#WeAreHome: The Theory to Win Immigrant Justice Now
Session Type(s): Panel
Starts: Friday, Oct. 8 3:45 PM (Eastern)
Ends: Friday, Oct. 8 4:45 PM (Eastern)
The immigrant justice movement hasn’t had a big win in 30 years. But now we have a White House and Congress positioned to make bold immigration policy changes to transform millions of lives. We Are Home is a new collaboration of immigration, civil rights, faith, and labor organizations, representing millions of immigrants, union members and workers, faith leaders, Latino, AAPI, Black, Indigenous, and workers. Activists with We Are Home will discuss what they’ve learned from work in this policy area, where they see opportunities, and the theory to win legalization for the 11 million undocumented immigrants enduring the cruelty of our interior enforcement system.
Moderator
Bridgette Gomez
Bridgette Gomez is a daughter of Colombian immigrants and the first generation in her family to attend college. She started her career as a math teacher and began community organizing in Arizona when SB1070, an anti-immigrant bill, passed in the state. For more than a decade, she has helped serve and empower the Latino community as a teacher, organizer, community engagement manager and director. She currently serves as the Director of Latinx Outreach and Engagement for Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Before joining Planned Parenthood, she served as the Latino Engagement Director for the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
Panelists
Giev Kashkooli
Giev Kashkooli is the political and legislative director for the United Farm Workers of America. Giev represents the UFW as a co-chair in the We Are Home campaign.
He has worked with the UFW for 25 years throughout California, Arizona, New York, Washington, D.C., and Florida.
Among highlights from Giev’s years as union political director is leading the campaign and managing the political work that has won equal overtime pay and heat illness protections for California workers, produced changes to California’s collective bargaining laws for farm workers, winning a national pesticide protection standard for farm workers, and strengthening farm worker health care. Giev currently coordinates the UFW’s efforts to make sure our nation’s immigration laws honor the farm workers who feed us.
Patrice Lawrence
Patrice Lawrence (she/her) is the Executive Director of the UndocuBlack Network (UBN) and a member of the community it serves – currently and formerly undocumented Black immigrants who are transforming their realities and making their demands known on a local, state, and national level. Patrice is a fierce advocate for the liberation of all peoples and towards that vision has been a leader in building unity across racial and ethnic communities. Originally from Jamaica, Patrice has penned op-eds for CNN, Black Star News, and NewsOne.