The WEEKEND: Brought to you by Organized Labor.
Remember MayDay!!
May 1st is International Labor Day. Established as a commemoration of the Haymarket Massacre in Chicago, 1886, May Day has since then been a pivotal time for recognizing labor’s achievements and voicing grievances. For over a century, MayDay has been honored, and is even a national holiday in over 50 countries.
In 2006, May 1st was chosen as the day to recognize the contributions of immigrants in the United States, bring attention to exploitative conditions and demand respect and dignity from work places to civil society. On this day there was a general strike to protest H.R. 4437, an immigration reform legislation that would have had devastating consequences. The millions of demonstrators on this day communicated a powerful message: We are here, even if you don’t see us everyday, and demand recognition.
This year, there is a national call to action in response to the extremely repressive bill passed in Arizona: SB1070 written by state Senator Pearce. This bill gives police further authority to determine people’s immigration status based only on “reasonable suspicion” that they are undocumented. Doesn’t “SHOW ME YOUR PAPERS” sound facist to you?? Keep alert to developments around this and find a way to express your disgust.
Also, keep alert to staff conditions and demands here in Western Massachusetts and right here on these five college campuses. The time is now for workers to feel safe voicing complaints and demands.
TODAY, MAY 1ST, ON INTERNATIONAL LABOR DAY, TAKE TIME TO APPRECIATE THE STRUGGLES WORKERS HAVE ENGAGED IN FOR CENTURIES AND HOW MUCH THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR WORLD.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Emergency Response needed to SB1070
Hi friends,
As many of you have heard, the Arizona state legislature just approved the toughest and most devastating anti-immigrant bill in the country, written by state Sen. Pearce, which would give police further authority to determine people's immigration status - pull over, question or detain anyone - based on "reasonable suspicion" that they are undocumented. In addition to the blatant legalization of racial profiling, this will further strengthen what is increasingly a police state for immigrants.
While the bill has passed the state legislature, Governor Brewer has not yet signed this bill into law. The governor has three days to either veto, sign or let it pass into law without action.
*First, please go to this link and and tell Gov. Brewer to VETO THIS BILL NOW! http://presente.org/campaigns/arizona
*Second, if you are in New York, let's all show the folks in Arizona resisting sb1070 that we are with them. This Friday there will be an EMERGENCY PROTEST in front of the Varick Detention Center in Manhattan from 4:30 - 6pm. Make signs, make noise, and turn out with other people. Details below.
Finally, for a glimpse at the resistance in Arizona, check out this video of students who chained themselves to the Arizona State Capitol in protest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW3jD-P7JPs
As many of you have heard, the Arizona state legislature just approved the toughest and most devastating anti-immigrant bill in the country, written by state Sen. Pearce, which would give police further authority to determine people's immigration status - pull over, question or detain anyone - based on "reasonable suspicion" that they are undocumented. In addition to the blatant legalization of racial profiling, this will further strengthen what is increasingly a police state for immigrants.
While the bill has passed the state legislature, Governor Brewer has not yet signed this bill into law. The governor has three days to either veto, sign or let it pass into law without action.
*First, please go to this link and and tell Gov. Brewer to VETO THIS BILL NOW! http://presente.org/campaigns/arizona
*Second, if you are in New York, let's all show the folks in Arizona resisting sb1070 that we are with them. This Friday there will be an EMERGENCY PROTEST in front of the Varick Detention Center in Manhattan from 4:30 - 6pm. Make signs, make noise, and turn out with other people. Details below.
Finally, for a glimpse at the resistance in Arizona, check out this video of students who chained themselves to the Arizona State Capitol in protest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW3jD-P7JPs
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Otro Mundo es Posible
6pm, April 22nd, O'Conner Commons, Amherst College.
A panel discussion on detention centers, sanctuary status and comprehensive immigration reform, as well as Arizona's strident push for anti-immigrant legislation.
Come hear community organizer and co-founder of the New Sanctuary Movement Juan Carlos Ruiz discuss the importance of sanctuary status and comprehensive immigration reform.
Active Amherst students Gloria Martinez, Melissa Bejarano, Kenneth Sentamu, Summer Frost, and Luis Feliz will share their experiences at the March for America mass rally in Washington, D.C. on March 21, 2010.
After the discussion, please stick around to hear about how you can get involved locally with the multi-campus organization ISWI. Food from Veracruzana restaurant will be served.
