Events
Dispatch from Washington
By Rachel Tiven on 10/06/2011 @ 03:24 PM
You’ve heard me say that we are fighting for LGBT immigrant families on every front: in Congress, in the courts, and at the White House. This week, our focus was on Congress.
Bradford Wells and Anthony Makk, who have been together for 19 years and are fighting for the right to stay together, traveled east from San Francisco to tell their story to Congressional leaders. Bradford and Anthony — whose story has made headline around the world — are determined to turn their case into progress for all LGBT immigrant families.
The most powerful women in Congress support them:
- Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, their own Representative, met with Bradford and Anthony and pledged to do everything she can to help LGBT immigrant families, and to keep them together.
- Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, representative for Florida’s 20th Congressional District and the Chair of the Democratic National Committee, was so moved by Bradford and Anthony’s story that she joined them, along with more than 100 Immigration Equality supporters, at our D.C. reception hosted by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.
- Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, ranking member of the House immigration sub-committee, sponsored a packed staff briefing on Capitol Hill. Bradford and Anthony - and the Immigration Equality team helping them - urged lawmakers to support the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) and to call on the White House to end the deportations of lesbian and gay spouses.
Our amazing week in Washington was recapped in this morning’s San Francisco Chronicle. “At first [Bradford and Anthony] said they were fighting only for themselves,” the paper reports, “but now feel they represent all the estimated 36,000 binational same-sex couples who are barred spousal immigration benefits.”
Indeed, Bradford and Anthony are leading the charge, with Immigration Equality, on behalf of our families. And, they are solidifying support among leaders in Washington, too.
You can be part of their work by signing our petition — ImEqActionFund.org/TellObama — and urging the Obama Administration to halt the separation of our families. We’ll personally deliver your message to the White House, and ensure your voice is heard.
Photos from the Third Annual Capital Reception and Fundraiser
By Christopher Edwards on 10/05/2011 @ 03:13 PM
Last night in Washington, DC, the Immigration Equality family came together at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Showroom to celebrate the enormous victories for LGBT immigrant families in the last year and re-charge for the fight ahead. The Third Annual Capital Reception and Fundraiser was our most successful yet.
Bradford Wells and Anthony Makk who are in Washington to advocate for their family and yours on Capitol Hill led things off and were joined by Congresswoamn Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Representative of Florida's 20th District and Chair of the Democratic National Committee as well as Executive Director Rachel B. Tiven and Mitchell Gold.
More coverage soon, see below for pictures from the event. And it's not to late support the Third Annual Capital Reception and Fundraiser. Give online at ImEqActionFund.org/DCEvent
Event photography by the fantastic Judy Rolfe who has long covered Immigration Equality events. See more of her work at www.rolfephotography.com
October 4: Join Bradford & Anthony in Washington
By Rachel Tiven on 09/12/2011 @ 05:21 AM
After a summer of sharing their story in major news outlets like CNN, MSNBC, Countdown with Keith Olbermann and in front page news stories across the country, Bradford Wells and Anthony Makk will be joining Immigration Equality in Washington. They will be meeting with key Congressional leaders ... and they’d like to meet you, too.
Please join them — and the Immigration Equality team — on Tuesday, October 4th, for our Third Annual Capital Reception & Fundraiser, hosted by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. We’ll have important updates on our work to help families like Bradford & Anthony ... celebrate the successes of the past year ... and build the support we need to continue our critical work on Capitol Hill.
Tuesday, October 4th
6-8:30 pm
Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
1526 14th Street, NW
(between P & Q Streets, NW, in Logan Circle)
Washington, DC 20005
The event is free, however your support is welcome, and critical to our success. We hope that if you're moved by our work, you'll help us reach our goal of $15,000 for our on-going work on behalf of LGBT immigrant families. Donations can be made online at ImEqActionFund.org/DCevent
Please RSVP by September 30th to Maria at mbooth@imeqactionfund.org or on Facebook.
Thank you for being part of the Immigration Equality family. I look forward to seeing you in Washington on October 4th.
