Author: Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity

Pilgrimage for Liberation: Adelanto and Mesa Verde Detention Centers

Post author By Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity
Post date March 4, 2020

Despite an important legislative victory to ban the operation of for-profit prisons and detention centers in California, private prison company GEO and Immigration Customs and Enforcement are violating federal law and circumventing state laws as they seek to nearly double immigration detention beds in California by repurposing CDCR prisons into detention centers.

This April, in the midst of a season of holy days: Jewish Passover, Christian Lent and Holy Week, Muslim Ramadan, Buddhist Hanamatsuri, we are calling all faiths and all people to join us for a Pilgrimage for Liberation, April 9-10, 2020. We are calling for an end to for-profit prisons and detention centers and for the liberation of those held captive as we journey to five for-profit prisons and detention centers from McFarland to Adelanto.

Pilgrimage Flyer – Southern California – printable PDF Download

Pilgrimage Flyer – Northern California – printable PDF Download

Pilgrimage Itinerary

(times are subject to change)

THURSDAY, APRIL 9
7 am | Depart Oakland on a bus.
12:30 pm | Lunch in McFarland and meeting with local organizers.
2 pm | Faith Ritual & Press Conference @ McFarland City Council: 401 W Kern Ave, McFarland, CA 93250
5 pm | Gather at Mill Creek Central Park: 500 19th St, Bakersfield, CA 93301 for Procession to Mesa Verde ICE Detention Center for Vigil
7 pm | Dinner and Meeting with Mesa Verde organizers and families
Overnight Stay

From Southern California: Carpools will be coordinated from LA and the Inland Empire.
From the Bay Area: For those joining the chartered bus from the Bay Area, we have a suggested donation of $150 to cover the cost of bus and our communal meals. Partial and full subsidies will be made available upon request.

Click Here to Register for the Pilgrimage

Prayer Vigil at Adelanto

We are inviting all faiths and all people to come together for an Interfaith Vigil for Liberation on Friday, April 10, 2020 at the Adelanto Immigration Detention Facility, one of the largest detention facilities in the country that has just approved plans to expand to incarcerate 2,700 of our brothers and sisters.

This interfaith vigil is the final stop of the Pilgrimage for Liberation, where our Bay Area community will join our Southern California partners. Come be a part of this sacred journey with us bearing witness to the suffering and calling forth a new vision where everyone is beloved and no one profits of suffering.

Join us to learn and bear witness. Pray with families of those captive inside so that they know they are not alone but are joined in solidarity by all races and faiths. Pray for officials to convert from an economy of incarceration to an economy of liberation.

Come be a part of this sacred journey with us to speak truth and call forth a new vision where everyone is sacred and no one profits from suffering.

Updates

Faith-Rooted Organizing for Liberation: Webinar Series

Post author By Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity
Post date January 28, 2020

In our vision of a world without bars and borders, the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity continues to work at the intersection of immigration detention and mass incarceration. In 2020 we are focusing on three statewide campaigns, and we invite all faith communities across California to join us!

In Spring 2020 we hosted a series of webinars on our faith-rooted organizing methodology, and how we apply it to our three statewide campaigns:

January 28 – Ban private prisons in California (AB32 campaign)
April 24 – Stop the Collaboration Between ICE and Our Prisons and Jails (VISION Act, AB 2596)
May 15 – End Private Prisons in California (AB 32 Implementation)
May 29 – Ending “Life Without Parole”

Webinar slides and recordings are below.

May 29: Faith-Rooted Organizing to End “Life Without Parole”

What is the theological meaning of with Life Without Parole?
In this webinar, we will uplift stories from people formerly incarcerated who will share their experience of being sentenced with Life Without Parole, how they survived and how faith helped sustain them. We will also hear reflections from faith leaders on why Life Without Parole must end from an interfaith and moral perspective.
Join us in learning how faith can help shift the narrative of Life Without Parole.
We will be joined by our partner organization, FUEL, Families United to End Life Without Parole.

May 29: Faith-Rooted Organizing to End “Life Without Parole”

May 15: Faith-Rooted Organizing and the Decarceration Movement

How do we implement laws to close private prisons and immigration detention in CA? The faith community has urgently advocated for the liberation of people from prison and immigration detention centers. When we battle against the giant systems of criminal justice, ICE, and private-prison industries, where do we find hope when we experience fatigue? Learn about the role of faith communities in re-imagining organizing.

May 15: Faith-Rooted Organizing and the Decarceration Movement

Apr 24: Faith-Rooted Organizing to Stop the Collaboration between ICE and Prisons

View the webinar recording about the VISION Act (AB 2596 – Bonta) below. View the webinar slides here, and the fact sheet here.

Jan 28: Faith-Rooted Organizing to Ban Privately-Owned Prisons

View the January 28 webinar recording about the AB32 campaign below, and the January 28 webinar slides online here.

NEAT Stories

Volunteer Opportunity: Nueva Esperanza Preschool

Post author By Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity
Post date January 13, 2020

Immigrant Preschool Looking for Volunteers

Born out of an Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity NEAT (Nueva Esperanza Accompaniment Team) in 2015, the Nueva Esperanza Sunday Preschool uniquely serves children from the indigenous Mam culture from Guatemala, ages 3-5 years. Volunteers prepare the children to learn English and enter kindergarten by engaging the children through play, art, story time. The volunteers want the children to feel loved and welcomed while applauding the fact that they are quickly becoming trilingual. Nueva Esperanza Preschool is currently in need of volunteers to keep this preschool thriving. If you would like to volunteer at least one Sunday a month, from 3-5 in the Fruitvale District of Oakland, CA, please email Mirtha Ninayahuar (a former NEAT team member!) at mirthan@sbcglobal.net

PDF Flyer: Immigrant-Preschool-Looking-for-Volunteers Download

PDF Flyer: Preescolar-para-Inmigrantes-Busca-Voluntarios Download

About Nueva Esperanza (New Hope) Sunday Preschool

Nueva Esperanza Sunday Preschool in the Fruitvale District of Oakland, CA works to prepare children from the indigenous Guatemalan Mam culture, ages 3-5, to enter U.S. schools at the Kindergarten/First Grade level with at least average levels of expected knowledge that will enable them to receive and benefit from the curriculum in kindergarten.

The preschool volunteers work with the children on the English language, early literacy concepts, early math concepts, and names of colors and shapes. We have story time, music activities led by a music teacher, as well as playtime and art. We provide healthful snacks, toothbrush kits, books and book bags. Our graduating children receive backpacks with school supplies.

Our purpose is to engage with the children to show them that they are loved and welcomed and applaud the fact that they are quickly becoming trilingual.

The preschool meets every Sunday from 3-5 at the Iglesia de Dios (Church of God) at 4500 International Blvd.

Financial Support

In 2015 the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity’s, Reverend Deborah Lee; First Congregational Church of Berkley member, Dr. Victoria Purcell- Gates; Skyline Community Church Co-chair of Justice & Witness, Mirtha Ninayahuar; and Iglesia de Dios Pastor, Adolfo Gomez, applied for and received a Rainin Foundation grant focused on supporting language and literacy development for Oakland’s children 0-5 years old at places of worship.

The First Congregational Church of Berkeley provides funds for preschool supplies. In 2019, the United Church of Christ and the United Lutheran Church of Oakland awarded grants to the preschool. Donations in the form of school supplies and snacks are also received from the faith community and volunteers.