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.
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.
With help from ESTHER, a group of Latino soccer players is at last able to use public soccer fields and other facilities at Wittman Park in the Town of Menasha without being subjected to harrassment and racial slurs, and without indifference from Town officials. Gustavo Nunez, one of the players who took a lead role in seeking a resolution to the issue, stated, “We want to thank you and all of the people you worked to figure this situation out with us. After many years of playing with the fear of harassment and removal from the fields, we can finally say that we have been playing in peace this last month and since the beginning of your help.” ESTHER is proud to have worked with these courageous players to ensure that their voice was heard. Together we are encouraged by our collective action to make the community, particularly our public parks, more welcoming to all.
Mass mobilization and protest in Madison against anti-immigrant legislation currently being considered by the state legislature. Join WISDOM leaders, Voces de la Frontera and families from around the state to show your support for communities in which all are welcomed, honored, and protected. Stand up and raise your voice to challenge these racist, anti-immigrant bills.
Buses to Madison for the event leave St. Therese parking lot (Summer and Durkee St., Appleton) at 7 am Thursday (February 18th) morning. Call 920-475-0674 to reserve a place. If you wish to drive yourself to Madison, meet us at 10:00am at the state capitol.
Help spread the word about these bills and this event:
The past couple of weeks have been a tough battle to stop anti-immigrant and racist policies. Monday, February 13, thousands of Latino/a families, advocates and allies will come together in Milwaukee to speak out against these policies and to lift up the many ways the Latino community betters the lives of all Wisconsinites. The gathering is called A Day Without Latinos. People from all around the state are standing together with Latinos/as because we know our lives are interconnected.
We now have two full buses heading to Milwaukee from Appleton Monday morning. We are astounded by the outpouring of support! Local businesses, organizations, and individuals have come forward to help fund the buses, but we aren't quite there yet!
We are asking you—especially if you want to stand in support of this action but cannot make it to Milwaukee—to sponsor the second bus. We need to raise $300.
If you can give $10, $25, $50, $100 or more, you would be part of making this day possible!
Click below to give online by credit-card or sign up to show your support now and pay later.
Your gift is tax deductible. If we receive funds that exceed the cost of the bus, we will direct that additional support to Unidos por un Futuro Mejor in support of their work on leadership training and Latino organizing in the Fox Valley area.
As of Saturday morning, there are still a few places left on the second bus. Buses will leave St. Therese parish in Appleton at 7:55 am, returning to Appleton by 4:00 pm. Contact Basy at 920/739-1226 to reserve your place.
Muchas gracias for all you do to make ESTHER an organization that can be strong and flexible enough to quickly direct energy and funding into this critical work! Sí, se puede!
Fox Valley UU Fellowship, 2600 E. Phillip Lane, Appleton
For the soul of a nation,
NO deportation
Is tearing families apart and turning away talented individuals the solution to our broken immigration system? What are we going to miss if we are not ALL here?
Join us for an interfaith community event as we come together to hear the stories of DACA recipients, discuss the future of the program, and learn now to advocate for the passage of a clean DREAM ACT. Stand in solidarity with our dreamers, friends, and neighbors.
Presented by ESTHER, Unidos Por Un Futuro Mejor, and Winnebago Worship Group Religious Society of Friends.
The Senate failed to act last week on extending DACA or protecting Dreamers. So the fate of millions of immigrant young people still hangs in the balance.
We can’t let Congress and the Administration wait this one out, hoping we will lose focus or tire of fighting. It’s a looming disaster, and it has to be prevented.
Here are two things you can do today:
Learn what proposals are now being discussed. This article from The Atlantic is a good place to start.
Call the White House, call your members of Congress, call the Congressional leadership to remind them that time is running out and to let them know that you support the Dreamers and want common-sense, humane immigration law changes now!
UPDATE: “For the soul of a nation, NO deportation”
The latest news coverage flowing from this event, held last Sunday (January 28, 2018), is an interview with ESTHER Immigration Task Force chair Nancy Bourassa and an anonymous Dreamer, scheduled to air on Newsmaker Sunday at 7:30 am on WFRV Channel 5. The interview was conducted by news anchor Tom Zalaski. (Most Newsmaker Sunday interviews are archived for later viewing on the Web at www.wearegreenbay.com/news. Check there if you can’t watch the broadcast.)
Two Green Bay TV stations and the Appleton Post-Crescent were present last Sunday and provided coverage, which you can review here:
At this forum, WISDOM leaders from around the state will be asking gubernatorial candidates very specific questions about their intentions in the areas of criminal justice reform (including parole, crimeless revocations, treatment alternatives to incarceration, Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility, solitary confinement), public transportation, childhood poverty, health care, immigration, education, mining.
Confirmed candidates so far include:
Matt Flynn
Andy Gronik
Mike McCabe
Mahlon Mitchell
Kelda Roys
Kathleen Vinehout
Dana Wachs
Candidates unable to attend, expressing regrets: Tony Evers, Paul Soglin
Also invited, awaiting response: Scott Walker
Hosted by the WISDOM network.
Car-pooling from Northeast Wisconsin is being arranged, including reimbursement of cost of gasoline for those who drive. Contact ESTHER by phone (920-843-8083) or email (office@esther-foxvalley.org) to make arrangements.
With help from ESTHER, a group of Latino soccer players is at last able to use public soccer fields and other facilities at Wittman Park in the Town of Menasha without being subjected to harrassment and racial slurs, and without indifference from Town officials. Gustavo Nunez, one of the players who took a lead role in seeking a resolution to the issue, stated, “We want to thank you and all of the people you worked to figure this situation out with us. After many years of playing with the fear of harassment and removal from the fields, we can finally say that we have been playing in peace this last month and since the beginning of your help.” ESTHER is proud to have worked with these courageous players to ensure that their voice was heard. Together we are encouraged by our collective action to make the community, particularly our public parks, more welcoming to all.
state to show your support for communities in which all are welcomed, honored, and protected. Stand up and raise your voice to challenge these racist, anti-immigrant bills.
The Senate failed to act last week on extending DACA or protecting Dreamers. So the fate of millions of immigrant young people still hangs in the balance.
