NFG September 2011 Teleconference Series

Immigration Beyond Enforcement: Building Solidarity and Community 

Following June's teleconference "Portrait of America: Opportunities and Challenges for Immigrant Communities," NFG's Working Group on Labor and Community Partnerships  and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees co-sponsor a closer look at the organizations and forces at play in the Turning the Tide campaign  against the criminalization of immigrants. 

In addition to the long list of human rights abuses associated with the emphasis on enforcement, the current immigration climate has been a huge and limiting factors in the ability of workers to exercise their right to organize and improve their jobs and communities. 

The increase in immigration enforcement, as well as the increase in anti-immigrant bills that take Arizona’s SB 1070 further, is bad news for all American communities.  But, there is good news as well. 

This teleconference will cover the campaign as a whole and take a closer look at some of the incremental gains made in states like Illinois, Massachusetts, and Florida.  We will also look at some of the laws, often in the states that see the fastest-growing immigrant communities, that propose draconian limits on those state's newest residents. Panelists will specifically address how the progressive infrastructure (or lack of infrastructure) influences the nature of the activism and response in these various regions.  

Listen to or download (right click, save as) an audio recording of this teleconference.

• Monique Mehta, Program Officer, Akonadi Foundation

Speakers

• Marisa Franco, National Day Laborer Organizing Network

• Jacinta Gonzales, Organizer, New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice

• Tiffany Gonzales, Kentucky Jobs With Justice