Listen, Lobby, Love
By Staff on 08/19/2010 @ 02:22 PM
I’ll be joining the hosts of b OUT 2, the BloomingOut radio podcast, this evening to talk about Immigration Equality’s work with Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love.
The program’s podcast will be available for download by clicking here.
Tune in to learn more about Gilbert’s work on behalf of LGBT binational couples . . . her upcoming lobbying visit to Washington, D.C. . . . and how you can be part of our upcoming campaign, Engage, Lobby, Love.
IE Trains Grassroots Activists to Meet with their Congresspeople In-District
By Gannon Long on 08/17/2010 @ 03:16 PM
Last Wednesday, August 11th, Immigration Equality Policy Director Julie Kruse and I trained 20 activists on how to meet with your members of Congress. The meetings allow you to urge your member of Congress to cosponsor UAFA – and to build an ongoing relationship with them. We scheduled the training at the start of Congress’s August recess, when Representatives and Senators will be home - and close to you and available to meet! - until mid-September.
My favorite part of the training was being able to interact with activists from all across the country. The webinar allowed people to submit questions in real time, and to meet each other in the training chat room.
Most of the folks who joined in are in binational couples. While many of you have heart breaking stories of being separated from their homes, partners, and loved ones, you also display inspiring resilience and courage. From all over the country (and the world), activists on the call demonstrated how dedicated they are to boosting each other’s spirits; meeting with their representatives; and doing whatever it takes to pass the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA).
Everyone on the call agreed to meet with their members of Congress to talk about UAFA. In the coming weeks, I am setting up regional groups across the country, to keep the focus on key districts and states. This way, members of binational couples and allies from the same state or Congressional district can keep in touch with each other and coordinate meeting strategies. We can also work together to modify our training, to target it more toward specific regions or members of Congress.
Meeting with your representative takes some persistence, but we ask you to do it because it is the single most effective way to convince your member of Congress to co-sponsor UAFA. At the end of the day, it’s not facts and figures from Washington that move hearts and minds in Congress – it is people like you, from all across the country, telling your stories about facing tremendous obstacles just to hold on to the people you love – and showing them that UAFA is a critical issue facing constituents in their districts.
If you missed the webinar and would like a PDF of the slide show, or would like help getting your meeting off the ground, please contact me at glong@imeqactionfund.org. I also encourage you to visit our Take Action center. I look forward to working with you to pass UAFA.
¡Juntos podemos! (Together we can!)
Dreams Deferred
By Christopher Edwards on 08/17/2010 @ 11:10 AM
"Falling in Love" by Diego Medrano
Staying together shouldn't be this hard.
Nine years ago -- August 16, 2001 -- I went to San Francisco's long-running Brit pop dance party Popscene with my boyfriend. It was our first date. I still have the set list from that night.
We had met the previous month at a show; he bought me a beer. (There is some debate about who spoke to whom first.)
None of this is remarkable of course.
Just your normal met-cute story of two twentysomething San Francisco college students. Even that my boyfriend was born in Japan is not remarkable. Lots of binational couples meet while in school.
No, what makes this story unfortunately difficult iIs that we both happen to be male. And in the U.S. -- and his native Japan -- that gives us few options for staying together.
Over the last nine years, we've become nomads in my own country. We eventually left California seeking stability and work for both of us on the East Coast. First in Washington, DC, which was an all-around failure, and now New York City, which has been more successful.
But the cost — physical, emotional, and financial — of these moves and our attempts to forge a life together cannot be understated.
Our peers are settling down, buying homes, having or adopting children, going to grad school, starting businesses, and otherwise stepping into their adult lives.
All of these things, we'd love to do. Dreams we've shared that have been denied by our broken immigration system that does not recognize us as family.
Each year that goes by gets more and difficult and the problems compound. He hasn't seen his much beloved-grandparents in years. I'm increasingly frustrated by my country's refusal to make our situation right. My family traces its roots in the U.S. back to the 18th century. We had land grants in Michigan signed by James Monroe.
Not that any of this should matter.
I'm an American citizen. Born in Pennsylvania, raised in the midwest by midwest--born American citizens. I have no out-sized sense of entitlement here. I'm lucky to have been raised by loving parents in a good home in relative affluence under the rights and privileges of American democracy. And yet the very promise of that democracy is denied to my partner of nine years.