Join Bradford & Anthony for a Special Call This Friday
By Bradford Wells & Anthony Makk on 08/17/2011 @ 07:36 PM
We hope you will join us for a special conference call this Friday, August 19th at noon eastern time to learn about what’s next for us and other families in our situation.
The extraordinary support you have shown our family over the past few weeks has meant so much. From the thousands of messages you’ve sent to the White House on our behalf, to the notes of support you’ve left online, we have moved beyond words by your actions and well wishes.
With your help, we know we can win. Just this week, the Washington Post editorial board published a powerful editorial calling for help not just in our case, but for every lesbian and gay family facing separation because of discriminatory laws. Make no mistake: This is a turning point for our families, and it is imperative that we seize it.
Please join us this Friday at noon eastern time to learn more about how you can help. To join our call, simply dial (800) 868-1837 and use access code 393639#.
We look forward to talking with you — and thanking you — on Friday’s call.
Please join us.
P.S. Can't make the call? Please make a contribution. The legal intake hotline is running at four times — 4x! — its volume just six months ago, and your support allows Immigration Equality to continue providing free, expert immigration advice to the community. Thank you!
A Safe Haven Success — Thank you!
By Win Chesson on 06/07/2011 @ 05:57 PM
We did it!
Thanks the tremendous efforts and incredible generosity of our supporters, especially our Host Committee, this year’s Safe Haven Awards was our best yet! We raised half a million dollars and had record attendance, including guests from our pro bono community, business coalition partners, and loyal supporters like you. Thank you.
With not even one empty seat in the gorgeous TimesCenter theatre we were at capacity and able to meet (and exceed!) our first ever $50,000 challenge match from binational couple Martin Chavez and Adam Norbury. Together we raised over $150,000 Tuesday night — more than triple our record for money raised the night of any IE event. This is simply incredible and a testament to each of you.
On behalf of the entire Immigration Equality team, thanks again for to our many donors and supporters who dedicated time, treasure, and talent over the past several months to make the Safe Haven Awards a success.
We are also extremely grateful for the fantastic photography of Charles Ludeke.
Please check out his wonderful photos from the event, below:
277 Tickets for our Safe Haven Awards. Do you have yours yet?
By Staff on 05/06/2011 @ 05:00 PM
Thanks to a slew of recent successes, Safe Haven tickets are selling faster than ever. The Uniting American Families Act is back in Congress with more Day One support than ever before. A separate bill, the LGBT-inclusive Reuniting Families Act, was reintroduced earlier today. We won asylum for 22 people this spring with the help of our amazing pro bono teams, continuing our 100% win-rate. And our DOMA-challenge litigation for binational families is pending.
While we have not won yet, we have much to be proud of. We hope you will join us, and the entire Immigration Equality family, as we celebrate this progress at the Safe Haven Awards on Tuesday May 31st at TheTimesCenter in Manhattan.
As co-chairs of this year's gala, we've joined with Immigration Equality's staff, legal fellows, and board chair to offer a $15,000 match called the Safe Haven Challenge. We pooled our donations together to encourage new people to join us for our biggest celebration of the year, as well as to deepen the support of our loyal and longtime patrons.
Here's how the Safe Haven Challenge works. Every new Host Committee sponsor counts towards the match. Former Host Committee members that renew their sponsorship at an increased level also qualify for $15,000 challenge. Since we announced the Safe Haven Challenge we've raised nearly $11,000 in new $589 sponsors.
Will you buy your tickets today to help us reach our goal? Do it today before they sell out!
On the cases we've worked on, including two asylum wins last week for gay men from Jamaica, as well as safe haven for someone in the midst of deportation proceedings to a country where he had been brutalized for his sexual orientation, Immigration Equality was behind us every step of the way.
If you've already reserved your tickets, thank you. We are so grateful to the generous sponsors listed below who have helped ensure the success of the 2011 Safe Haven Awards by joining this year's Host Committee. We couldn't do this without you.
Thanks again. We hope to see you for the big event on May 31st.
