Partnering for Justice
The Northampton and Amherst congregations are working together to raise awareness and mobilize UUs around immigrant rights. On Sunday, February 12, they held an event at which participants could learn more about how immigration policy and practices impact immigrant communities in Massachusetts.
After breaking bread together, participants watched the PBS Frontline documentary "Lost in Detention." Speakers included:
- William Cano, Deputy Director of Alliance to Develop Power (pictured below with Sally Lawton of USNF) - an organizational partner - who spoke about the work of that organization
- Jaymes Winnell, of the American Friends Service Committee of Western MA who spoke about the AFSC's efforts against the federal Secure Communities Initiative
- Jesse Jaeger, Director of UU Mass Action, who spoke about the immigration justice work he is helping congregations coordinate and plans for Justice General Assembly later this year
Participants asked questions, identified possible next steps and learned that a location in Greenfield being used for detentions by Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE). Among those present were folks from Connecticut who spoke about a 64-year-old Indonesian man, decades in that community, who was recently detained and the work they are doing to advocate for his release.
Consideration was given to how these two congregations might connect with additional local congregations such as Greenfield and Springfield to grow their capacity to respond to ICE's moving detainees from one locale to another without notice and leaving family members ignorant as to their location.
Jesse Jaeger called the group "trail blazers" among UU congregations for the work they are doing and invited them to attend the a similar event in Worcester to share information and stories. (For details about similar events coming soon in other parts of Massachusetts, click here.)