As he and I celebrate our ninth anniversary, I want to ask something of you. There is one national organization with the legal and lobbying prowess to fix the immigration system for same-sex partners — Immigration Equality. After years of volunteering with them, at the dawn of their Washington-focused Action Fund, I joined the staff. We need your support.
Political work -- grassroots mobilizing, lobbying -- is incredibly expensive work. We're up against extremely well funded organizations. To stay in the game, we need your help.
Honor our relationship with a monthly contribution to the Action Fund today. Give what feels right but perhaps $36 per month for the 36,000 relationships like ours. Or, if you are feeling especially generous, you can can make a donation of $90 a month to honor our nine years.
When I first started dating my partner, who has been coming to the U.S. since he was in middle school, why America. He told me, because I love movies and rock and roll where else would I want to be?
Your contributions, your direct action, your stories, can help make his and my — and perhaps your — dreams come true.
What the Prop 8 Stay Means
By Staff on 08/17/2010 @ 11:00 AM
In light of the latest in the on-going soap opera that is the California Proposition 8 case, Immigration Equality's legal director, Victoria Neilson, updates our legal-focused blog on what the stay means for LGBT binational couples. To read Neilson's comments, click here.
Committed to Committed, Elizabeth Gilbert's Latest
By Christopher Edwards on 08/13/2010 @ 06:01 PM
My first introduction to Elizabeth Gilbert's passion and intelligence mixed with her dry wit was at our June Safe Haven Awards. There she spoke against the injustice of our broken immigration system on LGBT binational families. Intrigued, I dove into, Committed, her follow-up to her New York Times bestseller — and now motion picture — Eat Pray Love. In Committed, as described on the cover: "a skeptic makes peace with marriage."
Gilbert is the skeptic.
Once married but having been through a horrible divorce, eventually falling in love with a Brazillan-born Australian man -- a journey described in Eat, Pray, Love — she finds herself at the beginning of the book being essentially ordered to wed her boyfriend in order for them both to remain in the U.S. The two of them had been skeptical of marriage, intending to forge a deeply committed partnership. A partnership not bound by traditions.
Unfortunately when they were ordered to marry or live elsewhere by a DHS agent at the Dallas airport, her boyfriend was immediately deported. This begins, an eight month journey for them — living in exile, going through the paperwork, and trying to come to terms with a the tradition of marriage and what that would mean for them and their previous intention to stay unwedded.
Obviously having the option of marriage and the ability to stay with her partner in the U.S. is an option of which we binational couples only dream. She recognizes that injustice, and says as much in the book. She's very aware throughout the pages of her privileges and her biases. Her willingness to continue exploring while doubting and acknowledging her position is one of the endearing traits of her writing. Committed reads like the very best in first-person nonfiction: engagingly mixing research, scholarship, analysis with her personal journey. it is also a very strong overview of the Western history of marriage. Gilbert mixes elements of anthropology, her personal ethnographic research and commentary to break apart a lot of myths -- both from the political right and the left -- about what marriage in the West is.
I found her arguments about the changing nature of marriage and partnerships throughout history to be one of the strongest arguments I've read against the very idea that there is a "traditional marriage." She clearly shows that the reason marriage still exists as an institution is that it's imminently malleable: adopting to the times and needs of the politics and cultures involved. In reality then, there really is no consistent tradition. There's also a fascinating chapter written in response to a conservative British writers views on subversiveness of the family unit.
But I don't want to give to much away. Because I so much want you to read it.
In fact if you make right now a recurring monthly donation of $25 or higher, we will send you a signed copy of Committed. You'll be helping our families, while enjoying the work of one of our newest and most dedicated allies: Elizabeth Gilbert.
Engage, Lobby, Love: Elizabeth Gilbert's Passionate Advocacy for LGBT Immigrant Families
By Steve Ralls on 08/13/2010 @ 10:15 AM
By now, there probably aren't many people who don't know Elizabeth Gilbert's life story. The best-selling author, who traveled millions of miles in what ended up being a search for her own, centered self, caused a sensation with her diary of personal discovery, also known as Eat, Pray, Love.
The book, which became a sort of holistic prescription for self-empowerment via self-fulfillment, was passed from person to person and ended up - in a life-changing moment amidst a story full of such karmic twists - in the hands of Oprah Winfrey.