Joe & Heidi Co-chairs, Safe Haven Awards
P.S. You are also invited to join us this coming Monday at Immigration Equality's Wall Street office for our annual Safe Haven Awards phone bank from 6-9 PM. It's a fun, productive way to meet staff and supporters, check out the home base, and contribute to the success of the event. Please RSVP to Win at wchesson@imeqactionfund.org by Monday so we can plan accordingly.
Make It Count
By Rachel Tiven on 04/14/2011 @ 10:58 AM
Later today, I’ll join Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and one of our most dedicated families — Shirley Tan, Jay Mercado and their twin sons — on Capitol Hill for reintroduction of the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA). At the very same time, our lead Senate champion, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, will reintroduce UAFA in that chamber of Congress, too.
Together, we’ve come a long way. Five years ago, ending discrimination against our families was barely a blip on the national radar. Today, it is the central focus of a national debate that shows record public support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) families. Our families’ stories have become the rallying cry for the movement to gain federal recognition for LGBT couples and topple the unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act.
As we have expanded our fight for equality to the courts and the White House, advancing this legislation in Congress has never been more important. Passing UAFA is an immediate, nationwide solution for binational couples in the US and those living in exile.
A quick glance at the news of the past few weeks shows just how much momentum we have: ABC News, Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Miami Herald, The New York Daily News ... the list goes on.
The Advocate may have put it best, though, calling us “easily the most visible issue in the current fight against DOMA.”
Despite that visibility, however, the federal government continues separating our families and deporting the spouses of LGBT Americans. That’s unconscionable, and we will not rest until it stops.
All eyes are on our movement. This is our moment. Help us make it count.
Join Us Thursday in Washington . . . with Some Very Special Guests
By Steve Ralls on 04/12/2011 @ 11:45 AM
On Thursday, a Congressional “who’s who” of champions for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families will join Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) as he reintroduces the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA). We’ll be on Capitol Hill, with Congressman Nadler, urging lawmakers to support this critically important legislation that would end discrimination faced by LGBT binational couples.
If you live in the Washington area, we want you to join us, too. We'll be gathering at the House Triangle, at 1pm, to show our support for UAFA and our families. (The House Triangle in on the southeast side of the U.S. Capitol, and is accessible via Independence Avenue.)
If you're in D.C. on Thursday, please plan to be there. You can RSVP at Facebook. Bring your signs, bring your families and bring your friends.
Congressman Nadler, who serves as Ranking Member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, will be joined by Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, as well as Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA), the lead sponsor of the LGBT-inclusive Reuniting Families Act and Representatives Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Conyers (D-MI), Jackie Speier (D-CA), and Jared Polis (D-CO).
Immigration Equality’s executive director, Rachel Tiven, will also be on hand for the event, along with four very special guests: Shirley Tan and Jay Mercado, and their twin sons, Joriene and Jashley.
The Tan-Mercado family (pictured) made headlines around the world – and in People Magazine – when Shirley faced removal from the United States after being detained by immigration. Despite the fact that Shirley and Jay – who is an American citizen – have been together for more than two decades, their family was faced with the very real possibility of being torn apart. Joriene and Jashley – who are also U.S. citizens – also faced the possibility of losing their mother. Today, Shirley remains with her family, through a private bill introduced on her behalf by Senator Dianne Feinstein.
As the family will recount on Thursday, however, Shirley’s private bill is only a temporary solution that offers no permanent promise for keeping their family together. For the Tan-Mercado family – and thousands of others across the country and around the world – UAFA offers the only permanent option for ending the separation of our families.
Shirley, Jay, Joriene and Jashely will provide powerful testimony – and a timely reminder – about the critical need for UAFA at Thursday’s press event. And, during their visit to Capitol Hill, they’ll be personally asking lawmakers to support its passage.
We’ll post more information on UAFA’s reintroduction here on the blog as that becomes available. And, if you haven’t already taken action to urge your elected leaders to co-sponsor the bill . . . click here, and do so now!
