The Coulee Region Immigration Task Force partnered with FSPA affiliation, the Franciscan Spirituality Center and Kino Border Initiative to host an immigration summit on Nov. 21. Attendees met Mathilde, a DACA recipient working as a successful business owner in Wisconsin. Sandy, a Wisconsin resident sponsoring people — guests in her home and throughout the U.S. while they await asylum. Kennedy, a UW-La Crosse graduate working for FSPA and recently had the opportunity for a Kino Border Initiative immersion experience in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. Joining these panelists was Tim, a Wisconsin dairy farmer. He shared that dairy farmers are heading to Washington D.C. with one strong message, “Don’t take our help.” And attendees also heard from a representative of Voces De La Frontera, an organization with the vision to “create a world where everyone lives free from poverty and discrimination, has access to decent and secure work, quality education, and health insurance; where government is truly ‘of the people,’ and all families thrive.”
And now we’re moved to action.
One call to action included Drivers Licenses for All. Voces De La Frontera joined us during the summit and shared how allowing immigrants to obtain driver licenses positively benefits everyone in Wisconsin. An estimated 32,000 Wisconsin residents who are undocumented would get licenses if barriers were removed. Voces De La Frontera’s website is a great place to start for more information, community sign on letters and fact sheets.
Post Immigration Summit Action Folder
Inside this Coulee Region Immigration Summit Action Folder, you’ll find:
- Sister Eileen’s slides
- Best Practices for Constructive Conversations about People on the Move (info sheet)
- What is Humanitarian Parole? (info sheet)
- Op-Ed Writing DOs and DON’Ts (info sheet)
- Event photo gallery
Get Involved
- Coulee Region Immigration Task Force: this group serves to welcome, advocate and educate in the service of new, recent, and established immigrants. Visit the Coulee Region Immigration Task Force website or email couleeregionitf@gmail.com.
- Centro Latino: a subgroup of Coulee Region Immigration Task Force, Centro Latino offers hospitality, support, and loving service to Spanish-speaking people who need resources and information to help integrate them into responsible, caring citizens. Visit Centro Latino’s website or call 1-608-515-9134.
- FSPA Affiliation Immigration Group: this emerging group co-sponsored the Coulee Region Immigration Summit and is open to collaborating with individuals and organizations working to accompany people on the move. Visit the FSPA Affiliation web page or email affiliation@fspa.org.
- Kino Border Initiative facilitates a Give Good program (seeks smartphone donations, food and supplies and travel items). Visit the Kino advocacy page to learn how to stay updated with what’s happening at the Arizona border and suggestions for legislative action.
- Storytelling: consider “Voices of the Border” as your next book club read. The book is filled with powerful personal accounts from migrants crossing the US-Mexico border and provides an understanding of their experiences. All proceeds go directly to the Kino Border Initiative.
Watch Media Coverage
Read more about the Coulee Region Immigration Task Force on the La Crosse Tribune or at this alternative link.
Visit WXOW to read, “Coulee Region Immigration Summit invites the community for conversation,” featuring Julie and Pat.
Visit WXOW to read about the highlights at the Coulee Region Immigration Summit, featuring Sister Eileen McKenzie. Below, Sister Eileen speaks about the Coulee Region Immigration Summit.