AFSC West Region News – January 2020

People of the Land Program, Albuquerque
We say loud and clear: No War with Iran
Recently the AFSC New Mexico program director delivered letters to Sen. Udall, Sen. Heinrich and Rep. Haaland’s staff from faith leaders calling on them to refuse authorization for war with Iran and related attacks, and to block funding for war with Iran. A Vietnam war veteran accompanied her, and 45 people gathered outside chanting and singing. Learn more about Iran and who profits from war—and contact your members of Congress today.

67 Sueños, Oakland
Moving Everyone to Achievement (META)
67 Sueños is an Oakland-based youth program that supports undocumented youth and youth from mixed-status families to become leaders in their communities. META is a youth leadership development program that for 10-15 youth of color, ages 14 -24. This youth group will learn self-expression through art and how to organize and host a fundraising event; youth will also participate in a local political campaign and in trauma healing practices that are rooted in indigenous knowledge. For more, follow 67 Sueños on Instagram.

US-Mexico Border Program, San Diego
Children at the crosshairs of immigration enforcement

A new AFSC report documents numerous cases in San Diego County where children were harmed by Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The report looks at how the enforcement footprint has wide implications for children, including those with some sort of immigration status. (See media.) Pedro Rios of AFSC also shares this blog about the most recent Posada Sin Fronteras and why we must continue to resist border separation.

Healing Justice Program, Oakland
Promoting Restorative Justice
AFSC has been looking for ways to implement a restorative justice programs to replace the existing carceral/punishment system. In 2019, the state funded a proposal for San Joaquin County to experiment with such a program. Fatimeh Khan of AFSC and our new intern, Ivoni Maama, sat down with the District Attorney, her Deputy, and a county program person to go over what an effective diversion program could look like. Typically such a program diverts defendants from a court conviction and punishment process to a non-carceral alternative through bringing people accused of crimes together with surviving victims and community members to work out their conflicts and find solutions. Learn more.

Project Voice Immigrant Rights Program, Oregon-Washington
Oregonians rally to save TPS, DACA and DED
Pedro Sosa shares photos of a rally at the Capitol in Salem. “Terminating TPS, DED (a program for Liberians), and DACA would be a cruel attack on our immigrant communities,” Pedro writes. “Congress needs to create a permanent solution to keep families and communities together.” Oregonians acted in solidarity with others across the US, including people in Denver and Fresno. In celebration of International Migrants Day, AFSC invited community members to speak about their experiences.

Pan Valley Institute, Fresno
PVI publications foster agency, belonging among immigrants
Myrna Martinez Nateras writes: “As we begin 2020, we look back at 2019 with a great sense of accomplishment with the fruition of three Pan Valley Institute publications: a popular education and cultural organizing toolbox, a policy recommendations document, and a cookbook that documents the journey of a Syrian family becoming refugees. Our hope is that these publications will be more than just informative but will also serve as organizing and advocacy tools. We hope that they will give future popular education practitioners instruments for fostering a sense of agency and belonging among immigrants and refugees.”

Economic Activism Program, Oakland
Disarming big tech
The Economic Activism Program has launched a new campaign targeting high tech companies and their complicity in mass surveillance and its harms to immigrant communities, communities of color, and people who live under occupation. We’ve published a newsletter titled “Disarming Big Tech,” along with new research exposing the complicity of IBM, Cisco, and Microsoft. Program staff has represented the AFSC as a shareholder and participated in two annual shareholder meetings of Microsoft and Cisco where we confronted CEOs with questions about their involvement in the Israeli occupation of Palestine. We organized a sign-on letter of 30 faith investors to Microsoft, representing over $60B in assets, sharing our concerns about the company’s investment in facial recognition systems used on Palestinians under occupation.

Roots for Peace Program, Los Angeles
Engaging with youth for change
In 2019, AFSC engaged over 60 youth in the planning of our youth program, the alumni gathering, the Fremont High School workshop, and facilitation of the spring Freedom School, Farmternship program and final event. Out of those 60 people, 20 were a part of two annual internship programs. Their accomplishments include the creation of online media they've published on Instagram for the #Health4All campaign, stories that were shared throughout California’s network of health professionals and involved organizations.

Immigrant Rights Program, Denver
Pardon for Colorado leader of the sanctuary movement
Colorado mom Ingrid Encalada Latorre was recently granted a pardon. Thousands of AFSC supporters and others have long stood with Ingrid and her family, helping to make this victory possible. A mother of two young boys and a new baby girl, Ingrid has been in sanctuary at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder for more than two years. She is a leader of the sanctuary movement in Colorado, fighting so that she and others like her can keep their families together and stay in their chosen homes.

Arizona Program, Tucson
ReFraming Justice Leaders
Grace Gámez writes: “AFSC-Arizona works to reduce incarceration through state sentencing reform, fighting prison and detention expansion, and improving conditions of confinement. Maybe the most important piece of this work is not just including but following the lead of people who are directly impacted by the punishment system in the movement for reform and social change. In this spirit, AFSC-Arizona has created an advisory committee of directly impacted experts who provide valuable input and direction on the work that we do. And we’re honored and excited to introduce them to you.” ReFraming Justice Day is set for January 21. Follow the action on Instagram.

Bits and Peaces
In the latest issue of Quaker EarthCare newsletter, Sayrah Namaste wrote about AFSC's “Farming for Social Change” Network, which believes in the power of farming and land-based work with and for communities most impacted by historical oppression….As we rethink what real justice looks like, we must keep in mind that “a cage by any other name is still a cage, and mass incarceration will not end until we vision more boldly,” writes Tiera Rainey of AFSC-AZ….Adriana Jasso is quoted in this story about the arrest of an immigrant at Friendship Park in San Diego….January 30 is the deadline for speaking out against the Trump administration’s wealth test for immigrant communities….AFSC is pleased to share some of these snapshots from our work in 2019, all made possible by your support.

Your support matters
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