Grassroots Call: ACT NOW for the Uniting American Families Act!
By Steve Ralls on 04/04/2011 @ 12:43 PM
Join Immigration Equality Executive Director, Rachel Tiven, and hear how Immigration Equality will continue to fight for LGBT families!
While there have been some exciting breakthroughs with the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice’s letter regarding DOMA — and major news headlines about how that letter impacts our families — passage of the Uniting American Families Act is still a necessary priority for our couples. Join our upcoming call to understand why UAFA is a key part of our strategy, and what recent developments around DOMA and green cards mean for LGBT Americans and their spouses from abroad.
We’ll be discussing the upcoming reintroduction of UAFA, in the 112th Congress, and how you can help build support for this critically important bill.
Lean how YOU can press Congress to act now!
Conference Call Details:
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
8:00 PM Eastern 7:00 PM Central 6:00 PM Mountain 5:00 PM Pacific
Duration: 1 hour
RSVP online here. The call-in number, and a unique code to enter, will be sent to you before the call.
Save the Date: Upcoming Events Near You
By Staff on 03/13/2011 @ 04:41 PM
Spring has sprung! Following our record-setting 2010 asylum record, we're putting together a DOMA challenge on behalf of binational couples and calling on the DHS to stop denying green cards to binational spouses.
So we at Immigration Equality and the Action Fund keep spreading the word and working to raise financial support for our work. We're participating in events from coast to coast and planning some our own. Check and save the dates for these upcoming events:
March 16 / Everywhere
LGBT Immigration & Asylum Law National Conference Call
Learn more and find RSVP info
RESCHEDULED: March 23 / Washington, DC
Due to a scheduling confilict this event moved to March 23 from March 16: DC Log Cabin Republicans featuring Immigration Equality's Julie Kruse
Learn more and find RSVP info
CANCELLED: March 23 / New York, NY
Due to a scheduling conflict Women at the Helm: Shaping the LGBT Agenda has been cancelled. It will be rescheduled at a later date.
Meet and hear from our executive director Rachel B. Tiven at NYC's LGBT Center, RSVP at Facebook.
April 6 / Washington, DC
Business & Family Reception for UAFA
Special Guests: Congresswomen Debbie Wasserman Schultz & Tammy Baldwin
RSVP at Facebook
Purchase tickets at ImEqActionFund.org/donatedc
April 28 / New York, NY
Safe Haven Host Committee Party
To attend, join the Host Committee
May 31 / New York, NY
Safe Haven Awards
Save the Date
Late Jun / Los Angeles, CA
Immigrant Art Expo
Save the Date
We hope to see you at one of the events above. And keep your eye here at the Voices for Equality blog or our events section for even more events coming in late spring and summer.
LGBT Immigration & Asylum Seekers: A Call with The LGBT Bar
By Steve Ralls on 03/10/2011 @ 04:29 PM
For decades, immigrants have requested asylum by the United States from their home countries due to political strife, economic hardship, or social injustice. With regards to LGBT individuals in many communities abroad it is mortally dangerous to be open with their lifestyle therefore political asylum is critical.
On Wednesday, March 16, the National LGBT Bar Association, in partnership with Immigration Equality, will host a national call-in to discuss developments in the field of LGBT immigration and asylum seekers. It will be led by Justin Connor, with speakers Victoria Neilson, Legal Director at Immigration Equality, Scott Titshaw, Assistant Professor of Law at Mercer University, and Chad Ellsworth, Associate at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP.
LGBT Immigration & Asylum Seekers
Wednesday, March 16, 2011 | 5:00pm EST
Please RSVP to receive dial-in instructions.
This call will be approximately one hour in length and is open to the public. You may submit questions before and during the call to Immigration@LGBTbar.org.
