Use Your Privilege to Advocate

Tonight I spoke to close the La Casa de Amistad Immigration Forum at Harrison Primary Center. I was inspired to give advice to advocates. Several people asked for my speech notes... which I didn't have since I usually just speak of the cuff bouncing ideas from others who spoke, but I thought I would write it down before I forget.

"To our advocates here, thank you, we are blessed you are here and showing our community how much they are loved and cared for. 

To those who speak English, we need you to speak up. Speak for others when they can't, translate for them at a store, stick up for them when someone says something. Use your words, your language, to help those that can't. 

To those with the finances to care for you family... give money to help others. If you can afford a nice car, you can afford to give to help others. Gifts of any size matter, whether sponsoring someone's legal fees, or helping pay for a youth program for a family. Anything helps for those who can't.  

To those of us with documentation, we must stand in the gap for those who don't. The gap is getting wider and deeper and we need your help. The issue is serious, just earlier in the program we had a woman ask our attorney a question about formal letters about what should happen to her children if she is detained/deported... I can't imagine having to think about that, luckily I don't have to, and the rest of us that don't need to fight for those who do. 

I then spoke to our community, in Spanish: 

We are there for you, and La Casa isn't alone in supporting you, look at all the people here to help! From the school that hosted the event with us, the priests, the lawyers, the leaders and administrators, the volunteers... all here to show support. But, you also can help, we need everyone in the community who qualifies for citizenship to apply. We know it is difficult, but La Casa is here to help, and we need your help to become a citizen and help move us forward. You can help this fight!"

When speaking at events and rallies I tend to go without anything planned, and feel the energy of the crowd, listen to others, weave that all together and trust it will come to me. Last night my inspiration was all the supporters who came, the timely question from the crowd, and my talk with Father Paul while waiting for my turn to speak.

I was truly touched to see so many supporters there for the community. It was a long week, and a longer weeks to come, but we will see this battle through to the end. Be an advocate, recruit an advocate, and lets work together to make this world a better place for our kids.

Cleaned My Desk

November 9th, 2016

I cleaned my desk, organized my office, sorted my office archives...

Around me calls came in, people worried, staff questioned what we would do, people called crying, everyone was stressed.

I cleaned my desk. Dusted it. Looked at pictures of my kids.

Around me emails came in, asking for meetings, asking for reports. My calendar for the rest of the week filled up quickly.

I cleaned my desk. Cleaned all the paperwork off my couch. Organized grant files.

Around me our pre-school class carried on like any other day. The trash truck came, and took our trash away. People came for our food pantry.

I cleaned my desk. Sorted stacks of business cards. Organized all the news paper clippings, binders and annual reports.

Around me were a lot of questions. I am the one who is supposed to have answers. People came to me and I had nothing.

So I cleaned my desk. I could control that. I could decide how I would get it done, and no one was going to stop me.

I cried about it, but now my desk is clean. What's the next challenge? Bring it on...