At its peak, Love was at the top of the best-sellers' list, and was hailed by millions as the holy text for embodying "la dolce vita." (I learned about it when a friend sent me a Barnes & Noble gift certificate, and proclaimed, "Use this to buy Eat, Pray, Love!") Readers have debated its place in the lexicon of feminist literature . . . organized book clubs to swoon over its lush storylines . . . and spent more than a few hours daydreaming about throwing caution to the wind, and following in Gilbert's footsteps, in pursuit of a more perfect union (with themselves).
In short order, the book's title - Eat, Pray, Love - became a mantra for the masses. And now, it has become a Hollywood blockbuster, too.
Beginning today, movie-goers are expected to flock to theaters to see Gilbert - played by screen icon Julia Roberts - eat, pray and love her way across Italy, India and Indonesia. But when the film stops rolling, another inspiring and empowering chapter in Gilbert's life will just be beginning: Her selfless work on behalf of lesbian and gay immigrant families.
Proposition 8 Update
By Staff on 08/13/2010 @ 07:36 AM
In light of today's ruling from California on Proposition 8, Immigration Equality's legal director, Victoria Neilson,updates our legal-focused blog on what this change means — and doesn't mean — for LGBT binational couples. To read Neilson's full write-up, click here.
The Daily Dish: "Love or Country?"
Posted on 08/10/2010 @ 09:22 AM
Following last week’s historic decision in the federal Prop 8 trial, LGBT binational couples across the country – and around the world – have stood up both to praise Judge Walker’s decision . . . and to remind the public that, even with the remarkable progress being made, some families still face separation and exile.
Last night, blogger and political commentator Andrew Sullivan posted a letter from one of his readers, who shared her story:
I have been reflecting a lot on your response to the opinion expressed by Allahpundit regarding the Prop 8 decision. I like what you said with respect to the timing and your defense of the decision of Olson and Boies to bring on this lawsuit. However, I think you could have challenged Allahpundit's other statements more fiercely. For one, it's true that the harm isn't "as egregious" as that experienced by blacks under Jim Crow. But there is a small minority of us who currently do experience a form of segregation. I'm referring here to those of us in same-sex binational relationships who have been unable to procure a legal means to live together in the United States.
Speaking for myself, I was unable to sponsor my British partner for immigration. She had neither the wealth, the connections, nor the right profession to allow her to obtain a visa under any of the available categories. I was forced to choose between living without the love of my life or leaving the United States to be able to live happily with my life partner.
While we are allowed to use any restroom or sit in any seat on public transportation when we visit the US, we can't live there if we want to spend our lives together as a couple! Love or country? Is that not a restriction in some sense as harmful to an individual as Jim Crow?
“There is only one group working tirelessly to end this cruelty,” Sullivan responds. “It’s Immigration Equality and I sit on its board.”
To view the full write-up, click here, and visit The Daily Dish online.
Proposition 8 Overturned
Posted on 08/04/2010 @ 07:22 PM
Immigration Equality's legal director, Victoria Neilson, blogs on today's ruling, overturning California's Proposition 8, and what it does - and doesn't - mean for LGBT binational couples. To read Neilson's full write-up, click here.
Meet Our New Grassroots Organizer, Gannon Long
By Christopher Edwards on 08/04/2010 @ 11:55 AM
In July, Immigration Equality Action Fund added a dedicated grassroots organizer, Gannon Long. She's hit the ground running as we work to prepare our grassroots to meet directly with their representatives during the August Congressional Recess.
She took a few moments from her schedule to answer some questions about her previous work, what's on tap for grassroots and how you can directly advocate for UAFA and inclusive immigration reform:
Christopher Taylor Edwards: Okay. First if I haven't already said so, welcome and we're really glad you are here! So let's begin with the background information. Where are you from? What were doing before ImEq?
Gannon Long: Thanks! I'm so glad to be here. Before joining Immigration Equality, I was working for marriage equality in Connecticut at Love Makes a Family. I took some time off between the jobs.
CTE: So how did you get into grassroots organizing?
GL: I've always been an activist on my own. After college, I was lucky to find jobs that allowed me the time for it. And then when the position at Love Makes a Family opened up, I went for it — being an organizer is doing activism full time, and I love it.
