Oregon & Washington
EIGHT CARAVANS TO TACOMA, WASHINGTON NORTHWEST DETENTION CENTER!
See list of co-organizers below
On Saturday, May 8, 2021, the day before Mother’s Day, hundreds of people will depart from eight different parts of Oregon and Washington and converge at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, WA with a call to Gov. Jay Inslee to shut it down. Run by the for-profit multi-national GEO Group, the NWDC holds nearly 1,600 people. For years, detainees have suffered from abuse by guards and inadequate medical care and food. While Gov. Inslee took the powerful step to end new contracts with for-profit prisons and detentions centers by recently signing HB1090 into law, the NWDC needs to be shut down now. More background information here.
Tell Washington Gov. Inslee to shut down Northwest Detention Center HERE.
Tell Tacoma City Council to shut down Northwest Detention Center HERE.
Help pass the Oregon Sanctuary Promise Act, HB 3265 HERE.
Tell your Governor to Free Them All HERE.
Write a letter to mothers locked up at Northwest Detention Center (see bottom of email)
Join the Caravan on Saturday, May 8:
*The caravan leaders will be following COVID protocols and there will be security and each member (car) of the caravan is responsible for take care of your own needs (water, food, etc).
Salem, Oregon:
Gather at 7:30 a.m., at AFSC Oregon Parking Lot. 3850 Portland Road, NE 97301
This will be the gathering point for those coming from Medford, Eugene, Albany, Corvallis and beyond.
Portland, Oregon:
Gather at 9:00 a.m., at Portland Community College, Cascade Campus, 705 N Killingsworth St, 97217
This will be the gathering point for those coming from the south - The Dalles, Hood River
Tacoma, Washington:
Gather at 1 p.m. at the Northwest Detention Center, 1623 E J street, 98421.
We will hand in hundreds of letters written by our communities to give those in detention with a focus on the mothers on the inside. And of course, we will demand that they shut it down.
Questions call Pedro at psosa@afsc.org
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Write a letter to mothers locked up at Northwest Detention Center
Send letters via email to Nancy at greenmann791@msn.com by Wednesday, May 5 with subject line: "#FreeThemAll Mother's Day's Letter. Creativity and letters from children welcome!
Sample Letter In English:
Dear friend,
Greetings from (city/state). My name is (first name)
It is difficult for me to understand all the challenges you face in detention but I want to let you know that you are not alone or forgotten.
I stand in solidarity with you, your family, and all immigrants who are facing detention and discrimination.
I celebrate the love and strength of immigrants like you.
Warmly,
Sample Message in Spanish:
Querido amigo,
Saludos desde (ciudad / estado). Mi nombre es (primer nombre)
Es difícil para mí entender todos los desafíos que enfrenta durante la detención, pero quiero que sepa que no está solo ni olvidado.
Me solidarizo con usted, su familia y todos los inmigrantes que enfrentan detención y discriminación.
Celebro el amor y la fuerza de los inmigrantes como usted.
Afectuosamente,
This mass action has been organized by AFSC Project Voice and:
Solidaridad Migrante/ ADELANTE MUJERES, La Resistencia, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice, Latino Unidos Siempre, Gorge ICE Resistance, Rural Organizing Project, Fork Human Rights Group, Linn Benton Rapid Response, Doctors for Camp Closure, CAUSA, and others to be named soon!