Immigrant Communities Using Grassroots Media for Movement Building

Submitted by bettyyu on Tue, 04/21/2009 - 5:09pm
Short Description: 

In Early April, President Obama vowed to make immigration policy reform a priority issue, but progressive organizations are waiting to see if his administration takes a radical shift toward granting equal and full rights to all undocumented workers. Immigrant rights, labor, youth, civil rights and other social justice groups are seizing the opportunity to challenge the new administration in supporting policies that truly liberate and decriminalize undocumented immigrants and their communities. An increasing number of immigrant and workers rights organizations are creating their own media in order to get their voices heard, to affect popular opinion and to shape immigration policy. Come hear how some of these organizations are empowering their own members and constituents through the process of creating the media collectively. The workshop will also engage participants in a lively discussion about how they can bring these tools back to their communities and replicate the same pedagogies of empowering their members to use media to advance their social justice work.

Presenters
Presenter One Name: 
Maria Muentes or Ravi Ragbir, Families for Freedom
Presenter One Info: 

Maria is an organizer with Families for Freedom, a New York-based multi-ethnic defense network by and for immigrants facing and fighting deportation. (I will get a more detailed bio of her)

Presenter Two Name: 
Abdulai Bah, Community News Production Institute (CNPI) and People’s Production House
Presenter Two Info: 

Abdulai is a member of Nah We Yone (it belongs to us), a non-profit organization that provides assistance to immigrants from Africa and elsewhere. Abdulai has reported both on the condition of Hurricane Katrina Survivors in New Orleans as well as Katrina evacuees living in New York.

Presenter Three Name: 
Netza Moreno, Esperanza Del Barrio
Presenter Three Info: 

Netza originally began working for Esperanza del Barrio as the organization's Media and Community Organizer. His dedication and professionalism soon made him move up the ranks to become Esperanza's Administrative Director. He was born in Guadalajara (Mexico), grew up in northern California and from an early age on gained professional experience in various high-profile community organizations.

Presenter Four Name: 
Jei Fong, Break the Chains Alliance
Presenter Four Info: 

Jei is a staff organizer with Chinese Staff & Workers’ Association who is a coalition member of Break the Chains Alliance, a broad coalition of community-based organizations fighting for the rights not just for immigrants, but for all working people; that is, to repeal employer sanctions and restore labor protections to all workers, regardless of their immigration status. ( I will get a more detailed bio of her)

Presenting organization: 
Media Action Grassroots Network & Manhattan Neighborhood Network