The Immigrant Worker Project (IWP) was founded in 1998 to address the needs of the farmworker and rural migrant communities in Ohio. At the heart of the project is a deep commitment to economic, legal, political, and social justice for the Latinx community. IWP supports human dignity and justice for immigrants while building communities that embrace cultural diversity. Our approach is based on the teachings of Paulo Freire, educator and prominent thinker of critical pedagogy, and thus all initiatives, programs, and services are collaborative in nature and formed through bottom-up leadership and goal-setting. As a result, the work of IWP continuously evolves in accordance with the needs of the community. 

With this determination, we have formed programs that:

(1) reduce rural immigrants’ social and cultural isolation, 

(2) provide or connect immigrants with services relating to workplace rights, health care access, victim’s rights, and immigration, 

(3) teach skills that engender participation in daily community life, 

(4) improve contact with and empathy on the part of the general community, 

(5) advocate ending discrimination and other barriers, and (6) mentor, train, and support authentic immigrant leaders.