Freedom From Fear Award

via @CultureStrike: #Art4 Immigration Reform!

willcoley — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 03:01:32 +0000

Add your photo by posting an image to Instagram with the hashtag #art4

April 3 & 4 Online Workshop: Talking to America About Immigrants & Immigration (via @DenzilMohammed)

willcoley — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:03:26 +0000

Immigrants are assets to our great nation. In this free online workshop on April 3 & 4, 2013, you will learn about immigrants’ economic and social contributions, integration ideas and tools, messaging strategies and get the latest update on Comprehensive Immigrant Reform.

Interact with presenters like Manuel Pastor (University of Southern California) and Mary Giovagnoli (Immigration Policy Center) while sharing your experiences with colleagues from across the country. This free online workshop is geared toward staff at immigrant-serving organizations including advocacy/integration, community/economic planning and development and higher education. Register now at http://bit.ly/ILCworkshop.

Video: @CrossingOverDoc – The Reality of Being an Undocumented Transgender Immigrant in US

willcoley — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 05:56:34 +0000

Crossing Over Trailer from Katrina Sorrentino on Vimeo.

This is a film about a community of strength and support, about women who fight for themselves and each other, and about finding the strength to be true to oneself no matter what the obstacles. The juxtaposition between the proud, colorful moments from the lives that these women have managed to craft for themselves and the quiet moments of darkness that continue to pervade will remind us of what they have undergone to become the women they are today.

See crossingoverdocumentary.com for more info!

Watch: “Inocente”, Oscar-Winning Documentary Short Film via @MTV

willcoley — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 16:39:21 +0000

Inocente – Full Episodes

Oscar winner for Best Documentary Short Film, Inocente, is the story of a talented 15-year-old Latina who, as an undocumented homeless immigrant, fiercely pursues her dream of becoming an artist. Inocente survived life’s greatest challenges, punctuated by a father deported for domestic abuse and an endless shuffle, year after year, through the city’s overcrowded homeless shelters and the constant threat of deportation. By chronicling the journey of this immensely talented young woman, the documentary sheds light on the current lightning rod issues of immigration and homelessness in America in a strikingly personal way.

Find out more here.

Video via @TheNation: Infiltrating ICE – How Undocumented Activists Are Organizing on the Inside

willcoley — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 20:12:39 +0000

Undocumented immigrant activists Marco Saavedra and Viridiana Martinez were picked up by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and sent to Florida’s Broward Transitional Center last summer. But their cases were special: They had both voluntarily gotten themselves locked up, in order to more effectively organize other detainees against the spike in deportations in the past few years. Marco’s goal was “to make it such a PR nightmare for ICE to have someone in the facility that it’s more convenient, or more amenable to them, to have you on the outside.”

Watch the full video to hear Saavedra describe his struggle on behalf of the National Immigrant Youth Alliance(NIYA). Read more about the NIYA’s work in the February 18, 2013, edition of the Nation: Dreamers Fight Deportations

Video via @ThinkProgress: At #HJC hearing, DREAMers protest @DarrellIssa

willcoley — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 20:37:23 +0000

Video via @DefineAmerican: “Aspiring Americans” #SuperBowl47 Ad

willcoley — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 01:46:42 +0000

Learn more here.

Video via @ErikaAndiola: “It’s not over: End our family’s pain.”

willcoley — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 18:16:58 +0000

IT’S NOT OVER, Erika Andiola (Your Family’s Story Matters. Share with us)
If you have a family member who is in deportation proceedings or has been deported we want to hear from you. make a video and share your story with us.When making your videos name them as follows “IT’S NOT OVER, (your family name) Send us links to your storys videos at idreamcampaign@gmail.com

Video via @i_am_OTHER: Voice of Art & @Undocubus at the DNC – Migration Is Beautiful, Pt. 3

willcoley — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 14:21:27 +0000

Favianna Rodriguez and crew join the fearless riders of the Undocubus as they arrive in Charlotte, NC — while the media spotlight shines on the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Artist Julio Salgado explains why the Undocubus activists are there to protest. Later, as the city sleeps, Favianna and a team of artists hit the streets on a clandestine postering mission. As the Undocubus riders plan a direct action protest, artist César Maxit explains the butterfly art he has created to help them express their messages. Favianna, Rosario Dawson and a large crowd join Undocubus riders as they stage their dramatic sit-in street blockade designed to send a message to the President before he accepts his nomination for a 2nd term.

