Elena Letona, Executive Director of Centro Presente, speaks in front of supporters at the Welcoming Massachusetts kick off.
Kick off supporters hold signs and form a heart-shaped group on the Grand Staircase of the Massachusetts State House.
Unitarian Universalists Join Welcoming Massachusetts Campaign Kick Off in Support of Immigrants
July 9, 2008
On July 8, 2008, Unitarian Universalists from around Massachusetts participated in the Welcoming Massachusetts campaign kick off at the State House. Welcoming Massachusetts is an immigrant rights campaign that calls on state residents, organizations, and elected officials to sign a pledge in support of immigrant-friendly policies in Massachusetts. Congregants from Arlington Street Church Boston, First Parish in Hingham Old Ship Church, and First Parish in Cambridge attended the kick off, as did Rev. Anita Farber-Robertson, recent interim minister of the First Parish in Cambridge. A delegation of staff from the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA) also attended.
Standing on the State House’s Grand Staircase with a Welcoming Massachusetts banner and signs reading “Love,” “Hope,” “Solidarity,” “Hospitality,” “Compassion,” “Diversity,” “Justice,” and “Equality,” kick-off supporters formed a heart-shaped group.
In total, over 150 people participated, coming from the faith community, labor unions, immigrant organizations, and schools. Elected officials were also present, including Assistant Majority Whip Representative Byron Rushing and State Senator Anthony Galluccio. Pastor Gregory Bishop, of the Baptist Lion of Judah Congregation, and Molly Brandt, a recent high school graduate and citizen daughter of non-citizen immigrant parents, were two of the notable speakers. Bishop described how the faith community can play a role in making Massachusetts welcoming to immigrants. Brandt recounted her experience of seeing immigrant families torn apart through raids, detentions, and deportations, and shared her hopes and fears for her own family. A representative of Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Enid Epstein, explained that health care is the largest industry in Massachusetts and employs thousands of immigrants. She declared passionately, “They take care of us and we must take care of them!”
Suzanne Lee, Chairperson of the Chinese Progressive Association and Principal of the Josiah Quincy School, Carline Desire, from the Association of Haitian Women, and Elena Letona, Executive Director of Centro Presente, shared stories showing that members of their communities need to be more fully included in Massachusetts society and treated with equality and dignity.
The campaign called on Massachusetts residents, congregations, organizations, and city councils to sign the Welcoming Massachusetts Pledge. The cities of Boston, Cambridge, and Pittsfield have signed the pledge, along with forty elected officials. The Unitarian Universalist Association and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee have both endorsed the campaign and the UUA is a Steering Committee member organization. Welcoming Massachusetts will ask the Massachusetts State Legislature and the Governor to sign the pledge this fall, to help lay the basis for immigrant-friendly policies in Massachusetts. The pledge also calls on the Massachusetts federal delegation to work for comprehensive immigration reform in the 111th Congress. In addition, organizers announced July 15, 2008, as a call-in day to ask the State Legislature for bilingual ballots for the November elections.
Last updated on Thursday, July 10, 2008.