CTE: So then in one sentence, what do you do all day?
GL: I work with colleagues, coalition partners, and individuals to advocate for the Uniting American Families Act and inclusive immigration reform.
CTE: So why immigration now? Why have you taken this direction?
GL: The work that Immigration Equality does brings together people from different communities, to advocate for equality for all. I have been involved in the immigrants' rights movement as well as the LGBT rights movement, and I have always worked to make those spaces more inclusive. This is a great opportunity for me.
CTE: So what's coming up this fall? What's on the horizon for our families and our allies?
GL: Right now, we're gearing up for Congress's monthlong recess — where representatives and senators will be back in their home communities. We are aiming to get more members of Congress to co-sponsor our bill, so we're working with new and seasoned activists from all across the country to meet with their elected officials and tell their stories about why the Uniting American Families Act is so important. Next week, I'm running an online training on August 11th that will go through ALL the steps -- from A to Z -- for setting up a successful meeting with your Representative. You can register at www.LGBTforCIR.org - join us!
CTE: What about people that don't have time to meet with their congressperson? Are there other ways to get involved?
GL: Meeting really is the best way to make a difference. But if that's not possible, there are many ways to get involved at here at the Action Fund site. You can send a personalized letter to your representative, email, call, or fax. It's also really important to tell your story so that other people can learn about the experiences of binational couples. We are always looking for folks to talk to the media, to help educate people on our discriminatory immigration system.
CTE: So let's back up then? Why is meeting our representatives so important?
GL: A few reasons. For one, Congresspeople are busy. Meeting with someone in person and hearing his or her story is more likely to make an impression than just getting an email or even a letter.
Another is, there are 36,000 binational couples in the U.S. (estimated by the United States Census at last count). It's a relatively small number, when you consider the U.S. population, but there are so many heartbreaking stories of families and communities being torn apart due to discrimination in our immigration laws. Telling our stories to people in power makes an impression on them beyond what sheer numbers could do.
CTE: So telling our stories in person is of major importance. So the webinar again is going to walk people through setting up a meeting, how to tell their stories, and concerns about privacy ... I assume? Or is that giving away too much?
GL: The webinar will give folks some background knowledge on the Uniting American Families Act, and then go through the steps of how to arrange successful a meeting with your congressperson. We'll help you out with planning the meeting, telling your story, and asking your congressperson to co-sponsor UAFA, and will be more than happy to answer questions you have.
CTE: Great. Thanks Gannon!
GL: Sure thanks for taking the time!
With the success of overturning the HIV immigration and travel ban and building on our 16 years experience advocating for binational couples, Immigration Equality launched the Action Fund to work for inclusive immigration reform .Gannon is just one more person in our expanding team on Capitol Hill, building a coalition for inclusive immigration reform and directly advocating for our LGBT families.
Don't forget to sign up for Gannon's webinar on August 11 to learn how you can take your story directly to your congresspersons.
20 Questions with Intern Jenn Hall
By Christopher Edwards on 08/02/2010 @ 12:30 PM
Each season Immigration Equality offices welcome interns, legal fellows, and volunteers. Beginning this week, we will be introducing you to some of them with 20 questions. Want to work with us? Find out more here.
If you missed last week's 20 Questions with Albert Chen, it was posted to our legal services-focused blog.
Jenn on the Capitol steps
Name: Jenn Hall
Age: 23
School/Major/Year: Syracuse University / Public Diplopmacy Graduate Candidate ‘11: M.S. Public Relations, M.A. International Relations
Position: Communications Department Intern
Office: Washington, DC Policy Office
In one sentence, what do you do all day?
So far, I've primarily been researching potential binational spokescouples and contacting them to gauge their interest so as to match them up with particular media placements.
How is that going?
Great!
What are you hoping to accomplish while here?
- To familiarize myself more with current immigration law and how its deficiencies negatively impact LGBTQ and HIV+ people.
- To learn more about international laws and norms that persecute LGBT and HIV+ persons, leading them to seek asylum in the United States.
- To investigate how current deficiencies in U.S. immigration law affect U.S. public diplomacy efforts.
[ed note: Yes, she actually speaks in bullet points. Seriously, I’ve seen it.]
Where are you from?