Migration Is Beautiful, Pt. 1 http://bit.ly/WKNLlt
Migration Is Beautiful, Pt. 2 http://bit.ly/TPUopR
More Voice of Art here: http://bit.ly/NPJfj7

Subscribe to i am OTHER on YouTube to stay updated on our releases: http://www.youtube.com/iamOTHER

Videos, news and more: http://www.iamOTHER.com
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/iamOTHER
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/i_am_OTHER

i am OTHER:
Executive Producer – Pharrell Williams
General Manager – Caron Veazey
Creative Director – Mimi Valdés
Executive Producer – Robin Frank
Producer – Bethany Gould
DoP/Editor – Gabriel Stanley
Assistant Producer – Alexandra DePersia
Digital Marketing – Aviva Yael

i am OTHER Motion Graphics by Syndrome

Video via @i_am_OTHER: Voice Of Art travels to Arizona – Migration Is Beautiful Pt. 2

willcoley — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 14:18:45 +0000

Voice Of Art follows Favianna Rodriguez, Culture Strike and Sound Strike to the front lines of the immigration battle in Tucson, AZ.

Local human rights lawyer Isabel Garcia illustrates how D.H.S. funnels migrants into the deadly Arizona desert. Activist Roberto Lovato reveals the truth about immigration crackdown and how it is big business for the prison industrial complex. Jasiri X, Invincible, Shining Soul and a group of artistic visionaries come together for a hip-hop/poetry cypher at the U.S./Mexico border before rocking crowds at a pro-migrant music and art jam.

Watch more Voice of Art here: http://bit.ly/NPJfj7

Subscribe to i am OTHER on YouTube to stay updated on our releases: http://www.youtube.com/iamOTHER

Videos, news and more: http://www.iamOTHER.com
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/iamOTHER
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/i_am_OTHER

i am OTHER Motion Graphics by Syndrome

Video via @i_am_OTHER: @Favianna Rodriguez’s Voice of Art – Migration Is Beautiful, Pt. 1

willcoley — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:37:22 +0000

Meet powerhouse artist/activist Favianna Rodgriguez — a leading voice in the movement of artists raising awareness about U.S. immigration issues. Favianna is a co-founder of both Presente.org and Culture Strike, two groups pushing back against the wave of anti-immigrant rhetoric and legislation that has recently swept the nation. Pulitzer Prize winning author Jose Antonio Vargas explains the ironies of anti-immigration hysteria in a country founded by immigrants. Favianna participates in a visual campaign using the Monarch Butterfly as a symbol of the beauty and dignity of migrants.
Watch more Voice of Art here: http://bit.ly/NPJfj7

Subscribe to i am OTHER on YouTube to stay updated on our releases: http://www.youtube.com/iamOTHER

Videos, news and more: http://www.iamOTHER.com
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/iamOTHER
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/i_am_OTHER

i am OTHER Motion Graphics by Syndrome

Video via @Favianna: Migration is Beautiful Trailer – Voice of Art

willcoley — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 23:34:54 +0000

Documentary web weries “Voice of Art” releases episode, “Migration is Beautiful”, highlighting the growing movement of artists, designers, performers and musicians working for migrant justice, featuring activist and artist Favianna Rodriguez. The episode also features actor and activist Rosario Dawson and Pulitzer Prize Winning Author Undocumented Activist Jose Antonio Vargas.

This episode is part of a weekly series that airs on Pharrell Williams’ I am OTHER YouTube Channel Voice of Art, a powerful new documentary series on Pharrell Williams’ I Am Other YouTube Channel. The episode focuses on artists-activists using online and offline art and activism to bring about definitive changes to immigration policy and perceptions of immigrants.

