Project Voice
Defending Our Rights and Dignity
What is Project Voice?
Project Voice is a new initiative sponsored
by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). Its purpose
is to strengthen the
voices of immigrant-led organizations in setting the national
agenda for immigration policy and immigrants’ rights,
in order to foster a fuller integration of immigrants and refugees
in their new communities. Project Voice combines local and
national organizing, education, and outreach campaigns to achieve
a strategic impact on key immigration and refugee issues, including
legalization, abuse of authority, community relations, workers’ rights,
and other human rights issues.
Base building
An organized, mobilized constituency is
essential to the success of the immigrants’ rights movement. Project
Voicesupports the growth and development of immigrant-led
organizations, through leadership development, technical assistance,
and organizing support. New organizers in every AFSC region are
supporting the formation of a network of “human rights
committees,” with the goal of bringing the voices and concerns
of immigrant communities into policy debates at the local, state,
and national level.
Alliance building
Now more than ever, no community and
no constituency can “go it alone” in the struggle
for rights and dignity. Labor unions, faith communities, communities
of color, educators, and service providers are all key allies
for immigrant communities. Through community education as well
as media outreach, Project Voice works to build understanding
of the immigrant experience and to foster cooperation between
immigrant communities and potential allies.
Policy impact
Immigration policy is central
to the quest for immigrants’ rights.
Project Voice brings together immigrant-led organizations with
seasoned policy analysts and advocates, so that policy goals
are workable and attainable — and directly responsive to
the needs and concerns of the grassroots. The network of human
rights committees, as well as networks of allies, will provide
a powerful base of support for the project’s policy
initiatives.
Human rights documentation
AFSC
pioneered the use of human rights documentation to support
border crossers
and border communities to challenge
systemic
abuses by the Border Patrol and other government agencies.
Project Voice brings this wealth of experience
to communities around
the country, showing how documentation of human rights
violations can serve as a powerful tool to challenge
abuses — in employment,
housing, education, and services as well as law enforcement.
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