Description: United States asylum law is derived from international agreements written after World War II. With the large influx of migrants from other countries, the U.S. wrote an internationally universal standard that would outline who would be considered as a refugee. Since then, however, courts have needed to expand such definition and circumstances that would consider one who might need asylum. In 1994, Attorney General Janet Reno declared the Matter of Toboso-Alfonso case as precedent, which was pivotal for helping to categorize homosexual men and women as a “particular social group”—which, as explained in the Refugee Act of 1980, is a possible definition for a refugee into the United States. Now in the U.S., as it pertains to the 36,000 binational same-sex marriages, asylum law is a very important issue when it comes to the Federal government recognizing LGBT unions and granting protection.
Moderator: Justin Connor is in-house counsel to a telecommunications company based in McLean, Virginia, where he handles transactional/corporate law, dispute resolution, regulatory, M&A and corporate governance issues. Justin also worked in private practice in Washington and Dubai, and practiced for several years at the Federal Communications Commission, before he won a Fulbright fellowship to Lebanon in 2004. From a client’s perspective, Justin has learned first-hand about LGBT immigration and asylum law, because his partner is Syrian and recently won his own asylum case in the United States.
Speakers: Victoria Neilson is the Legal Director at Immigration Equality. She runs the organization's pro bono asylum project and provides technical assistance and mentoring on LGBT and HIV immigration issues to attorneys around the country. She is the primary author of The LGBT/HIV Asylum Manual, a comprehensive guide for attorneys. Victoria is member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and former chair of the New York City Bar Association’s Committee on AIDS. She was a 2009 recipient of the LGBT Law Association of Greater New York (Le-Gal) Community Vision award.
Professor Scott Titshaw has a scholarship at Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law that focuses on immigration, comparative law and issues concerning sexual minorities. He teaches Property, Real Estate Transactions, International Business Transactions and Sexuality and the Law. Professor Titshaw was an adjunct professor at the University of Georgia School of Law and practiced immigration and transactional law with Arnall Golden Gregory LLP in Atlanta. He clerked with U.S. District Court Judge Adrian Duplantier in New Orleans, and served as a legal translator with Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) in Karlsruhe, Germany.
Chad Ellsworth is an associate with Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen and Loewy, LLP. His practice focuses on the representation of individual and business clients on a wide variety of corporate immigration and related employment matters. Chad has advised human resource personnel, managers, executives and professionals and multinational corporations on immigration matters and prepared their nonimmigrant and immigrant visa petitions and applications. He has experience writing policies for, and training human resource employees, recruiters and managers on immigration laws and procedures including Form I-9, Social Security Administration’s “No-Match” Letter, Employment Standards Administration Wage and Hour Division Labor Condition Application investigations and related immigration workforce enforcement and compliance issues. He is a member of the firm’s Corporate Compliance Group. Chad also handles LGBT asylum cases on a pro bono basis.
Valentine's Events & House Parties Raise Critical Funds & Awareness
By Win Chesson on 03/09/2011 @ 10:43 AM
Valentine's House Party in DC
Thanks to the hard work and dedication of gracious house party hosts, Immigration Equality and the Action Fund gained hundreds of new supporters, reached key members of Congress, and raised over $15,000. Party hosts invited their own Congressional representatives to attend, underscoring the urgent need to pass UAFA.
Some parties also screened Eat Pray Love author Elizabeth Gilbert’s video clip on binational families, and received a live update with Q&A from Immigration Equality's staff.
Immigration Equality would like to extend its deepest gratitude to all of our fabulous hosts:
Brooklyn, NY: Barrak Alzaid
Los Angeles, CA: Xiaofeng "Charlie" Gu
New York, NY: Team NY Aquatics “One Hour Swim”
New York, NY: Metropolitan Tennis Group with Out of Bounds NY
San Diego, CA: Vanessa Dubois
San Francisco, CA: Aaron Chapman & Juan Carlos Duarte
Washington, DC: Timur Hicylmaz & Luke Johnson
Upcoming: Sydney, Australia! Fort Lauderdale, Florida!
If you are interested in hosting your own Immigration Equality fundraiser, please contact Win at wchesson (at) immigrationequality.org to receive a house party toolkit.
