofit or community organizations, businesses, public agencies, religious groups, or individuals.

The awards program is coordinated by the Migration Policy Institute's National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy - a hub for those who seek to build their knowledge and skills in the area of immigrant integration.

The J.M. Kaplan Fund is generously providing support for these awards to focus attention on successful integration initiatives and to inspire and provide program models to others around the United States who might also undertake such efforts.