This is where I'll be today... Honored to be a part of this. We'll start at Faneuil Hall in Boston, and march to the JFK Federal Building. Facebook event page
LINK.
11:00
AM – 11:05 AM Rocio
Saenz, President of SEIU Local 615
Rocio Sáenz is President of SEIU Local 615, which
represents 18,000 property service workers in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and
New Hampshire. Rocio has been fighting
for worker rights and community empowerment most of her adult life. Rocio will discuss the national framework for
the immigration reform campaign and the importance of the April 6th event in
Boston as a kickoff to an April 10th event in Washington, DC and other future
events.
Senator
Elizabeth Warren
Boston Mayor
Thomas M. Menino (staff member spoke in his stead)
United
States Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III
Uncertainty
and Isolation presentation by Ciara Lavery, Member of Irish International
Immigrant Center
Family Separation presentation by Ciara Lavery, Member
of Irish International Immigrant Center. Ciara came to this country from Ireland at the age of
19 and spent more than a decade as an undocumented immigrant. She will discuss
the high emotional and personal cost of being separated from one’s family,
living with the idea that reconnection with family means leaving the life built
in America behind and the uncertainty and isolation of the modern undocumented
immigrant.
DACA story
by Enos Mullings, member of Essex County Community Organization
Enos was born in the Bahamas but is of Jamaican
descent. While in High School, he left his parents behind in New York in search
of a better education and opportunities, so he moved to Lynn. He became aware
of his status when friends began part time jobs while in school. Now a college
graduate and successful Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status
holder, he shares the story of how he got where he is today.
Survivor
profile by Dora Orellana, member of REACH Beyond Domestic Violence
Dora is a domestic violence survivor. She knows
firsthand the fear that comes with being an undocumented immigrant and and
being a victim twice – the first at the hand of her abuser, the second due to a
broken system that could deport her.
Family
Separation by Antonia Cordova, Executive Board Member of SEIU Local 615
Antonia, a leader within the SEIU 615 Local, will
provide testimony from her personal experience listening to her daughter grow
up over the phone, rather than in person.
She will share her story on missing out on the formative years of her
daughter’s childhood.
Rocio
Saenz, President of SEIU Local 615
Rocio will give closing remarks on the importance of
what we have heard and stress the need to remain engaged and that more
immigration reform events will come.
Attendees will be prepared to march to the Federal Building, site of
immigration courts and detention proceedings.
Marching
Through Streets of Boston to Federal Building
Closing
Remarks and Prayer, Reverend Lara Hoke,
Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Andover
Reverend
Lara Hoke is a Unitarian Universalist Mass Action Board member in addition to
serving as Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Andover. She
is an advocate on a variety of issues including issues of peace-making;
environmental justice; anti-racism; and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
equality. Reverend Hoke will give closing remarks and a closing prayer prior to
flowers being laid at the entrance of the JFK Federal Building.