Audio via @Taketwo: Secure Communities policy falling out of favor across the US

willcoley — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 03:55:05 +0000

via KPCC’s TakeTwo:

US Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton addresses a press conference on March 1, 2011 in Washington. Morton announced that two-month-long operation “Southern Tempest” has led to the arrests of 678 members of violent street gangs, many of them linked to drug cartels in Mexico, which were the primary focus of the operation.

As the Obama Administration prepares to tackle immigration reform, a part of its current immigration policy is dividing Democrats across the country.Last year, Democratic governors in Massachusetts, Illinois, and New York pulled out of “Secure Communities,” even if Immigration and Customs Enforcement — or ICE — insists the program is not optional. Governor Jerry Brown has not come out against the program but much of the rest of the state would rather not comply. Reporter Amy Isackson explains.

Video via @TEDxWomen: Gaby Pacheco

willcoley — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 14:37:24 +0000

via TEDxWomen and Feministing:

Gaby Pacheco, an undocumented American, is an immigrant rights leader from Miami, Florida. She has been speaking about her lack of papers since high school. As one of the creators of the Florida-based, youth-led group, Students Working for Equal Rights, she began organizing when she realized she was just one of hundreds of undocumented students in her community. She was elected student government president at Miami Dade College, and later statewide student body president, raising the issue of in-state tuition for undocumented students throughout Florida, which led to political change and a climate of acceptance in many community and state colleges there.

In 2010, she and three friends walked 1,500 miles from Miami to Washington, DC, to bring to light the plight of immigrants in this country, and to urge President Obama to stop the separations of families and deportations of DREAM Act–eligible youth. This walk was dubbed the Trail of DREAMs.

As political director for the national youth group United We Dream, she spearheaded efforts that led President Obama to announce the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, one of the biggest changes in immigration since the 1986 Amnesty.

Gaby has three college degrees from Miami Dade College. She is in the process of publishing children’s books and aspires to be a musical therapist, working with students with mental disabilities.

Read more on Feministing: Behind every good woman…

Video via @MyCuentame: Latino Voz of the Year – Artivist Julio Salgado

willcoley — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 14:22:01 +0000

via Cuentame:

In a media arena where issues of immigrants are misrepresented, underreported or overshadowed, Julio consistently stepped up to the plate and shared stories that reflected his perspective. During 2012 we saw Julio’s work related to every issue from deportations to domestic worker rights to cultural appropriation. We’d like to thank Julio for his diligent and critical intervention.

Video via @Colorlines: Undocumented Youth Tell Their Own Stories in New Book

willcoley — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:13:30 +0000

via Colorlines:

Read more on Colorlines here: “Undocumented Youth Tell Their Own Stories in New Book“

via @IYJL: Celebrating 3 years of undocumented, unafraid organizing (& an invitation)

willcoley — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:42:17 +0000

via Tania Uzueta:

Three years ago a group of friends and I embarked on a project to create an organization that would support undocumented young people speaking for themselves, that would be powerful enough to stand up against the deportations of all undocumented immigrants, and fight for our right to have a path to citizenship. Today, we continue to be part of the Immigrant Youth Justice League (IYJL), an organization now known nation wide for our work and innovative strategies. Just to list a few things that I am proud of:

In 2009 we stopped the deportation of my friend and colleague Rigo Padilla, in 2010 we led the National Coming Out of the Shadows movement and inspired young people across the country to call themselves‘undocumented and unafraid.’
At the end of 2010 as we say the Senate fail to pass the DREAM Act, we began speaking about the connection between legislation on immigration and mental health, and began to create resources and networks to support undocumented students.
In 2010 and 2011 we participated in a series of civil disobediences throughout the country against legislation such as Secure Communities in Chicago (where participants were declared ‘not guilty’) and the lack of access to education in Georgia. To this day, we are the group that has had most of its members participate in a civil disobedience.
The year 2011 was also when we began our work to pass the Illinois Dream Act, published two guides for undocumented students. Today we continue to support the bill’s implementation by creating workshops and working with Chicago Public School students to hold their schools accountable to all students. It has been this kind of work that led to Curie High School having an Undocumented Student liaison as part of their counselor staff.
This year we have decided to continue doing this work, and expand our work on deportations. We will be taking on more cases, working on more local policy, and seeking to create collaborations with local and national organizations. We already have a working partnership with the National Immigrant Justice Center collaborating on cases from Illinois, and working to address federal policy change. I am excited to say that I am the new coordinator for IYJL’s deportation work for this year, and look forward to the work.

