Barbara Lee Convenes Meeting of Community and Faith Leaders on Immigration
(Oakland, CA) – As supporters of immigration reform again take to the streets, Congresswoman Barbara Lee convened a meeting of local community and faith leaders at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building in Oakland, to discuss the local impact of immigration policy and held a press conference with attendees to demonstrate the breadth and diversity of support within the community for an immigration policy that is comprehensive and fair.
“We are here to emphatically reject the cynical and divisive politics of scapegoating, and to call for a positive, comprehensive and just immigration policy that recognizes the basic human dignity of the millions of hardworking undocumented people living in this country,” said Lee. “Immigrants built this nation, and their contributions are a proud part of our heritage. The millions of people who are marching in cities and towns across this nation are only demanding an immigration policy that lives up to that heritage and the promise of opportunity that our nation has always stood for.”
The goal of the meeting and press conference was to bring together representatives from the African-American, Asian and Latino communities to demonstrate the community’s diversity and unity in support of comprehensive immigration reform.
“A comprehensive policy has to address border security, but it must also include a process for earned legalization and a clear path to citizenship, and it has to address family reunification and the ability for children to pursue an education,” said Lee.
Participants included:
Faith Leaders: Rev. Phil Lawson – founding board member of Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights; Rabbi David Cooper – Kehilla Community Congregation; Rev. Kelvin Sauls – Downs Memorial UMC; Rev. Dr. Larry Ashley - Cosmopolitan Baptist Church; Rev. Dr. Valerie Miles-Tribble – Imani Community Church; Rev. Dr. Martha Taylor - Allen Temple Baptist Church; Rev. Dr. Harold Mayberry - First AME Church; Barbara Dawson – Oakland Catholic Diocese; Fr. Tony Valdivia – St. Louis Bertrand; Rev. Michael McBride - The Way Christian Center; Rev. Allen L. Williams - St. Paul AME Church; Logene Butler - McGee Avenue Baptist Church; Florence Wahl - St. Mary Magdalene Parish; Marta Higuera - St. Joseph the Worker Church; John Robinson - Manranatha Christian Center; Rabbi James Brandt – Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay.
Community Leaders: Anita Sinha – International Institute of the East Bay; Susan Bowyer – International Institute of the East Bay; Henry Rosales – Spanish Speaking Citizens Foundation; Joel Tena, Robet Salinas – Centro Legal de la Raza; Andrew McComb – Berkeley Organizing Congregations for Action; Jose Duenas – Bay Area World Trade Center; Laura Arreola – Bay Area World Trade Center; Sylvia Rosales-Fike and Mimi Nguyen – AnewAmerica; Jesus Rodriguez – Oakland Community Organizations; Raquel Aguirre – Catholic Charities; Sister Maureen Duignan – East Bay Sanctuary Covenant; Sherry Hirota – Asian Health Services; Lillian Galedo – Filipinos for Affirmative Action; Representative to be named – Asian Law Caucus; Carl Chan – Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce; Amaha Kassa – East Bay Alliance for Sustainable Economy; Evelyn Sanchez – East Bay Alliance for Sustainable Economy; Jane Garcia – La Clinica de la Raza; Lena Ayoub – American Immigration Lawyers Association; David Kakishiba – East Bay Asian Youth Center; Sin Yen Ling – Asian Law Caucus; Vivian Chang and Mimi Ho – Asian Pacific Environmental Network; Gilda Gonzales – Unity Council; Jacquelyn G Newman – America Immigration Lawyers Association Asylum Office Liaison.
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