I grew up in Victor, NY which is a suburb of Rochester, New York ... home of Wegmans. (The best grocery store in the world!) I stayed in Rochester for my undergraduate studies (Nazareth College), and only traveled a slight distance for graduate school to Syracuse, New York.
Who did you root for in the World Cup?
I ... honestly did not follow it.
What do you like most about DC?
The breadth of organizations. I love that there are so many people to meet from so many types of companies, all with their own focus and expertise. I say this not necessarily from the standpoint of networking, but just as an opportunity to meet people who are making real change and listening to them talk about what they are passionate about ... whatever that may be!
The least?
Getting groceries. Not having a car is never bothersome to me in the city except when it comes to getting groceries. I hate not being able to go to the grocery store to buy EVERYTHING that I need to stock up my kitchen in one fell swoop. It's just not possible with the closest grocery store (to Woodley Park) 2 metro stations away. I don't have a grocery cart big enough to cart everything I want/need that far (on the metro or walking). It may just take some time to get into the mindset of buying a couple bags of things more frequently and as I run low...but for now I caved and ordered Peapod grocery delivery instead.
What neighborhood are you living in?
Woodley Park — red line; near the zoo.
Any suggestions for interns trying to live in Washington?
In terms of housing ... while finances certainly control a lot ... if possible, try to find something close to the metro. Not only is it nice for the work week to be able to just hop onto a (hopefully!) airconditioned traincar (so you're not gross by the time you walk into your office), but it's also great to just just be able to hop on to go out or to visit with friends instead of trying to find time to allot in your busy life for extensive walking, bus transfers, etc.
What do you do in your free time?
I'm a big TV addict ... so a lot of my down time goes to watching a number of great shows. I'm making my way through Bones season 2 right now. Other than that I read and spend a lot of time on the phone with my husband who just moved to Daytona Beach, Florida for a job. We just got married on May 30th, and the first year of our marriage will be long distance ... so my phone is almost always at my ear.
What are you currently reading?
The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature by Steven Pinker
Favorite TV show?
All time? Buffy the Vampire Slayer! ... Current? Being Erica
If you had one superpower what would it be?
Omniscience.
What's the most surprising part of your internship?
How well all of the interns get along with each other.
What's the hardest part?
Navigating the policy and legal end of the work ... I still have a lot of vocabulary and general background information to catch up on (but I'm working on it!).
What's your interest in immigration rights?
My primary interest stems from the current deficiencies in U.S. immigration law as it pertains to sexual orientation and gender identity.
How did you learn about Immigration Equality?
For my M.A. I am required to do an internship with an international focus. I still wanted to do something LGBT focused, and Immigration Equality was one of the organization’s that popped up in my initial search (and I noticed that Steve worked here — who I interned with two years ago!)
Are you at immigration Equality just for the summer?
Yes
To whom would you recommend an Immigration Equality internship?
Anyone who is interested in the intersection between immigrant rights and broader social issues like LGBT equality.
What are you planning next after your time with us?
I have one more semester in Syracuse (fall) and then I will be back in D.C. for my final semester (spring) to take a few classes and complete one more internship before I graduate. After that, the plan is to move to Florida and hopefully find a job (that actually interests me!) in the Daytona Beach area! *fingers crossed*
Stand Up and Say: "Not in My America!"
By Lena Shapiro on 07/29/2010 @ 03:24 PM
“I do not want to live in a nation where American citizens are asked, ‘Where are your papers?’ We are better than that.”
— Representative Connie Mack (R-FL)
Not In My America!
A new campaign rallying support for immigrant families in Arizona has just launched on Facebook, Twitter and the web ... and you can get involved.
From Center for American Progress (CAP) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Not In My America is virtual movement in solidarity with our families in Arizona, and across the country.
A moving new video ... a petition ... and a multimedia campaign are all part of this new effort calling on Americans to stand up and speak out. You can help by signing the petition, posting the video -- below -- to your Facebook page and tweeting the message to your friends.
LGBT families understand, all too well, what it’s like to be targeted based on stereotypes and appearance. And when we fight for one group’s rights, we’re fighting for all everyone.
Join our allies at the Not In My America campaign. Show your support on with twibbons for Facebook or Twitter or you can sign the petition.