This October 2012 we turned three years old, and in January we will be celebrating this anniversary. I know that you all have supported IYJL in various ways (or will) and I want to invite you to do so again. Celebrate our third anniversary by attending our celebration at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago on Saturday January 26th at 5:00 PM. You can buy a ticket from me, or online here.

Slideshow: @GADetWatch leads vigil to “Expose & Close” Stewart Detention Center

willcoley — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 15:59:47 +0000

Georgia Detention Watch and partner organizations held a vigil in Lumpkin, GA and then marched 2 miles march to the Stewart Detention Center. Steve Pavey took these great photos:

A growing number of people are saying, “Shut Down Stewart!” Why?

Detainees have died at Stewart Detention Center (SDC).
A wrongful death at SDC has been settled in court.
At least one American has been detained at and deported from SDC.
Families are still denied contact visits at SDC.
On multiple occasions water service has been interrupted at SDC.
Immigrants are still held in solitary confinement at SDC.
Corrections Corporation of America makes millions in profit at SDC.
Stewart County remains Georgia’s poorest county.

Collaborators included former detainee Pedro Guzman, SOA Watch, ACLU of Georgia, Alterna, Detention Watch Network, Grassroots Leadership, International Action Center, National Lawyer Guild Georgia Chapter, Southern Anti-Racist Network, and many others…

Video via @Presenteorg: Tell Maricopa County to count ALL the ballots!!

admin — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 20:03:09 +0000

Sign the petition!

The media announced that Joe Arpaio will retain his position as Sheriff in Maricopa County. This, despite that there are over 300,00 ballots that have not been considered nor counted. A significant percentage of these ballots are from Latino constituents.

Please sign petition to demand that Helen Purcell make sure that every single vote is counted.

Video via @TheSoundStrike: Cyhper at the Border featuring @Jasiri_X @InvincibleDET & @DirtyVerbs

admin — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 22:36:16 +0000

Hip Hop Artists Jasiri X, Invincible, and Paradise Gray of the mighty, mighty X Clan join local artists Amy Juan, Shinning Soul, and Dirty Verbs to rock DJ Sloe Poke’s border spin for the first ever “Border Cyhper.”

With global trade destroying communities and families world wide by slashing wages and moving factories to the next hungry communities migration of people has become both a necessity and an inevitability. The US/Mexico border has become a human rights crisis as US border vigilance has become both militarized and also funneled migrants into the unforgiving Arizona desert.

For more info follow us on twitter @thesoundstrike @culturestrike or at www.thesoundstrike.info or www.culturestrike.net.

Video by Jason Michael Aragon. Audio by Javier Gonzalez. Great audio work, really, really great audio work. LOL

Listen: How Domestic & Healthcare Workers Are @CaringAcrossGen-erations

admin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:08:17 +0000

via the National Immigrant Integration Conference 2012:

Caring Across Generations is a campaign to reform long term care by bringing together home care workers, seniors, people living with disabilities, and family caregivers. Immigrants are members of all of these groups but, most centrally, are understood as the future care workforce.

The Caring Across Generations campaign, which explicitly promotes pro-immigrant reforms based on appeals to the common and critical interests of all American families, provides a model pathway forward to successful federal reform. Panelists shared how the different perspectives of these constituencies provide us with an opportunity to model interdependence and proactive change for families across the country.

