STAYING HOME - ADVOCATING AT A DISTANCE!

'LAST YEAR I WAS IN TUCSON, ARIZONA WORKING AT SHELTERS AND VOLUNTEERING WITH SEVERAL HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS-THE PHOTO IS ME PROMOTING MY BOOK, CHOICES: DEATH, LIFE AND MIGRATION AT AN IMMIGRATION ISSUES FAIR IN SAHUARITA, ARIZONA. (Still available through Amazon or contact me)
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NOW - I AM AT HOME LIKE MANY OTHERS DUE TO COVID 19.  QUESTION:  HOW CAN ONE ADVOCATE FROM HOME?

It's definitely lonelier and harder to tell if my actions are making a difference.  I miss the energy of the community of activists when we gathered for the monthly vigil outside the Portland, Oregon ICE office.  The last vigil was February 27,  a clear, cold day with just a handful of witnesses outside ICE.   

Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice (Imirj); American Friends Service Committee Project Voice Oregon, the Innovation Law Lab among others organized a campaign to convince the Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Martha Walter to make permanent the ruling from last November prohibiting ICE from making arrests in county courthouses.  The petitions and letters went to the Oregon Trial Rules Committee.  Decision pending

OREGON WORKERS RELIEF FUND:  Other advocacy this past month was to convince Oregon State legislators (not in session) to vote funding from the state's Emergency Board to assist Oregon workers who do not qualify for the federal governments COVID relief checks.  The Oregon Emergency Board allocated $10 million to this special fund.  Yeah!  Kudos to my two State representatives: Rob Nosse and State Senator Kathleen Taylor.  The process by which these funds will become available is in process.  The funds will be distribute to local culturally appropriate organizations working with farm workers, day laborers and others who pay taxes but cannot/do not receive the federal checks.

As a volunteer with the AFSC Project Voice Oregon we made the difficult decision to cancel our annual concert friend/fundraiser this past weekend.  Pedro Sosa is working with several Latinx community organizations to provide masks, food and COVID 19 health information in Spanish, Quiche and Mam languages.  In addition, he has done programs about health care access on local Spanish speaking stations.

As for the accompaniment work that I have done for the past four years, no hay mas!  It's not happening due to social distancing.  Some ICE court hearings continue but ICE itself is not doing face to face check-ins.  The situation in detention centers is very bad and there are several campaigns to pressure DHS to close and to free detainees using ankle bracelets to track persons. www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/may/8/first-positive-covid-result-at-northwest-immigrati/ for story about Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington

Like others who don't really need the federal government's COVID checks, I decided to donate my $1200 to various immigrant justice organizations as well as a personal friend who is not eligible.   Here are some organizations to consider for a donation:

Florence Immigrant and Refugee Project (ARizona)
Kino Border Initiative (Arizona/Mexico)
American Friends Service Committee - COVID 19 Appeal
​AFSC Project Voice Oregon
Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice - a portion of the funds go to Oregon Worker Relief Fund
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On a personal note I am studying French long distance via Zoom with my sister Connie and our French teacher who lives in Normandy - staying at home as well.  I spent three months last fall in France and was able to learn about French organization work with refugees from Africa and the Middle East.  I currently serve on the International Program Executive Committee with AFSC and have been working on a strategic plan on displacement and migration.  Yes, still busy but working and living at a distance.  A virtual hug to all of you staying in place but acting for justice where you are!  

IMIRJ SEDER VIGIL OUTSIDE ICE IN APRIL 2019

PAT AT HOME - THE MASKED ACTIVIST!