Workshop #3

People have strong opinions about immigration, but are they based in facts?

What’s really behind the question, “Do immigrants take jobs from U.S. citizens?” Together, we’ll move beyond common myths and polarized talking points to examine the facts as well as the deeper stories we tell about immigration, labor, and belonging.

Using the Better Arguments framework, we’ll explore how historical context, emotional intelligence, and power dynamics all shape perceptions about immigrants in the workforce. Together, we’ll unpack the roots of economic anxiety, reflect on personal bias, and interrogate who benefits from fear-based narratives. We’ll also explore how asset-based ethical storytelling can transform conversations — and workplace culture — by highlighting the contributions and resilience of immigrant communities.

Through story listening, self-reflection, and values-based dialogue, this session equips participants to:

• Engage complex topics without trying to “win” the argument
• Practice vulnerability and empathy in conversations about immigration
• Recognize and challenge exclusionary narratives
• Reframe immigrant experiences as stories of contribution, not competition

This is more than a conversation about jobs—it’s an opportunity to learn how stories shape our reality, and how we can tell better more truthful ones together.

Learning Objectives: 

By the end of this workshop, participants will:

1. Unpack the Historical Roots of the “Immigrants Take Jobs” Narrative
   Participants will examine the historical context behind economic anxieties surrounding immigration, including past policies, labor market dynamics, and media-driven narratives, to understand how fear-based storytelling has shaped misconceptions.

Storytelling Tie-In: Understand how recycled tropes are embedded in historical storytelling and used to justify exclusionary rhetoric.

2. Cultivate Emotional Intelligence Through Story Listening
   Participants will develop skills to listen actively and empathetically to stories that challenge assumptions about immigration and labor, practicing self-awareness and emotional regulation when confronted with discomfort or disagreement.

Storytelling Tie-In: Highlight how personal narratives evoke emotion and build empathy in spaces where facts alone fall short.

3. Interrogate Power Structures That Shape Economic Opportunity
   Participants will explore how systemic power imbalances—including immigration policy, labor segmentation, and racialized economic hierarchies—affect both immigrant and U.S.-born workers. They will examine who benefits from the “immigrants take jobs” narrative and why it persists in political and workplace discourse.

Storytelling Tie-In: Reveal how dominant narratives are often told by those in power to protect their interests, while marginalized voices are excluded or misrepresented or purposely ignored. Invite participants to elevate stories that expose these power dynamics and reframe the conversation around equity and justice.

4. Transform the Narrative Through Asset-Based Ethical Storytelling
   Participants will learn to recognize and uplift stories that portray immigrants not as threats but as contributors—emphasizing innovation, resilience, and community impact. They will also be able to identify how immigrants are currently being impacted by fast-changing immigration policy.

Storytelling Tie-In: Demonstrate how shifting from deficit-based to asset-based ethical storytelling rewires perception. Stories that celebrate contributions, rather than reinforce stereotypes, have the power to reshape organizational culture and public opinion.