How to Help – Information, Events, & Organizations
Recent changes to our nation’s immigration policy have caused fear and panic within our immigrant communities and resulted in the confirmed detainment of at least five immigrants in Oregon who do not have criminal records aside from the offense of entering the country illegally.
SE Uplift is committed to supporting our immigrant neighbors and a community that is welcoming to all. As a follow-up to our article last month on fighting hate from a position of privilege, we’ve created the following resource list for neighborhood associations, community groups, and individual community members who are interested in supporting the rights of our immigrant and refugee neighbors, providing educational resources about how immigrants and refugees can protect themselves, and learning more about how to get involved in these important issues.
Informational Resources:
- Latino Network has put together a resource page that includes a referral list for immigration attorneys, a handout for parents on how to support their children post-election, and a toolkit on creating a family preparedness plan.
- The Immigrant Defense Project has numerous community resources in multiple languages including an ICE raids toolkit, a know your rights flyer, and a list of community actions to stop deportation.
- United We Dream provides a great know your rights card as well as political education resources and information on the DACA program.
- The Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice has four resource pages on their website: resources for the immigrant community, resources for faith communities, resources for sanctuary supporters, and resources for advocacy and education.
- The ACLU of Oregon has know your rights wallet cards in multiple languages, provides know your rights workshops, and a hotline and app for reporting ICE activity in Oregon.
- AFSC has a know your rights booklet that’s also a great resource.
Events in March
- March 4th: Know Your Rights Workshop
- March 6th: March for a Permanent Home for Day Laborers
- March 6th: ICE Out of Oregon Rally
- March 8th: Know Your Rights Community Forum
- March 11th: Conversation Project – The Space Between Us
- March 14th: Policy Network – Mass Incarceration and Deportations
- March 14th: Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice Monthly Meeting
- March 17th: Portlanders Stand with Refugees and Immigrants
- March 28th: Fierce Love – Interrupting Hate in Private & Public Spaces
Groups to Follow:
- Unite Oregon filed suit against the immigration ban. They also recently started fundraising for their Hayaan Project, which works to train and support new immigrant and refugee leaders, provide direct legal assistance, mobilize allies, and fight back against public policy. Subscribe to their email list, attend their events, and promote their work building unified intercultural movements for justice.
- ACLU Oregon has been organizing legal resources and fighting the recent immigration ban through lawsuits.
- Voz Hispana Cambio Comunitario and Milenio have been working together to organize events focused on immigrant justice including rallies, storytelling events, and policy workshops.
- Voz Workers’ Rights Education Project is a worker-led organization that empowers immigrants and day laborers to gain control over their working conditions through leadership development, organizing, and community education.
- Latino Network promotes social change by cultivating the power of the Latino community in Oregon through education and civic leadership.
- Portland AFSC Project Voice Immigrant Rights Program provides Know Your Rights workshops in Oregon and Washington and develops new leaders by providing in-depth training and capacity building support for immigrant groups seeking to develop skills in strategic planning, community organizing and policy advocacy.
- Muslim Educational Trust works to enrich the public’s understanding of Islam and dispel common myths and stereotypes, while serving the Muslim community’s educational, social, and spiritual needs. They recently hosted an event which brought together over 1000 community members to discuss civil liberties in light of the recent immigration ban.
- Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization is encouraging everyone to get involved by calling their federal representatives, volunteering with their programs, and staying informed. They recently published a helpful Take Action list.
- Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon is working closely with the One Oregon coalition to fight against anti-immigrant and refugee rhetoric and policies.
- MACG – Alianza Metropolitana para el Bien Común is the Metropolitan Alliance for Common Good’s latino issues action team which is charged with exploring solutions to current challenges facing the Portland area’s Latino community.
- PCUN-Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (Northwest Treeplanters and Farmworkers United), is Oregon’s farmworkers union and largest Latino organization in the state. www.pcun.org
Thank you for helping to build a caring and welcoming Portland!