In San Francisco, in 1936, immigrants and their children made up 61% of the population, and the city’s signature diversity was reflected in the Institute’s client population at the time: 12% were Chinese, 11% Filipino, 14% Greek, 17% Russian, and 16% Mexican. IIBA helped newcomers access jobs and education, as well as childcare programs, offering…

In August of 1918, the Institute opened its doors for the first time. The original seeds of the International Institute germinated in the Field Offices of the YWCA, as Edith Terry Bremer, head of the YWCA’s Department of Immigration and Foreign Communities, recognized a need for specialized services and activities for recently arrived, non-English speaking…