Massachusetts DOMA Case, Update
Posted on 07/27/2010 @ 06:15 PM
Many of you have had questions about the status of the DOMA case. Just like you, we are waiting for the court to issue an order which should be happening any day now. Once the order is issued, there will be an automatic 14 day stay. We are almost certain that during that 14 day period, the government will file an appeal and we are almost certain that the stay will remain in effect during the course of the appeal. But we will keep you updated as soon as we learn of any further developments.
For complete information about how the Massachusetts DOMA decision affects (and doesn’t affect) immigration, please see our FAQ at the Immigration Equality site.
Grassroots Call: ACT NOW for Family Immigration Rights!
By Gannon Long on 07/26/2010 @ 12:39 PM
Comprehensive Immigration Reform This Year!
All Families, Gay and Straight, Must be Included!
UPDATE: New call-in number, see below. Join us on Wednesday!
We are well into the dog days of summer, and guess what? So is Congress. Your Representative will be home from Washington, DC from August 9 – September 12, 2010. Now is the perfect time to meet with him or her about the Uniting American Families Act – in your congressional district!
Never met your Representative before? Don’t feel like you know enough about the Uniting American Families Act? No worries. Join our national conference call with Congressman Mike Honda, Bishop Minerva Carcano, and families affected by our broken immigration system:
Wednesday, July 28, 2010; 8 PM Eastern/ 5 PM Pacific
1 hour
Call in 1-800-896-0105 passcode 6946500#
Register today at www.LGBTforCIR.org!
The call is free and open to all. You’ll hear updates on inclusive family immigration bills moving through Congress now. And, you’ll hear firsthand accounts of the hardship our broken immigration system inflicts on families. Most importantly, we’ll hook you up with all the tools you need to set up a successful meeting with your Representative.
To submit questions for our speakers before or during the call, email uafanow@imeqactionfund.org.
Thank you for your continued advocacy!
CNN Video - Gay Couples Struggle with Immigration
Posted on 07/25/2010 @ 10:38 AM
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) says that it is "simply cruel" to mandate that partners be apart...and that's what current U.S. immigration law means to thousands of LGBT binational couples. Whereas a United States citizen in a straight relationship would be able to sponsor their spouse for citizenship, LGBT binational couples are unable to do the same under current federal law.
As a consequence, couples like Enzo Siri and Andres Fagundez are constantly faced with the very real threat of being forced to leave the U.S. or being separated.
On this Fagundez comments, "Whenever I hear or I see a plane, I get sad because I know I have a date that I have to take that plane and I have to leave my life here."
Hear more about their story: Watch the entire CNN report (in English and Spanish!).
Building on Latino/a Support with LULAC
By Christopher Edwards on 07/21/2010 @ 07:00 AM
The featured speakers at the Immigration Session at the 2010 Creating Change Conference were (left to right): Thomas Saenz, MALDEF; Julie Kruse, Immigration Equality Action Fund; Ben de Guzman, NQAPIA; John Traviño, LULAC 4871 Member, and Jesse Garcia, President LULAC 4871.
Copyright © LULAC News
The Spring issue of LULAC News, the quarterly magazine of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), includes an article in support for comprehensive immigration reform among the LGBT community. LULAC -- for those unfamiliar -- is the largest Latino membership organization in the U.S.
The piece in LULAC News highlights the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's Creating Change conference in Dallas where Thomas Saenz of the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund (MALDEF) was the keynote speaker. Saenz urged the progressive LGBT community in support of comprehensive immigration reform, the DREAM Act and the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA).
Saenz's keynote was complemented the following day by an immigration workshop that Immigration Equality co-led with LULAC Council 4871 - the Dallas Rainbow Coalition and the National Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA). The workshop built on the LGBT community's strength in grassroots lobbying of elected officials. In LULAC News, Jesse Garcia president of LULAC 4871 and our co-presenter commented, "The underlying message was that immigration is not a just a Hispanic issue. Immigrants come in different colors and different orientations from all over the world. Immigration is an issue in every community."
Our work with LULAC has continued since February's Creating Change; last week our policy counsel Connie Utada presented at LULAC's national conference in Albuquerque where — the only specifically LGBT and allied council within the LULAC network — won Council of the Year!
