Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition

April 2021: In this issue...

  • Featured Member: Woori Center
  • End Family Detention: Introducing the Freedom for Families Act
  • Relay Across America in PA
  • Welcome Maria Tinoco, PICC's Capacity Development Director
  • Upcoming Events
Featured Member: Woori Center

Founded in 2018, Woori Center is a grassroots organization based in Greater Philadelphia. Woori Center empowers and mobilizes Korean and Asian American communities around the issues of the most vulnerable community members, including the low-income, recent immigrant, limited English proficient, undocumented, women, seniors and young people.

At the moment, Woori Center has three main programmatic areas: community organizing and advocacy, civic engagement, youth leadership, community services, and arts and culture. We hope to build a society where everyone thrives together based on mutual understanding and respect!
End Family Detention:
Introducing the Freedom for Families Act

For the last four months, PICC and members of the Shut Down Berks Coalition have been working with organizations across the country to form the Family Liberation Abolitionist Network - a network of organizations fighting to end family detention. Our goal as a network is to ensure that ending family detention is included in the national fight to create a more just and humane immigration system.

While the Biden administration has moved away from long-term family detention and, released families held at the family detention centers for months, and shifted to short-term detention of families, they have made no commitment to end the practice of family detention all together. Now is the opportunity to put an end to the immoral and inhumane practice of family incarceration and ensure that no child or family is threatened by detention or separation because they are seeking safety.

This week, the Family Liberation Abolitionist Network is celebrating the introduction of the Freedom for Families Act. This bill is a step toward ending family detention and permanently shutting down all family prisons permanently. 

Please join us on Thursday, April 29th at 2pm for the bill announcement and to learn more! Join live on Youtube and RSVP on Facebook to get updates!
Relay Across America in PA

The week of April 19-23, immigrant leaders and allies across Pennsylvania lifted up a collective message that Congress must provide a pathway to citizenship for all, end deportations, and include all families in COVID relief. Some highlights from the week:

  • New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia led a letter writing campaign to Members of Congress
  • Woori Center hosted a phone bank to call hundreds of PA voters
  • CASA Pennsylvania, Woori Center, Make the Road PA, New Sanctuary Movement, Casa de la Cultura, and more gathered in Harrisburg and Philadelphia to call on Sen. Casey and Sen. Toomey to pass a pathway to citizenship for all and inclusive COVID relief.

The Relay Across America is ending in Washington, DC on May 1st. Across the country, immigrant leaders and allies will be marking the end of the first 100 days by demanding President Biden and Congress follow through on their promise to pass a pathway to citizenship for all.

Join in by attending a local action! A few events hosted by PICC members:
PICC This Month: Welcome Maria Tinoco

Maria Tinoco is PICC’s new Capacity Development Director. Maria will be taking over leadership of all of PICC’s public education and capacity building work, including Community Navigator trainings, developing educational webinars and materials, and building programs to support member organizations.

Maria was raised in Reading, PA after migrating from Mexico at the age of four. After a two-decade long journey, she become a citizen in her mid-20s. She identifies as an Americanized Mexican-taking characteristics, customs, and traditions from both cultures to live a rich and meaningful life. She has more than ten years of experience in Higher Education with Pennsylvania State University and Kutztown University of PA.

She received her Bachelor of Science in psychology from Kutztown University and has worked as an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor for the Double-A affiliated baseball team of the Philadelphia Phillies since 2010. She has been a guest speaker at multiple colleges and conference forums across Pennsylvania and is an impassioned advocate for opportunities for first generation immigrant students like herself. She continues to strive through her work to provide resources, support, and to advocate for those who seek her guidance.
Upcoming Events
2021 PA is Ready! Grant Application is OPEN!

PA is Ready! provides grants to collaborative work that is rooted in and serving diverse immigrant and refugee communities to make legal and other immigration services accessible; build power, organizational capacity, and the leadership of immigrant community members; and address community-identified needs and root causes in the long term.

Application are due on May 14, 2021.We encourage everyone to apply!

Register today for the PA is Ready! informational session on April 29th, 5:00-6:30PM to learn about grant criteria and the application process.

Please visit PA is Ready! page for information on application materials, process, and guidelines.
2021 Pennsylvania Immigrant & Refugee Rights Convening

We are excited to invite you to PICC’s 5th Annual Pennsylvania Immigrant and Refugee Rights Convening on June 5-6, 2021.

This Convening will bring together members of the immigrant and refugee communities, grassroots organizations, advocates, and allies from across the state, and will includes live virtual workshops, networking sessions, and opportunities to meet with legislators to discuss the issues impacting our immigrant and refugee communities.

More information on the event, workshops, and speakers will be added to the 2021 Convening webpage as they are confirmed. Check back often!

Register by May 7th and receive a small care package! 

Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition

2100 Arch Street, 4th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103

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