Today in NYC: Vigil to commemorate David Kato, slain Ugandan activist
By Christopher Edwards on 02/03/2011 @ 10:35 AM
David Kato, Image via GBM News
Today, February 3rd, in Immigration Equality and Immigration Equality Action Fund join the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) and over 35 other human rights and LGBT ors to honor the life of slain Ugandan activist David Kato.
In a statement, IGLHRC explained of David Kato:
Kato, a prominent leader of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) movement in Uganda, was found murdered in his Kampala home on January 26. His photograph had been published in a Ugandan tabloid that called for hanging gay people; he had recently led a successful lawsuit forcing the publication to desist. The groups also voiced concern that homophobia may prevent Ugandan authorities from conducting a full and fair investigation of Kato's murder.
"David Kato was a hero not just to LGBT Ugandans, but to all Ugandans, and to all supporters of human rights," said Frank Mugisha, Kato's colleague in Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), an LGBT rights organization in Uganda. "As we mourn him, we must also ensure that his killers are brought to justice and that no LGBT Ugandan ever faces the same deadly violence again."
For the complete statement on Kato's life, the vigil, and the sponsoring organizations, see here.
Event Details
WHAT:
Candlelight vigil and silent procession
WHY:
To honor slain Ugandan LGBT activist David Kato
WHEN:
February 3, 2011, 4:00 pm at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza; 5:00 pm at Uganda House
WHERE:
Dag Hammarskjold Plaza at the corner of 2nd Avenue and 47th Street, NY, NY.
Uganda House at 336 East 45th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues, NY, NY.
WHO:
The keynote speech will be delivered by Val Kalende, Board Chair of Freedom and Roam Uganda, an LBT organization in Uganda.
Additional speakers include:
- Cary Alan Johnson (International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission)
- Reverend Kapya Kaoma (Public Research Associates)
- Amanda Lugg (African Services Committee)
- Kagendo Murungi (Wapinduzi Productions)
- Dr. Cheikh Traore (United Nations Development Program)
- Invited guests included United States and New York City government officials.
- Speaker list in formation.
ADDITIONAL EVENT INFO
Found at Facebook, here.
3 ways to help us win ...
By Win Chesson on 01/14/2011 @ 09:00 AM
.. without spending a dollar more!
Thank you to the hundreds of supporters who donated to Immigration Equality last year. With your help, we can continue to make progress for our families. The new Congress was sworn in last week, and we will put your gift to immediate use in our work on Capitol Hill as we educate lawmakers — including more than 90 freshmen Representatives and 13 new Senators — about the plight of LGBT immigrant families.
We also wanted to be sure you knew about three more ways you can support our work:
- Double your gift with a corporate match! If you were one of the nearly 1,400 people who recently made a contribution to Immigration Equality or the Action Fund, please ask your employer to match your charitable giving. Many employers will match your contribution to Immigration Equality — all you have to do is ask today.
- Host a Valentine's Day fundraiser! We will provide everything you'll need for success: our house party tool kit, a regular check-in with our national headquarters, our DVD showcasing binational couples' stories, and a slideshow of binational family factoids. Interested hosts should contact Win Chesson at win [at] imeqactionfund.org for more details.
- Become a monthly donor! Your reliable, monthly income reduces overhead costs and allows the organization to invest its resources more strategically. Simply take your 2010 giving total, divide it by 12, and sign up today as a Passport to Equality monthly donor! Check the button that reads “I want to make a recurring donation every month.”
Your support has already made a critical impact. Our new grassroots organizer is mobilizing support for UAFA in key districts across the country. Our new staff attorney — dedicated solely to binational couples — is working to ensure our families are not torn apart.
On behalf of Immigration Equality and Immigration Equality Action Fund, our clients, and our constituents — tens of thousands of couples fighting for equality and thousands of people fleeing persecution from abroad — thank you for making this progress possible.
Hike Croton Dam and Help Support the Action Fund
By Christopher Edwards on 10/12/2010 @ 06:33 PM
Croton Dam
Immigration Equality supporter William Lopez is once again leading a fundraiser hiking trip to Croton Dam in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. This year, with the intensification of our work on Capitol Hill, the hike will support the Action Fund.
