Personal and Professional Experiences

“I am forever indebted to the resilient and inspiring women who have exemplified what it means to sacrifice, overcome, and achieve. Time and time again, history demonstrates the perseverance of immigrant women…and they will continue to persevere against all odds. Their strength inspires generations like mine to challenge injustice when we see it and lead with empathy, humility, and humanity.”

— Alexis Fintland

Read about my career, education, and interests…

 

Education

I obtained a Bachelor of Science in Labor and Industrial Relations from Cornell University, where I graduated with honors and minors in Migration Studies, Latino/a Studies, and Law & Society. On the Hill, I advocated for immigration reforms as a legislative intern for Senator Kamala Harris and Congressman Adam Schiff. I also examined labor inequities as an undergraduate research fellow for the ILR Worker Institute, where I developed her award-winning thesis, “Essential Work, Unlawful Labor: An Analysis of Undocumented Status & Migrant Worker Precarity During COVID-19”. I will attend law school after completing my Fulbright fellowship.

Interests

My main interests revolve around:

Career

I am a Fulbright Scholar at the Universidad de la Laguna in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. Previously, I worked as an Associate Policy Analyst at the Migration Policy Institute’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy researching strategies to promote the civic, economic, and linguistic integration of immigrants and refugees in the United States. My experience as a Cuban American informs my interest in global migration and U.S. immigration law.

Publications and Features

 

MPI Policy Brief: Understanding Obstacles to Foreign Qualification Recognition for Key U.S. Early Childhood Education and Care Positions

By Alexis Fintland, Margie McHugh, and Maki Park

This policy brief examines this issue of skill underutilization within ECEC systems, analyzing foreign qualification recognition policies for key ECEC positions in the 20 states with the largest immigrant populations. It looks at both early childhood teaching positions, for which a college degree is typically a prerequisite, and child-care or day-care positions, for which a high school diploma or equivalent is generally required. The brief highlights policy elements that create difficult (and at times unnecessary) obstacles as well as actions that states can take to ensure their ECEC hiring and licensing processes smartly, fairly, and expeditiously assess the education and other qualifications of potential workers.

 

MPI Commentary: Apprenticeship Programs Are a Promising Solution to Bring More Multilingual Workers into Early Childhood Field

By Jacob Hofstetter, Alexis Fintland, and Maki Park

Shortages of workers continue to plague early childhood education and care (ECEC) systems across the United States. With the field already struggling to effectively serve young children in families that speak languages other than English, apprenticeship programs offer a promising solution to bring more—and more multilingual—workers into early childhood careers.

 

Cornell Daily Sun: This Women’s History Month, Support Local Ithaca Women

By Alexis Fintland

This Women’s History Month, let’s celebrate the major milestones that women continue to achieve while reflecting on the many unjust obstacles and struggles endured by those who came before us. Additionally, we must take swift action to address the many unresolved gender equality issues that have been exacerbated by COVID-19’s catastrophic consequences.

La ULL recibe a tres profesoras del programa Fulbright que desarrollarán acciones de asistencia lingüística

By Universidad de La Laguna

Desde 2017, la Universidad de La Laguna colabora con el Programa Fulbright en diferentes acciones de docencia e investigación gracias a las cuales profesorado estadounidense realiza estancias en la institución académica durante varios meses o, incluso, un curso completo. Una de ellas es el ‘Programa de auxiliares de conversación en lengua inglesa‘, que incorpora asistentes para apoyar la internacionalización de la comunidad universitaria. Esta semana se han incorporado al centro Alexis Fintland, Maddy Hull y Chelsea Lebron, quienes desarrollaran diferentes actividades dirigidas a toda la comunidad universitaria para fomentar el uso del inglés.

 

Columbia Undergrad Law Review: Seeking Asylum Under Title 42: Weaponizing Public Health Law to Expel Migrants at The Border

By Alexis Fintland

In Seeking Asylum Under Title 42: Weaponizing Public Health Law to Expel Migrants at The Border, Alexis Fintland offers insight into the evolution of immigration law as it concerns epidemics and other public health emergencies. Fintland invokes this historical foundation, coupled with specifc focus on the appellate decision in Huisha-Huisha v Mayorkas, to argue that Title 42 violates the non-refoulement principle and should therefore be struck down.

 

Einaudi Center for International Studies: Advice for the Class of 2023

By Mario Einaudi CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDIES at Cornell University

A year after their graduation, some of our past undergraduate Migrations scholars share advice for the class of 2023!

 

INSIGHT into Diversity: National Hispanic Heritage Month Q&A

By INSIGHT Staff

Each year, National Hispanic Heritage Month offers the opportunity to celebrate the culture and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx people in the U.S. This year’s theme, Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation, is meant to showcase the diversity of this population.  

In observance of this important celebration, INSIGHT recently spoke with several Hispanic and Latinx members of the higher education community about their unique experiences and what Hispanic Heritage Month means to them.