A panel discussion on detention centers, sanctuary status and comprehensive immigration reform, as well as Arizona's strident push for anti-immigrant legislation.
Come hear community organizer and co-founder of the New Sanctuary Movement Juan Carlos Ruiz discuss the importance of sanctuary status and comprehensive immigration reform.
Active Amherst students Gloria Martinez, Melissa Bejarano, Kenneth Sentamu, Summer Frost, and Luis Feliz will share their experiences at the March for America mass rally in Washington, D.C. on March 21, 2010.
After the discussion, please stick around to hear about how you can get involved locally with the multi-campus organization ISWI. Food from Veracruzana restaurant will be served.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Minutes from Meeting on April 16th
ISWI Meeting: April 16, 2O1O
Time Effectiveness at Meetings
- Sub-committees:
1. Early Summer Research Committee (legal resources, lawyers for the ordinance)
2. Outreach/Media Committee (compiling a master list of contacts with students, faculty, townspeople, etc., and attached to each name, include notes explaining what they have done, ex: Basler- Sociology professor at Amherst and spoke at the April 1st Hampshire Panel); (handling the media aspects of the group such as the blog, website, Facebook, etc.)
3. Events Committee
- Agenda: opening it up to membership to add/make suggestions to the agenda for meetings via e-mail; goal is to keep the discussions more focused
- Compile all the minutes of our past meetings and quickly run down everything so we can all be on the same page
- Q&A formatted discussion so all members can give input, we can all listen to the different perspectives of every member, of every level of participation
- Worker's Rights Workshop on May 7th @ Hampshire
- Dinner & Banner-Making before May Day: discuss structure and plans for next year
- May Day: set up a table in downtown Amherst to speak to local people, hand out cards with our contact info
Time Effectiveness at Meetings
- Sub-committees:
1. Early Summer Research Committee (legal resources, lawyers for the ordinance)
2. Outreach/Media Committee (compiling a master list of contacts with students, faculty, townspeople, etc., and attached to each name, include notes explaining what they have done, ex: Basler- Sociology professor at Amherst and spoke at the April 1st Hampshire Panel); (handling the media aspects of the group such as the blog, website, Facebook, etc.)
3. Events Committee
- Agenda: opening it up to membership to add/make suggestions to the agenda for meetings via e-mail; goal is to keep the discussions more focused
- Compile all the minutes of our past meetings and quickly run down everything so we can all be on the same page
- Q&A formatted discussion so all members can give input, we can all listen to the different perspectives of every member, of every level of participation
- Worker's Rights Workshop on May 7th @ Hampshire
- Dinner & Banner-Making before May Day: discuss structure and plans for next year
- May Day: set up a table in downtown Amherst to speak to local people, hand out cards with our contact info
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Torn Apart by Deportation
Color Lines, the national newsmagazine on race and politics, published this article in October, 2009. Read the full article here:
http://www.colorlines.com/article.php?ID=618.
http://www.colorlines.com/article.php?ID=618.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Upcoming Immigration-Related Events
**courtesy of the Immigrant and Worker Rights Coalition (wmciwr@lists.riseup.net)
April 12-15
Five College Tour: How Democracy Works Now. Come see these sneak previews of a new, multi-part documentary on immigration reform: "How Democracy Works Now," by Shari Robertson and Michael Camerini. For more information go to http://www.howdemocracyworksnow.com/home
* Monday, April 12th. 7pm. Smith College, Stoddard Auditorium: The Game is On
* Tuesday, April 13th. 4pm. Amherst College, Merrill 3: Mountains and Clouds
* Tuesday, April 13th. 7:30pm. Hampshire College, Main Lecture Hall: Marking Up the Dream
* Wednesday, April 14th. 4:30pm, UMass, 106 Thompson Hall: The Kids Across the Hill
* Thursday, April 15th. 7pm. Amherst Cinema: Last Best Chance
Tuesday April 20 - 7:00 pm at Traprock, 22 Miles St. Greenfield, MA
Screening of the film "Children in No Man's Land"
Presented by the Immigrant and Worker Rights Coalition (IWRC)
This film tells the story of the 100,000 children who risk their lives every year alone, trying to get into the United States. Come see and hear the untold story of these and other undocumented children. A discussion will follow the screening.
(TENTATIVE) May 9th Springfield, MA
Fundraiser for Immigrants: Help immigrants in Springfield raise money for The Pioneer Valley Project's food campaign and for people in crisis. There will be food, music and raffles.
