http://www.nfg.org/sanctuarytofreedom_recap
Immediately after the presidential election, mayors across the country have taken a bold public stance, declaring their cities to be “sanctuary cities,” and vowing to protect their cities' residents against the potential harsh policies that are anticipated to come from the new federal administration and Congress. Throughout the country, we also see a heightened increase of hate violence and racially charged rhetoric in the media against immigrants, including calls for banning Muslims, stronger immigration enforcement, and the dismantling of the key deportation-deferral program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
While the frame of sanctuary cities is designed as protection for undocumented and migrant residents, it also offers an opportunity to engage us all in critical questions about how we shape our democracy and local places: What makes a city a sanctuary? Sanctuary for whom and from what? Many community organizations are using a broader Rebel Cities framework, as well as the newly-launched #FreedomCities, which redefines what safety and freedom truly mean for communities.
Elected officials, government agencies, residents, non-profits, grantmakers, and local businesses all have a role to play in shaping cities that are safe for all residents. For local grantmakers who are deeply embedded in their communities, and regional, state, and national grantmakers of all kinds who support community power-building for the most impacted communities, better alignment with our grantmaking is critical to further strengthen our investments within a region. Philanthropy has a role in leveraging existing organizations working on cross-cutting campaigns like immigration reform, economic development, and affordable housing to build upon emergent work that addresses the threat to undocumented residents. Although large urban centers and more progressive public figures have been leading on sanctuary cities, under-resourced and conservative smaller towns and rural areas are grappling with similar immigration issues that need more exploration.
Speakers
- Carl Lipscombe | Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI)
- Kimi Lee | Bay Resistance
- Lizeth Chacon | Colorado People's Alliance
- Rachael DeCruz | Center for Social Inclusion (CSI)
- Greg Casar | Local Progress Board Member and Austin City Council Member
- Opening remarks by Alexandra Desautels, The California Endowment, and member of NFG’s Democratizing Development Program
3. Rachel DeCruz
Racial Equity Project Manager
Center for Social Inclusion (CSI)
Carl Lipscombe
Deputy Director
Black Alliance for Just Immigration
(BAJI)
Greg Casar
Local Progress Board Member
and Austin City Council Member
Kimi Lee
Director
Bay Rising
Lizeth Chacon
Executive Director
Colorado People’s Alliance
Speakers
6. Local Progress is a member-led network of 550+
progressive local elected officials from 40+ states
Goals:
1) Share best practices and provide technical assistance
on a broad array of progressive municipal policies
2) Support elected leaders through training, leadership
development, networking and the development of a
community of shared practice
3) Coordinate trans-local campaigns for cities to have
state & national impact
2017 Priorities: Sanctuary Cities & Immigrant
Protections, Just Policing, Sustainable and Equitable
Infrastructure, Economic Justice
9. Oregon
California
Virginia
Fairfax County
Portland
Multnomah County
Metro
Alameda County
= Active GARE Members
= Current GARE Engagements
Massachusett
sBoston
Washington
Seattle
Tacoma
Minnesota
Iowa
Dubuque
Iowa City
Wisconsin
Dane County
Madison
Metropolitan Council
Minneapolis
Minneapolis Park Board
Saint Paul
= Racial Equity Here Members
New Mexico
Albuquerque
Texas
Austin
Kentucky
Louisville
Pennsylvan
ia
Philadelphia
Michigan
Ottawa County
Washtenaw County
MI Dept of Civil Rights
Grand Rapids
Government Alliance on Race and Equity
10. King County,WA
• Welcoming County
• Strengthen information and response hubs operated by
nonprofit/community organizations
• Develop and distribute Know Your Rights material and trainings
throughout the county via CBOs
• Establish a legal defense fund – support the naturalization process and
fight deportation
• “Inclusive Communities Pledge” signed by 70 elected officials in King
County
Executive Constantine and
Council establish a one-time
$750,000 fund
15. Colorado People’s Alliance (COPA)
Colorado People’s Alliance (COPA) is a racial justice, member
driven organization dedicated to advancing and wining
progressive social change locally, statewide, and nationally. COPA
builds power to improve the live of all Coloradans through
leadership development, organizing, and Alliance building.
16. Sanctuary City Demands
What makes a true Sanctuary City?
- No ICE Holds
- No ICE Notifications
- No Proactive Communication
- Honor Sensitive Areas
- Create an Immigrant Legal Defense Fund
19. Bay Resistance
• Convened by Bay Rising, Jobs with Justice SF,
EBASE, SEIU USWW and SF Rising
• Over 50 organizations (community groups and
unions signed up)
• Over 15,000 in text network and email listserve in
one month since J20
• Organized Jan 20th, People’s Anti-Inauguration
• Airport actions, education, healthcare, and
weekly Tuesdays
• Move reaction energy to building vision together
20. Trainings:
*Organizing 101
* Direct Action
* Know Your Rights:
Immigration
* Community Rapid
Response for ICE Raids
Bay Rising’s goal is to
build regional organizing
and civic engagement
27. Thank you!
Additional Resources from
NFG’s Programs & Initiatives:
• Democratizing Development
[http://www.nfg.org/democratizing_development]
• Re-cap of Policing and Criminalization in the Trump Era — Funders
for Justice call with BLACKOUT Collective, DRUM, Mijente,
Transgender Law Center, and National Immigration Law Center
[http://www.nfg.org/ffj_call_policing_criminalization]