He'd love your support or have you join him in the walk. Details are after a statement from William about the hike:
I'm a Colombian affected directly by the unfair immigration laws in the USA. I'm organizing a hiking trip to help raise money toward the $11,000 goal for the month of October.
[A goal that is being matched dollar-for-dollar by three binational couples]
I would like to raise at least $500 on this activity. The hike is not very difficult so everybody can go and invite family and friends and be generous on your donations. If we want UAFA pass on the Congress we have to contribute to the cause.
In the same way that I'm organizing this trip, anybody can organize fundraising events, parties, cooking classes, every dollar counts.
[Email Immigration Equality Action Fund if you have a suggested fundraising event.]
Hike Details:
| When: | Saturday October 16th 2010 |
| Meeting Place: | Croton-Harmon Train Station Croton-on-Hudson N.Y. 10520 |
| Suggested donation: | As much as you can |
| Time: | 10:30 a.m. |
| Directions, etc.: | Download the complete information kit. (PDF) |
| RSVP: | On Facebook |
Questions? Email William.
DC Celebrates: Our Families. Together.
By Rachel Tiven on 10/07/2010 @ 01:24 PM
I hope you’ll join me on Thursday, October 21st for our fall D.C. reception and fundraiser, presented by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.
D.C. Celebrates: Our Families. Together.
Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
1526 14th Street, NW
(between P & Q Streets, Logan Circle)
Washington, DC 20005
Thursday, October 21st
6 – 8 PM
RSVP today, and bring your friends! Admission is free.
This year, we’ll be joined by Sister Jeannine Gramick, a Roman Catholic Nun and Co-Executive Director of the National Coalition of American Nuns. Sister Gramick is not just any nun; she is an outspoken supporter of our families. She is co-founder of New Ways ministries, and is one of the most prominent, pro-LGBT voices of faith working to end discrimination against our community.
We’ll also be joined by Immigration Equality client Roi Whaley, who was recently featured in The Advocate. Roi, who is battling stage III cancer, is currently separated from his Filipino partner, Aurelio. They turned to our legal team for help, so that Aurelio can return home to Mississippi with Roi.
We hope you will join us, and bring along your friends. And please bring your checkbook. There is no obligation to contribute, though we hope that if you’re impressed by our hard work on the Hill that we hope you’ll want to be part of it.
After last week's record-breaking UAFA co-sponsorships in both the House and the Senate, we’re very excited to see you in Washington to celebrate the remarkable progress we’re making on behalf of LGBT immigrant families!
(We’re very excited to announce a special opportunity to win a $1,000 Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams shopping spree while supporting the work of Immigration Equality Action Fund. Browse their fabulous catalog here.)
Mobilizing Against Injustice, Wherever It Is
By Christopher Edwards on 09/27/2010 @ 07:05 PM
Last week I joined 40-something of the best LGBT activists in the country at New Organizing Institute Education Fund's LGBT Boot Camp. Over the course of the week we worked on simulated campaigns to overturn "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT), learned from the best practitioners in organizing, and shared with each other our goals and aspirations for the LGBT movement while figuring out ways we can all better work together.
It was truly an inspiring week. And I was very happy and honored to have made it through the selective application process.
Why Immigration Is a LGBT Issue
One of things that came up for me during the event was having to underscore why immigration is an LGBT issue. Our Executive Director Rachel Tiven has spoken passionately on this before but I never had my own story, my own understanding that drove home this point.
That changed at LGBT Boot Camp on Thursday night when we reviewed the case study of BastaDobbs.com — a coordinated campaign between general political and immigration groups to pressure CNN to "Stop Dobbs" (or "Basta Dobbs" in Spanish).
Listening to the clips from Dobbs' show and looking at his tactics — half-truths, outright lies, and innuendo to defame immigrants in the U.S., I thought of how similarly those that would stop the march to LGBT equality have employed these exact same tactics.