May 21-30, Thorns Marketplace Basement, Northampton, MA
Of Borders and Bridges: Complex Identities in Education
Sponsored by Commonwealth Center for Change
This project is a multimedia artistic and academic venture by artist Katie Richardson, exploring how diversity and belonging are constructed and contested in public education and how this impacts people as individuals and as a nation.
April 12-15
Five College Tour: How Democracy Works Now. Come see these sneak previews of a new, multi-part documentary on immigration reform: "How Democracy Works Now," by Shari Robertson and Michael Camerini. For more information go to http://www.howdemocracyworksnow.com/home
* Monday, April 12th. 7pm. Smith College, Stoddard Auditorium: The Game is On
* Tuesday, April 13th. 4pm. Amherst College, Merrill 3: Mountains and Clouds
* Tuesday, April 13th. 7:30pm. Hampshire College, Main Lecture Hall: Marking Up the Dream
* Wednesday, April 14th. 4:30pm, UMass, 106 Thompson Hall: The Kids Across the Hill
* Thursday, April 15th. 7pm. Amherst Cinema: Last Best Chance
Tuesday April 20 - 7:00 pm at Traprock, 22 Miles St. Greenfield, MA
Screening of the film "Children in No Man's Land"
Presented by the Immigrant and Worker Rights Coalition (IWRC)
This film tells the story of the 100,000 children who risk their lives every year alone, trying to get into the United States. Come see and hear the untold story of these and other undocumented children. A discussion will follow the screening.
(TENTATIVE) May 9th Springfield, MA
Fundraiser for Immigrants: Help immigrants in Springfield raise money for The Pioneer Valley Project's food campaign and for people in crisis. There will be food, music and raffles.
May 21-30, Thorns Marketplace Basement, Northampton, MA
Of Borders and Bridges: Complex Identities in Education
Sponsored by Commonwealth Center for Change
This project is a multimedia artistic and academic venture by artist Katie Richardson, exploring how diversity and belonging are constructed and contested in public education and how this impacts people as individuals and as a nation.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
April 1st Panel Video!!
This was a panel on detention centers, the politics of documentation, the local context for immigrant communities including organizing currently underway, and why Sanctuary Status is crucially important. Presenters included
--William Cano: Community organizer with the Alliance to Develop Power, a Western Massachusetts organization undertaking a set of bold initiatives in community organizing, civic engagement, cooperative economic development, and community building activities. Visit www.a-dp.org
--Carleen Basler: Assistant Professor of American Studies and Sociology, Amherst College, currently teaching Borderlands and Barrios: Latino/a Representation in Film and Television.
--Flavio Risech-Ozeguera: Associate Professor of Law and Ethnic Studies, Hampshire College, currently teaching Border Matters: Mexico and the United States
--Chris Tinson: Associate Professor of African American Studies, Hampshire College, has taught Warfare in the American Homeland: Policing, Imprisonment and the Politics of Control. He will be available to answer questions about racial profiling, detention and much more.
A big big thank you to Nicola Chavez-Courtright for filming and uploading all of this!!
Here's the video::::
For the rest of the Q & A session, search for "In Solidarity with Immigrants 4/1 Panel- Hampshire College" and see parts 7,8 and 9.
--William Cano: Community organizer with the Alliance to Develop Power, a Western Massachusetts organization undertaking a set of bold initiatives in community organizing, civic engagement, cooperative economic development, and community building activities. Visit www.a-dp.org
--Carleen Basler: Assistant Professor of American Studies and Sociology, Amherst College, currently teaching Borderlands and Barrios: Latino/a Representation in Film and Television.
--Flavio Risech-Ozeguera: Associate Professor of Law and Ethnic Studies, Hampshire College, currently teaching Border Matters: Mexico and the United States
--Chris Tinson: Associate Professor of African American Studies, Hampshire College, has taught Warfare in the American Homeland: Policing, Imprisonment and the Politics of Control. He will be available to answer questions about racial profiling, detention and much more.
A big big thank you to Nicola Chavez-Courtright for filming and uploading all of this!!
Here's the video::::
For the rest of the Q & A session, search for "In Solidarity with Immigrants 4/1 Panel- Hampshire College" and see parts 7,8 and 9.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
April 1st Panel and Workshop Update
So, the panel on April 1st was really great and, it was filmed so anyone who wasn't able to come in person can watch the video! This blog is this group’s public facet, an open resource, that members should feel free to add to.
