IM4HI and our special guests from Grassroots Reparations Campaign discuss the Reparations movement in the United States. The time is now for people who have benefited and continue to benefit from the blood, sweat, and tears, and free labor of enslaved people to atone for these past and enduring harms.
Learn how you and your faith community can take practical steps and embody tools to model reparative justice as a praxis in your congregation or faith group and to engage wider communities in learning about concrete ways to make Reparations owed to African-Americans a fulfilled promise.
Agenda:
Welcome & Centering
IM4HI-Values and Mission
Framing the Issue: Mr. Rod Wright & Rev. Larry Foy
Modeling Reparative Justice As Spiritual Practice: Ms. Donna Perkins
Dr. David Ragland, “Reparations is More than Writing a Check”
Among many immigrant communities in the Bay Area, Filipinx are deeply impacted by inhumane immigration and criminal legal policies and practices. Many Filipinx migrate and settle in under-resourced and over-policed neighborhoods, lacking culturally-relevant services, and funneling youth into the prison system. In addition, inhumane immigration policies create extensive wait-lists, separating families for decades, forcing many to migrate without documentation. The Filipinx community is impacted by the twin systems of immigration and incarceration.
In an effort to deepen the engagement of the Filipinx community and visibilize the impact among our kasama, IM4HI has been creating spaces for the Filipinx faith community, those directly impacted, and allies to collectively work together. Learn more about how we are engaging below, and read our blog post about Filipinx American History Month by Gala King, IM4HI Northern California Regional Director.
Kasama ng Kalayaan Collective
In 2020, with the leadership of directly impacted kasamas, Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, launched the collective, Kasama ng Kalayaan translates to “together for freedom.” Kalayaan collective was formed to provide a space to organize for the liberation and healing of Filipinx impacted by systems of immigration detention, deportation, and incarceration. Members include reps from: IM4HI, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, Asian Prisoner Support Committee, along with faith leaders, students, and directly impacted leaders and family members.
Filipinx Faith Organizing
Filipinx faith leaders are integral to this effort, providing accompaniment to kasama who are seeking asylum in the Bay Area, or resettling after immigrant detention and incarceration. Together we are creating space to deepen cultural and faith traditions for the liberation of kasama.
Ways to get involved
Join our panel during the USF Critical Migration Studies Conference. “Kalayaan: Liberating and healing the Filipinx community from immigration detention and mass incarceration” – November 2, 2021, 1:50pm
Join a virtual vigil for International Human Rights Day. Kalayaan at Kapayapaan: Stories of Resistance and Prayers of Resilience. December 9, 2021. RSVP: bit.ly/FilipinxVigilDec9-RSVP
Join our Kasama ng Kalayaan collective. Join our space to organize for the liberation, healing, and of our kasama impacted by immigration detention, deportation, and incarceration! Sign up here: bit.ly/kasama-ng-kalayaan
Stop the deportation of kasama Estelito Adiova! See the toolkit for what actions to take
Donate to the IM4HI Migrant & Prisoner Emergency Support Fund
Over the past five years, individuals like you have donated over $30,000 through our Migrant & Prisoner Emergency Support Fund. This fund covers emergencies when immigrants we accompany have no safety net. In this time of Shelter-in-Place, Jorge*, his wife Celeste*, and their niece Suni* are all out of work. They all already worked paycheck to paycheck– Jorge in construction, Celeste with a restaurant night shift, and Suni cleaning houses. This immigrant family, like others, now have no way to earn an income, and no safety net to support their daily expenses and bills. Even before the crisis, they and other families we accompany could not qualify most government resources, and they likely won’t qualify for any relief package that is to come.
We care about them–they are valuable and worthy of relief. Our human connection and real provision through the Migrant & Prisoner Emergency Support Fund could be the lifeline they are looking for. You can be in solidarity with them by donating to theMigrant & Prisoner Emergency Support Fund.
Our Nueva Esperanza Accompaniment Teams are part of the safety net for families like Jorge, Celeste, and Suni. The accompaniment teams empower families to be self-sufficient in looking for resources in the local community, and can also fundraise through own congregation for emergencies. Still, it is hard to cover so many expenses. Thankfully, our Migrant & Prisoner Emergency Support Fund can supplement these efforts to provide a safety net. Thank you for all the ways you are supporting our most vulnerable in our communities and take care of them during this difficult time!
Questions? Please contact Kelly Younger, Nueva Esperanza Accompaniment Program Coordinator at kyounger@im4humanintegrity.org