MODERATOR

Sarita Gupta, Jobs with Justice and Caring Across Generations

PANELISTS

Ai-jen Poo, Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) and Co-director, Caring Across Generations
Antonia Pena, Domesitc Worker Organizer, CASA de Maryland
Dr. Henry Pacheco, Director of Medicine and Public Health at the National Hispanic Council on Aging
Josh Bernstein, SEIU

Untitled Series via @IDREAM_campaign: Documented Stories of Undocumented Youth

admin — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 15:04:27 +0000

via the I Dream Campaign:
Documenting the stories and faces of immigrant youth

Audio via @OntheMedia: @Joseiswriting on “Illegal” vs. “Undocumented”

admin — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 15:08:50 +0000

Since writing an article called “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant” in the New York Times Magazine last year, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas has been trying to foster conversation about immigration issues.

In a speech last week at the Online News Association conference, he announced his plan to track and hopefully influence news organizations away from using the term “illegal” to describe immigrants. Bob asks Vargas why he feels this change in nomenclature is important.
Listen to Jose’s speech below:
Friday Morning Keynote- Jose Antonio Vargas – ONA12 by onlinenewsassociation

Video from #NIIC: @GabyPacheco1 remembers the Trail of Dreams

admin — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 14:59:43 +0000

Listen to more audio from the event here.

Video: Julio Salgado of @DreamersAdrift “I’m here because my parents were brave & responsible”

admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:08:28 +0000

UndocuBus rider Julio Salgado is an artist and co-creator of Dreamers Adrift.

Video via @NDLON: David Ramirez “I hate politics and I really love poetry”

admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:06:16 +0000

UndocuBus rider David Ramirez is an organizer and artist living in Chicago.

Listen: @FFFAward Winners share stories at #NIIC Baltimore

admin — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:52:07 +0000

The National Immigrant Integration Conference 2012 (NIIC 2012) is the largest national conference to bring together immigrant integration leaders and advocates from across the country.

Part 1

NIIC 2012 is designed to take the public dialogue on immigration beyond the border enforcement headlines and dive deep into the effort to diversify the American Dream by ensuring that immigrants have the opportunity to become integral members of the U.S. communities they call home.

Part 2:

Listen to more audio from the conference on SoundCloud.

Video via @NDLON: Arrested & Released at the #DNC2012

admin — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 13:04:20 +0000

The No Papers No Fear Ride for Justice culminated with 10 undocumented riders protesting the President’s police/ICE collaboration programs that have fueled record deportations. The 10 performed civil disobedience at the entrance of the Democratic National Convention knowing that because of the county’s 287(g) program, the Sheriff and ICE could decide to place them in deportation proceedings after their arrest.

They mobilized community support and instead of being arrested were released within 24 hours and are now back with their families and communities demonstrating that we are safer when we are out and organized than on our own.

Video: Join us at @NPNewAmericans’ National Immigrant Integration Conference

admin — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:16:49 +0000

In 2012, the National Immigrant Integration Conference (NIIC) will be hosted by CASA de Maryland. Register now for the largest national conference that brings together immigration leaders and advocates from across the United States.
Join the Freedom from Fear Awards in Baltimore, MD from September 22-25 to network, share ideas and learn from some of the nation’s leading experts on immigrant integration.

NIIC is the flagship event of the National Partnership for New Americans. This footage is taken from NIIC 2011, hosted by OneAmerica in Seattle. The soundtrack is a live recording of Shumba, who performed after a naturalization ceremony held on the first night of NIIC.

Footage shot by Arianne Garden Vázquez, Cliff Worsham and Otts Bolisay. Edited by Otts Bolisay at OneAmerica.

Video via @NDLON: No Papers No Fear Civil Disobedience at #DNC2012

admin — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 18:15:09 +0000

The No Papers No Fear Journey for Justice performed Civil Disobedience in front of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC. They asking President Obama if he wants his legacy to on the wrong or right side of the Human Rights Struggle. Do you want to be remembered as the president who deported the most people or the president who recognized the Human Rights of Migrants by stopping the deportations, collaboration between ICE and local law enforcement by stopping InSecure Communities and 287(g).