In particular, Dobbs lumped together undocumented immigrants from Latin America with rapists and murderers. I remembered a time in 1989, when I was in high school and just starting to come out. I was in a driver's education class where my teacher made this exact same comment about LGBT peoples. He casual mentioned that we'd be on the road with "rapists, murders, and homosexuals." Exactly like Dobbs, demonizing through word association.
Standing Together
We've been here before. We've been harassed over our families. We've been faced with a public that would rather see our sex lives than have empathy for us as humans.
Just like immigrants of all stripes have. This is why immigration is an LGBT issue. We must stand on the right side against hatred and bigotry. Whereever it is found.
Elizabeth Gilbert — a straight ally with a foreign-born spouse — is joining us to stand up for our families and UAFA on Capitol Hill. We, as individual citizens, must join her in her lobbying congress. We must show the immigration communities that we understand their situation. That we are ready to mobilize against injustice.
You can join Elizabeth at our Engage, Lobby, Love site where you will find 3 ways to become directly involved. Remember where we've been and the hatred we've suffered, and let that be a reminder that we can't make change without taking action. Join Elizabeth on her journey for our families.
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.
Join us on Sunday for NYC Pride March
By Christopher Edwards on 06/25/2010 @ 03:30 PM
The theme for the 2010 NYC Pride is Liberty and Justice for All. A perfect sentiment for all of us dealing with an unjust immigration system. Join us on Sunday for the NYC Pride March as we show show our LGBT support for immigration reform and equality for our binational families!
The NY contingent of Immigration Equality will be marching in style, with banners, placards, stickers, and with a convertible donated by one of our binational couples.
What you need to know for Sunday:
Noon:
Meet at Section Line-Up Area 12 on East 37th between Madison and Park (we are group 7 within that Section. Volunteers will help you find us.)
WEAR RED. We will have t-shirts but not enough to go around. So it will be first come first serve. Wear bright red and we'll all match!
1 pm
Our section begins Marching. Their is a moment of silence at this time as well.
3 pm
Another moment of silence
4 pm (ish)
March ends at Greenwhich and Christopher St in the West Village
Let us know you are coming at our Facebook event page.
SHA10 tickets are still on sale! Join us!
Posted on 06/06/2010 @ 07:17 PM
We’re less than a few nights away from Immigration Equality’s annual Safe Haven Awards, featuring best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love and Committed) and Gregory C. Simon, Senior V.P. of Worldwide Policy for Pfizer.
There’s still time to buy your tickets online, and join us as we celebrate our allies and toast pro bono partners who have made a life-saving difference in the lives of LGBT and HIV-positive immigrants and their families.
If you haven’t already done so, reserve your tickets today and plan to join us on Tuesday, June 8th at the AXA Equitable Center on 7th Avenue in New York City. The evening kicks off with a welcome reception at 6:30, followed by our awards ceremony — and Elizabeth Gilbert’s keynote address — at 7:30pm.
If you bought multiple tickets, your guest list can be emailed to Win by this Friday, June 4th.
In addition to a wonderful evening of inspiring stories from our allies, you’ll also have an opportunity to bid on unique auction items that directly support our work to end discrimination against LGBT immigrant families. This year’s one-of-a-kind auction items include:
- An opportunity to underwrite the Immigration Equality Action Fund’s new online advocacy center (Opening Bid: $1,500)
- A bow tie and style consultation from the dapper shopkeepers of FineandDandyShop.com, a binational couple-owned design shop (Opening Bid: $500)
- Underwriting a one-hour, detailed intake for a prospective asylum seeker who has turned to Immigration Equality for help ($95 per intake sponsorship)
Every winning bid – and every ticket sold – will be directed to the Immigration Equality Action Fund and put to immediate use in support of our work to end discrimination against LGBT and HIV-positive immigrants and their families.
Have you ‘committed’ to joining the fight? To get started, click here and reserve your tickets (for pick up at the door) now. We all look forward to welcoming you on Tuesday night.