We are thankful for the first steps taken by our President to address the broken immigration system. Many families will remain united and find relief from some of their suffering, including those in the Fox Valley, as a result of this policy change.
While many have been discouraged by Congress's failure to act, we find hope in the courageous action taken by President Obama.
Comprehensive reform is still needed, and we continue to look to Congress to bring forward a solution, which a majority of Americans continue to call for.
On January 20, in honor of Martin Luther King Day, Saint Norbert College hosted a presentation of “In Our Shoes,” the Latino Similation developed by ESTHER with support from ThedaCare’s Community Health Action Team. More than 50 people took part in the experience. Click below to see what happened.
A big “Thank You!” to the College for hosting the simulation, and to its Communications Office for producing the video and allowing us to share it with you.
The Walk In Our Shoes Latino simulation experience is designed to help participants begin to understand what it might be like to live as a typical Latino in our community. It is a simulation, not a game. The object is to sensitize participants to the realities faced by area Latinos.
The event is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Registration is required; see below about how to RSVP.
This simulation was developed through the support and efforts of ThedaCare’s Community Health Action Team (CHAT), ESTHER, and dedicated individuals in our community.
RSVPs are required in advance. To ensure your spot in the simulation, please send your name and the date you plan to attend to latinosimulation@gmail.com
Thursday, November 21st, 6:00-9:00 pm
St. Therese Catholic Church
213 E. Wisconsin Ave., Appleton
Our Latino simulation, Walk in Our Shoes: Understanding the Latino Experience, is now ready for prime time! The three-hour simulation gives participants an opportunity to learn first-hand about the problems and obstacles faced by Latino immigrants in our community—problems like getting jobs, entering school or obtaining health care. Participants in the trial run of the simulation in July found it a very moving and educational experience. Now you can schedule the simulation for your organization. To do so, contact Penny Robinson at penny.robinson@esther-foxvalley.org.
This has been an exciting year in the fight for immigration reform. After years of effort, a reform bill has passed the Senate and is awaiting action by the House. Even so, any hope of reform this year depends on persuading our representatives to support it.
Representatives Reid Ribble and Thomas Petri have indicated that they may support reform, but in order to do so, they need to see more support for it in their districts. Now is the time to take action and build momentum for a vote after the House’s August break.
ESTHER’s immigration task force has been calling for several years for immigration policy that is consistent with our faith values, keeps families together, provides a pathway to citizenship for immigrants already here, and expands legal avenues for workers to enter the U.S. Now that an immigration reform bill has been introduced in the Senate, it’s time to get behind the effort to pass it and then to implement it in a humane way. Humane immigration reform has many enemies, and this is no time for us to be complacent.
The first trial run of ESTHER’s Latino Simulation, held on May 22, was a great success, with about 50 people participating. The goal of the simulation is to foster community awareness about the challenges Latinos face in our community. What was learned in this first trial run will help in fine-tuning the simulation before its public release later in the summer. If your group would like to schedule a simulation, contact Penny at penny.robinson@esther-foxvalley.org.
The Fox Valley’s 20,000 Latinos live among us, but we do not really know them. As our ancestors did, they have come to make a better life for themselves and their children. But their efforts are complicated by a restrictive and politicized immigration system. ESTHER’s up-coming Latino Simulation will give participants a chance to deepen their understanding of the problems that our Latino neighbors face: finding jobs and transportation, obtaining health care, keeping their documentation up-to-date or living without it, and trying to understand a strange language and culture.
We have been hearing a lot about immigration on the news lately. Come to this event and hear more about what your faith tradition says about immigration and how we are to respond to immigrants in our communities. Voices of Hope, sharing real life stories of immigrants in the Fox Valley will also present.
Date: Thursday, April 18th
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: First English Lutheran Church (326 North St, Appleton)
President Obama has pledged to work for immigration reform, including a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and the results of the last elections have convinced most Republicans that some reform is needed. Even so, the outcome is far from assured.
The administration has implemented some of the proposals of the Dream Act and has recently announced a policy change that will allow undocumented immigrants who are married to citizens to avoid having to return to their home countries to apply for visas as spouses of citizens.
Locally, to provide more information in the Fox Valley about immigrants’ experiences, ESTHER has been tapped to finish developing and test a Latino Simulation (similar in concept to a poverty simulation). The potential value of such a resource grew out of investigations by ThedaCare's Community Health Action Team (CHAT), which held an Immigration Plunge during the fall of 2011. CHAT then developed the concept of the simulation and sponsored its initial development. Nan Gutierrez has been named project leader and will be working with ESTHER’s Immigration Task Force to complete the project in the next few months.
The Walk In Our Shoes Latino simulation experience is designed to help participants begin to understand what it might be like to live as a typical Latino in our community. It is a simulation, not a game. The object is to sensitize participants to the realities faced by area Latinos.
Our Latino simulation, Walk in Our Shoes: Understanding the Latino Experience, is now ready for prime time! The three-hour simulation gives participants an opportunity to learn first-hand about the problems and obstacles faced by Latino immigrants in our community—problems like getting jobs, entering school or obtaining health care. Participants in the trial run of the simulation in July found it a very moving and educational experience. Now you can schedule the simulation for your organization. To do so, contact Penny Robinson at 
This has been an exciting year in the fight for immigration reform. After years of effort, a reform bill has passed the Senate and is awaiting action by the House. Even so, any hope of reform this year depends on persuading our representatives to support it.
ESTHER’s immigration task force has been calling for several years for immigration policy that is consistent with our faith values, keeps families together, provides a pathway to citizenship for immigrants already here, and expands legal avenues for workers to enter the U.S. Now that an immigration reform bill has been introduced in the Senate, it’s time to get behind the effort to pass it and then to implement it in a humane way. Humane immigration reform has many enemies, and this is no time for us to be complacent.
The first trial run of ESTHER’s Latino Simulation, held on May 22, was a great success, with about 50 people participating. The goal of the simulation is to foster community awareness about the challenges Latinos face in our community. What was learned in this first trial run will help in fine-tuning the simulation before its public release later in the summer. If your group would like to schedule a simulation, contact Penny at 
President Obama has pledged to work for immigration reform, including a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and the results of the last elections have convinced most Republicans that some reform is needed. Even so, the outcome is far from assured.
