November, 23 2010, 03:22pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Jorge Amaro, Equality California Institute
PHONE: (562) 964-3591 EMAIL: jorge@eqca.org
Equality California Institute Launches Equality Beyond Borders Project
Effort raises awareness of issues facing undocumented immigrants in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community
LOS ANGELES
Today
Equality California Institute announced the launch of "Equality Beyond
Borders: LGBT Inclusive Immigration Reform," an immigrant rights project
aimed at raising awareness and increasing support for the rights of
undocumented immigrants within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender (LGBT) community. With support from the Power PAC
Foundation, Mobilize the Immigrant Vote, the California Alliance and
other key coalition partners, Equality California Institute will host a
series of six workshops to promote fruitful dialogue and direct action
around the issues affecting LGBT immigrants and bi-national same-sex
couples.
"Through
powerful personal stories and open dialogue, we hope to raise awareness
and inspire action to remedy the injustices and barriers to equality
that LGBT immigrants face as a result of our broken immigration system,"
said Geoff Kors, Equality California Institute Executive Director.
"Equality California Institute is proud to collaborate with leaders in
the fight for immigration reform to shore up support for compassionate
immigration reform that includes protections for our immigrant LGBT
brothers and sisters."
At
the workshops, participants will watch the critically acclaimed
documentary film "Papers," profiling the lives of several undocumented
immigrant students, including an LGBT student. After the screening,
workshop attendees will take part in a discussion with advocates for
comprehensive immigration reform.
"Now
more than ever, we are presented with a unique opportunity to pass the
federal DREAM ACT, which would allow a path to citizenship for
undocumented LGBT students choosing to pursue a degree in higher
education or to serve our nation in the military," said Jorge Gutierrez,
an undocumented LGBT immigrant activist featured in the film "Papers."
"While the US Senate is poised to pass this important piece of
legislation during the lame duck session, they still need to hear from
the LGBT community loudly and clearly. By sharing our personal stories
and struggles as undocumented LGBT immigrants, we hope to increase the
number of people within the LGBT community calling for a humane and
inclusive approach to immigrant rights legislation."
The
project's workshops are set to take place throughout Southern
California including Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego
County, Coachella Valley and the Inland Empire. Details for the first
two workshops are listed below:
When: Thursday, December 2 at 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Where: Equality California Los Angeles Field Office, 8106 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CAWhen: Wednesday, December 15 at 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Where: Palm Springs Field Office, 314 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA
Equality California is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots-based, statewide advocacy organization whose mission is to achieve equality and civil rights for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians.
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