Immigrant and Refugee Rights Advocacy Day:
Organized by the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network.
See video of the Olympia City Council proclaiming its support for Immigrant and Refugee Rights Advocacy Day here.
Learn about some of the participants--who they are and why they came.
My husband is a DACA recipient. I'm working to keep my family safe. I support WAISN's Rapid Response Project to help immigrants facing detention stay legally in the U.S. I want our government to keep doing the right thing.
University Prep High School, Seattle: We founded a Global Action club in our high school. We are working to spread awareness of the problems immigrants face. We are here, together with our teacher, because we want to take action and bring our experiences back to our school. Three of us have immigrant family members, and we want them to feel safe. We want our voices to be heard--our legislators need to listen to young people, because we are the future. We support Courts Open to All and Ban Private Prisons.
Casa Latina, Seattle: I am here because I want my voice, and the voices of my fellow workers, to be heard. I would like people to know about the benefits of the work that I and other immigrant workers do. Before I started at Casa Latina, I had a job where I worked cleaning houses 12 hours a day and at the end of the week, my employer gave me $350. That is unjust! Then I worked for an agency; they sent me to many different houses to clean and I didn't even have bathroom breaks. At Casa Latina we have respect. I support the bill called Courts Open to All.
Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Jefferson County:
Our immigrant rights group has a rapid response team to help in emergencies. We partner with the Kitsap County Immigrant Assistance Center to help people find legal help. We also offer funding to individuals in need. We serve the entire Olympic Peninsula. We are here to learn more about the bills before the legislature.
Steven Gonzalez, State Supreme Court Justice: Each person should have their case heard on its merit. Courthouses should be open to all and should be free from fear. They should be open and available to everyone regardless of immigration status. We share your concern for justice for all.
Congregation Beth Shalom, Seattle
Our congregation has an immigrant and refugee security team. We are part of and fully support a multi-faith effort to provide home hospitality to match immigrant asylum-seekers with places to stay. Today, I understand more of how unsafe the lives of individual immigrants and their families can be here. I was surprised to learn how many aspects of life make people fearful.
The Church Council of Greater Seattle
My father is an immigrant and he is afraid to renew his driver’s license. I am a paralegal and I see that most of my immigrant clients are afraid. We need to ensure that all immigrants have safe access to the courts. It is uplifting to be here and to be close to each other as family.
Thanks to the Community Sustaining Fund of Thurston County, Washington State Labor Council, Olympia Food Co-op and Batdorf and Bronson for their generous support.
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