Through the work of Jesse Garcia and LULAC 4871, we are proud to have LULAC's endorsement of the UAFA and LGBT-inclusive immigration reform. They are a key part of our growing list of endorsements from Latino/a, Asian, religious, business, and civic groups -- including Hispanic Federation, MALDEF, Labor Council of Latin American Advancement, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health and UNID@S . If your organization would like to endorse UAFA and LGBT-inclusive immigration reform, please contact us to find out how.
Join Us on Radio Bilingüe: Monday @ 3pm ET
By Christopher Edwards on 07/20/2010 @ 03:30 PM
Immigration Equality Action Fund's policy director, Julie Kruse, will join DREAM Activist Juan Escalante on Radio Bilingüe today at 3pm ET to discuss all Acting on Immigrant Dreams: From the DREAM Act to LGBT-inclusive immigration reform.
To tune in live Visit the Radio Bilingüe site and click Escucha en Vivo in the left side.
UPDATE: Yesterday's program featuring Tania Unzueta, Member, Immigrant Youth Justice League, Chicago, IL; Luz Robles, Senator, Utah State Legislature, Salt Lake City, UT; Tony Yapias, Director, Utah Latinos proyect, Salt Lake City, UT.; and our own Julie Kruse, Policy Director, is posted on-line here.
Evangelicals Support Immigration Reform*
By Rachel Tiven on 07/20/2010 @ 12:01 AM
Monday"s New York Times reported that while white evangelicals suddenly claim to care about the plight of millions of immigrant families, their support comes with a footnote: if three-tenths of one percent of those families are gay, they'll renege on the whole thing. (Read down to the bottom.) A few observations:
- Christians are hardly lock-step on this issue, and the suggestion that the Latino community will support an anti-gay position is patronizing and inaccurate. On Thursday, the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders issued a ringing endorsement of LGBT-inclusive comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). The Coalition (CONLAMIC) is the largest Latino Christian advocacy organization in the U.S., representing 20,000 churches in 34 states. In a statement, CONLAMIC President Reverend Miguel Rivera said, “We know that this is a sensitive topic, however, we completely agree with Congressman Luis Gutierrez that an immigration reform law must be just and inclusive for any family member, independent of their gender or sexual orientation, their race, culture or the color of their skin.” He continued, “We think that discrimination against members of families just because of their sexual orientation or race is as immoral as maintaining 12 million undocumented immigrants in a state of legal limbo, affected by police brutality, by discrimination, abuse at work, and the fraud that they suffer every day.”
- It is well worth noting that our issue, and our place at the immigration reform table, is such a given today that it can be referenced by the New York Times without explanation. Remember, as Oscar Wilde said, the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.
- Lastly, for a beautiful portrait of what real people of faith think about LGBT-inclusive immigration reform, watch this profile of Erwin DeLeon and Rev. John Beddingfield, from KTVU in California.
20 Questions with Intern Deborah Velez
By Christopher Edwards on 07/19/2010 @ 11:01 AM
Each season Immigration Equality offices welcome interns, legal fellows, and volunteers. Beginning this week, we will be introducing you to some of them with 20 questions. Want to work with us? Find out more here.
If you missed last week's 20 Questions with Lorenz Haselberger, it was posted to our legal services-focused blog.
Deborah on the Capitol steps
Name: Deborah Velez
Age: 24
School/Major/Year: Hofstra University School of Law
Position: Public Policy Intern
Office: Washington, DC Policy Office
In one sentence, what do you do all day?
My work depends on what needs to be done for the week, so it could range from answering emails and updating salesforce.com to preparing and attending meetings.
How is that going?
Great. I've learn a lot.
What are you hoping to accomplish while here?
I hope to get a better understanding about immigration law and LGBT issues. I know that by the end of my internship I will have a better understanding of all the work that needs to be done and what I could do about it.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and recently moved to NY to attend Law School.
Who did you root for in the World Cup?
Spain and Argentina
What do you like most about DC?
I've been in DC for one month, and I just love the city. There is just so much to do and so much to learn. In one day you can have a great discussion about politics, have a quite night at the museum and at night just hang out with people talking about a movie you just saw.
The least?
The weather is not what I expected in DC, but you can live with it.
What neighborhood are you living in?
Dupont Circle (International Student House)
Any suggestions for interns trying to live in Washington?
I'm living at the International Student House. I've had an amazing time and I've met people from all over the world.
What do you do in your free time?
Explore DC and/or nearby cities.