April 8th at Amherst College::::: Juan Carlos Ruiz, director of the New Sanctuary Movement, will be speaking. More info coming soon.
On the April 1st panel were professors Flavio Risech and Carleen Basler as well as William Cano of the Alliance to Develop Power. First I want to write up some things we learned from William’s “Know Your Rights” workshop. This was a succinct, informative workshop that we can offer again sometime soon. I have several resources that William passed out that are in English and Spanish that I could scan and make available. Here are some major points:
1. The right to remain silent. This one is major. Refuse to answer questions and do not lie.
2. The right to refuse entry to your home. Do not open the door. Ask the officer to slip the warrant under the door. The warrant needs to be signed by a judge and have your name on it if the officers are asking for you.
3. The right to know the charges against you. You must be charged with a crime within 48 hours of arrest. You should not be arrested without evidence of committing a crime.
4. The right to an attorney. Say “I need to speak to a lawyer.” This is a good time to pull out the “Know Your Rights” card that William passed out which says in English and Spanish that the card presenter is going to remain silent, not answer any questions, and require the presence of an attorney.
5. The right to a phone call.
6. The right to call your consulant. This is the only agency representing undocumented immigrants in this country and so this constitutes a second phone call that many are entitled to but may not know it.
7. The right to ask for a bond. Sometimes detainees are waiting for deportation when they could ask for a bond, pay it if they are able, and get out of prison.
8. The right to refuse to sign documents. Do not sign anything! Under pressure, you could be unintentionally signing your own pre-deportation paperwork!
Basically, it is ok to say your real name but DON’T SAY ANYTHING ELSE.
These are all rights that apply to individuals within the confines of the United States, regardless of documentation levels. These rights are crucially important for people to know, and it is also crucially important that we as a group, In Solidarity With Immigrants, find out how these rights get violated and we get organized!!!
The panel about detention centers, radicalization of Latinos in this country, politics of documentation and realities of the local situation (like how Springfield cops call ICE right away), really drew some connections for me. If you weren’t able to come, please check out the video of the panel.
Keep these conversations happening! And keep being curious, engaged, passionate people.
Yours,
jayme
April 8th at Amherst College::::: Juan Carlos Ruiz, director of the New Sanctuary Movement, will be speaking. More info coming soon.
On the April 1st panel were professors Flavio Risech and Carleen Basler as well as William Cano of the Alliance to Develop Power. First I want to write up some things we learned from William’s “Know Your Rights” workshop. This was a succinct, informative workshop that we can offer again sometime soon. I have several resources that William passed out that are in English and Spanish that I could scan and make available. Here are some major points:
1. The right to remain silent. This one is major. Refuse to answer questions and do not lie.
2. The right to refuse entry to your home. Do not open the door. Ask the officer to slip the warrant under the door. The warrant needs to be signed by a judge and have your name on it if the officers are asking for you.
3. The right to know the charges against you. You must be charged with a crime within 48 hours of arrest. You should not be arrested without evidence of committing a crime.
4. The right to an attorney. Say “I need to speak to a lawyer.” This is a good time to pull out the “Know Your Rights” card that William passed out which says in English and Spanish that the card presenter is going to remain silent, not answer any questions, and require the presence of an attorney.
5. The right to a phone call.
6. The right to call your consulant. This is the only agency representing undocumented immigrants in this country and so this constitutes a second phone call that many are entitled to but may not know it.
7. The right to ask for a bond. Sometimes detainees are waiting for deportation when they could ask for a bond, pay it if they are able, and get out of prison.
8. The right to refuse to sign documents. Do not sign anything! Under pressure, you could be unintentionally signing your own pre-deportation paperwork!
Basically, it is ok to say your real name but DON’T SAY ANYTHING ELSE.
These are all rights that apply to individuals within the confines of the United States, regardless of documentation levels. These rights are crucially important for people to know, and it is also crucially important that we as a group, In Solidarity With Immigrants, find out how these rights get violated and we get organized!!!
The panel about detention centers, radicalization of Latinos in this country, politics of documentation and realities of the local situation (like how Springfield cops call ICE right away), really drew some connections for me. If you weren’t able to come, please check out the video of the panel.
Keep these conversations happening! And keep being curious, engaged, passionate people.
Yours,
jayme
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