“Dedicated immigrant advocate, Irma's mission is to help those who've made the laborious legal journey, daring to dream a different reality.”
Honoring World Diversity Month with Irma Goosen, Immigrant Success Advocate
A passionate and dedicated immigrant success advocate, Irma Goosen is on a mission to help those who have made the laborious legal journey and dared to dream a different reality. As a professional speaker, her goal is to help legal immigrants adapt to their chosen country as soon as they possibly can. Just this week, Irma gave a powerful speech – The Bold Heartbeat of Legal Immigration – at the University of Oxford where she discussed her work with immigrant families and their supporters. She focused on the nuances of the difference between legal and illegal immigration; why we should advocate for immigrant inclusiveness; and why we should celebrate the shared dreams and the rich diversity immigrants bring. She also discussed her framework C.O.N.N.E.C.T. which stands for Communication, Open-minded, Network, Nurture, Explore, Cultivate.
Drawing on her technical experience, through her work, Irma strategically tackles challenges immigrant families encounter by introducing soft skills so they could integrate within their communities. An immigrant herself originally from South Africa, Irma also brings awareness of how legal immigration can benefit a country, be it stepping into leadership roles, volunteering, or working. In her role as both a speaker and author, she spotlights their experiences and helps bring humanity to their struggles and victories.
A TEDx speaker, a keynote speaker, and an author, Goosen has lived in Alberta, Canada for the past 23 years. Born and raised in South Africa, she and her family initially immigrated to the United States in 1996, then moved north four years later. She believes, “When we help families, we help the youth.” She’s always been deeply passionate about helping young people and has collaborated with them in numerous capacities. In conjunction with her University of Oxford speaking engagement, Irma also wrote and developed a TEDx Talk called, “Surviving Immigration,” that will be aired later this month.
