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In Admiration: Learning about the Civil Rights Movement
August 16, 2012
I had heard about the struggle for civil rights in the 60s but it had never mattered to me. I had not realized that I could learn from the struggle, and that it could apply to the situation that I am in. As an undocumented mother from Arizona, the more that I learn and think about organizing for my community, and what strategies we can use to fight for our rights, the more admiration that I have for the civil rights struggles of the African-American community in the United States, and the more that I want to learn from them.
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As we travel through the southern United States, especially through states that have such a rich history of racism against black communities, I have also realized that these are places also of resistance. -
Deferred Action Goes into Effect -NYTimes
August 16, 2012
At least 1.2 million young undocumented immigrants will be able to apply for a temporary stay of deportation and a work permit beginning today.
This is the enactment of a policy President Obama announced back in June and it applies to younger [undocumented] immigrants with no criminal history who were brought to the country as children.
At the time, President Obama said this new policy was simply the "the right thing to do," but that it also helped Immigration and Customs Enforcement focus on deporting criminals. His opponents said that the president had overstepped his authority by issuing the new policy; they said he had enacted his own so-called DREAM Act without the approval of Congress.
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Yovany Diaz: The Undocubus Gives Me the Strength to be a Humanitarian
August 16, 2012
Yovany Diaz is a member of GUYA, the Georgia Undocumented Youth Alliance and is joining the no papers no fear ride for justice for his mom, his community, and to fight for education in a state that has banned undocumented youth from its universities.
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Yovany Diaz, miembro de la alianza de jovenes indocumentados de Georgia se une con la jornada por la justicia por su madre, su comunidad, y para luchar para una educacion en un estado que ha cerrado las puertas de sus universidades a estudiantes indocumentados. -
National Delegation of Undocumented Migrants Visits Nashville, Undocumented Tennesseans Come Out of the Shadows
August 16, 2012
Three undocumented immigrants from Tennessee have joined the ‘No Papers No Fear’ caravan on it’s way to the Democratic National Convention (DNC). The delegation includes immigrants from across the country who are students, mothers, fathers, day laborers, community organizers, and families. They join local undocumented families in sharing their stories publicly, and addressing the recent implementation of deferred action for childhood arrivals.
Memphis, TN – The No Papers No Fear Ride for Justice is a national delegation of undocumented people and allies that left Phoenix, Arizona on the anniversary of the state's implementation of SB1070, July 29th, and is travelling across the country to rally the migrant community to overcome fear and organize to challenge anti-immigrant policies. Three undocumented immigrants from Tennessee have joined the caravan on it’s way to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Charlotte, North Carolina, and hundreds will participate in ‘coming out of the shadows’ at Nashville community event.
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Memphis no tiene miedo. Memphis has no fear.
August 15, 2012
In Memphis, TN the No Papers No Fear Ride for Justice welcomed three new riders onto the bus and was greeted by the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition with a cultural celebration of theater, art, and poetry to raise our voices and our spirits and let the world know that in Memphis, people are losing their fear.
En Memphis recibimos tres nuevos participantes en la jornada por la justicia y participamos en una celebración cultural con TIRRC. Con arte, teatro, y poesía levantamos nuestras voces y dijimos que en Memphis la gente está perdiendo el miedo. -
Am I My Brothers' Keeper? Common sense in Charlotte
August 15, 2012
Mecklenburg County commissioner Bill James firmly placed himself on the wrong side of history by introducing a bill to mimic Alabama's law that requires investigation of students' immigration status. The bill had little chance of passing due it the fact that it is both unconstitutional. When reading the Board of Education chair's response to commissioner James, it could be summarized as asking the bill sponsor, 'what part of illegal don't you understand?' Still, the commissioner was determined to bring the bill forward for debate.
While his co-sponsors Bentley and Pendergraph rooted their support in the benign argument that they simply were seeking information not seeking to intimidate, Pendergraph's history in bringing the 287g program that as decimated the civil rights of the migrant community to Charlotte and commissioner James' own remarks of hoping to send a bill to children's country of origin for the cost of their education revealed the undertone of the proposal. The dozens of audience members who showed up carrying bananas to protest the absurdity of the proposal watched as the discrimination and mal-intent inherent in James' effort was revealed and refuted by the rest of the commission.
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No Papers No Fear Riders Eligible for Deferred Action to File Applications, Continue Ride for Entire Community Deserving of Relief, Focus on Power of Organizing
August 15, 2012
Memphis, TN – Nine undocumented participants of the No Papers No Fear Ride for Justice traveling across the southern United States are in the process of gathering the required information to apply for deferred action, the initiative by the Obama administration offering relief from deportation and temporary work permits. Their applications are being supported by attorneys at the Heartland Alliance’s National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), an organization which is also launching DREAMerJustice.org, a website designed to increase access to legal resources for low-income people nationally. The website will be available August 15, 2012, the same day U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is scheduled to begin accepting applications.
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Lecciones de Organización Por Parte de Un Jornalero
August 15, 2012
Cuando me invitaron a la jornada por la justicia no dude. Sin decir nada a mi familia en las primeras semanas para no preocuparlas. No fue hasta unos días antes de abordar el autobús que se lo dije a mi esposa y a mi hija. Primero fue reacción de sorpresa. No supieron que decir, después fue de reflexión y en los siguientes días conté con todo el apoyo de ellas.
Mi esposa y mi hija sabían que yo podía ser deportado de todos modos en cualquier momento parado en la esquina o saliendo a trabajar, por so que no fuera han vano. Si me deportaban quise que todos aquellos trabajadores que están igual que yo, que no tenga miedo, que sepan que no están solos, que somos millones los que podemos salir de las sombras. Pero tenemos que apoyarnos, organizarnos, y sobre todo educándonos sobre nuestros derechos. Aunque seamos indocumentados, tenemos nuestros derechos que nos permiten ser tratados como seres humanos, y con dignidad. Esa es la razón por la que aborde el autobús en el viaje por la justicia.
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Recording: We Belong Together and Women from the Undocubus
August 14, 2012
On Tuesday August 14th, the We Belong Together campaign held a phone conversation with women from the No Papers No Fear Ride for Justice to hear about their journey coming out of the shadows and challenging sheriffs promoting anti-immigrant policies on their way to North Carolina.
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“Undocubus†is riding out of the shadows and towards the Democratic National Convention
August 14, 2012
Winding its way from Arizona through Texas to Mississippi and Memphis the Undocubus, filled with 30 undocumented immigrants, plans to come to a stop in Charlotte, North Carolina just in time for the Democratic National Convention. The participants hope to draw attention to their belief that both Republicans and the Obama administration have failed in addressing the issue of immigration properly.
“I don’t want politicians to talk about me,” says Gerardo Torres, a volunteer for Puente Arizona, one of the Undocubus organizers, as well as an undocumented and gay immigrant. “If they’re going to talk about us they should let us speak. The people who are actually affected by these laws and all of the hate and the things they’re doing to our community.”
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