From policy to people: Unpacking the immigration landscape in unsettled times

Dr. Kamal Al-Solaylee holds a PhD in English Literature (Nottingham University) and is Director of the School of Journalism, Writing, and Media at UBC. He has extensive global reporting experience and previously taught at Ryerson University's School of Journalism and at the theatre departments of York University and Waterloo University. Dr. Al-Solaylee is the author of the bestseller Intolerable: A Memoir of Extremes, winner of the 2013 Toronto Book Award and a finalist for the CBC's Canada Reads and the Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction. His second book, Brown: What Being Brown in the World Today Means (to Everyone) won the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing and was finalist for the Governor General's Literary Awards for Nonfiction. His third book of nonfiction, Return: Why We Go Back to Where We Come From, was published in 2021 and was named Book of the Year by the Globe and Mail and CBC Books.

Dr. Irene Bloemraad joined UBC in 2024 as the President's Excellence Chair in Global Migration, Co-director of the Centre for Migration Studies, and as a Professor in the Departments of Political Science and Sociology. She studies the political and civic incorporation of immigrants into Western democracies and examines how migration affects politics and national identity in the countries that receive them. Her research has been published in journals spanning sociology, political science, history, and ethnic/migration studies, and she has authored or co-edited five books. Dr. Bloemraad regularly shares her work with policymakers, immigration stakeholders, and the general public, and has received several teaching and mentorship awards. She attended McGill University (BA, MA) and Harvard University (PhD).

Dr. Thomas Lemieux is a Professor at UBC's Vancouver School of Economics, where he is also Director of the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Centre on Wealth and Income Inequality. Prior to moving to UBC in 1999, Professor Lemieux held appointments at the Université de Montréal and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research and a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Society of Labor Economists, and the Econometric Society. Professor Lemieux is a past President of the Society of Labor Economists and of the Canadian Economics Association, which awarded him the Rae Prize for outstanding research in 1998. He has served as co-editor of major journals in economics, including the American Economic Review. Professor Lemieux has written extensively on labour markets and earnings inequality in Canada, the United States, and other countries.  Professor Lemieux has written extensively on labour markets and earnings inequality in Canada, the United States, and other countries, focusing on the role of institutions, education, and immigration in shaping the outcomes of workers.

Lenya Wilks holds nearly a decade of experience working in a community-serving capacity as a catalyst for change. With roots in Jamaica and a fervent desire to uplift those around her, she made her way to Canada where her passions for music, service, and social justice blossomed. She joined DIVERSEcity in 2022 as Manager of the Surrey Local Immigration Partnership, and is now the organization’s Director of Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement. Prior to joining DIVERSEcity, Lenya worked in community activism in Brandon, Manitoba, including as a program manager with Brandon Local Immigration Partnership, locally supporting the successful long-term settlement and integration of immigrants and newcomers. Lenya honours her community through her service on the Vantage Point and UNITI boards, ensuring that diverse perspectives are heard and valued. She champions initiatives that foster inclusion and inspire collective growth. Her resilient journey as a survivor of sexual assault has not only shaped her path but also transformed her into a beacon of hope and strength for those navigating similar struggles.