What are you currently reading?
Isabel Allende's Paula
Favorite TV show?
Bones and Big Bang Theory
If you had one superpower what would it be?
Either flying or being able to read minds.
What's the most surprising part of your internship?
I didn't think I would have the opportunity to meet as many people as I've had. In just one month I've met lots of immigration lawyers, Congress members, and even saw Secretary Clinton speaking.
What's the hardest part?
I had no experience at all working with anything related to Congress, so I'm still learning about the whole process, and learning all the districts, etc.
What's your interest in immigration rights?
As a Latina, I want to give back to my community. I want to work in immigration/human rights law. I think I want to focus on asylum/refugee, but I'm still not sure.
How did you learn about Immigration Equality?
Career Service at Hofstra Law School
Are you at immigration Equality just for the summer?
Yes
To whom would you recommend an Immigration Equality internship?
To anyone who has a real passion about Immigration and Human Rights and really wants to learn how to affect people's lives.
What are you planning next after your time with us?
I will be going back to law school, and when I'm done I will be looking for a job in something related to immigration/human rights.
UAFA Coalition Support
Posted on 07/15/2010 @ 05:49 PM
Immigration Equality was proud to stand beside members of Congress and a coalition of 37 LGBT, immigration, faith, and civil rights groups at today's press conference on Capitol Hill as part of a united front for inclusive comprehensive immigration reform.
Immigration Equality’s press release with statements from members of Congress for the press conference can be found here.
In addition, Immigration Equality interns Jenn Hall and Deborah Velez Cardec worked hard to post live coverage of each speaker’s points (in English and Spanish!) on Twitter, but members of our UAFA working group also had strong statements reiterating the urgency of this issue and in support of immigration reform that includes LGBT binational families.
You can read excerpts from some of these organizations and link to their press releases for today’s press conference below.
Finally, if you weren’t able to follow our live Twitter updates of the press conference, check out Becca Shenk’s recap of the press conference at Immigration: It’s Our Community.
“We are grateful that this powerful coalition is standing together to help fix our broken immigration system,” said Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California. “California’s elected leaders have already endorsed the Uniting American Families Act, urging our U.S. Congressional leaders to act quickly to end the grave inequities facing binational couples and their families. We hope this vital legislation passes soon, so that no more families headed by same-sex couples are torn apart.” Read Equality California’s entire press release here.
Joe Solmonese, President of HRC, released the following statement: “Our nation should bring families together, not tear them apart, yet same-sex, bi-national couples are too often forced to separate because the government views them as strangers under the law. For far too long, leaders have ignored the devastating real-life consequences for these couples imposed by our current immigration policies. Family reunification is a primary goal of our immigration system but our government fails to accomplish this basic objective for thousands of loving same-sex couples.” Read the entire HRC press release here.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force reiterated its call for passage of the Uniting American Families Act, noting that, "U.S. immigration policy is supposed to be based on the principle of bringing and keeping families together, but the system is broken. Instead of unification, the policy often results in painful separation of loved ones. This must change." Read the rest of the Task Force's press release here.
Karen Narasaki, president and executive director of the Asian American Justice Center, released the following statement: “AAJC joins congressional leaders here today in an urgent call to action for support of legislation that addresses the broken family immigration system…Everyday that Congress delays in passing legislation addressing the plight of families, U.S. citizens and green card holders are put in the untenable position of either having to separate or risk having their loved ones being deemed illegal immigrants. The discrimination these LGBT families face undermines our most basic American values of family, equality and justice.”
The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations’ was unequivocal in its support of UAFA: “The Unitarian Universalist Association joins the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) coalition in urging the swift passage of comprehensive immigration reform legislation that includes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) immigrants and their families. Our faith teaches us that we are all members of one human family. We stand on the side of love with all immigrant families to call for humane and comprehensive immigration reform.”
From Michael Mitchell, National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director: “By including UAFA in a comprehensive immigration reform bill, the United States can truly live up to the ‘melting pot’ moniker that has encouraged foreign nationals to begin new lives in the United States for generations. As a society of immigrants, we cannot stand idly by while immigration rules discriminate against LGBT Americans and their binational families”
South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) “commends members of Congress who stand here today in support of such inclusive legislation and urges Congress to ensure that just and humane immigration reform includes provisions for LGBT families."