GAMALIEL AT THE WHITE HOUSE

“Doing the People’s Work”

By Rev. Rudolph T. Juárez,

Past President of Quad-Cities Interfaith, Pastor of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Iowa City, Iowa, and Secretary of the Gamaliel Foundation Board

When the phone call came in from Dr. Ann Smith on May 12, 2009 to confirm my joining a delegation of Gamaliel leaders at a meeting with Cecilia Muñoz at the White House in Washington D.C., I was humbled.

I was on the streets of Postville, Iowa in a crowd of 600 people who had come to exercise some “pedestrian democracy” by praying, marching and standing in solidarity for immigration reform on the one-year anniversary of the May 12, 2008 immigration raid in Postville.

When I told Dr. Smith what I was doing, she said: ”Oh, so you’re engaged in doing the peoples’ work?” And, if there’s anything I have learned about Gamaliel, it’s the fact that when we cut an issue, when we organize for justice, when we call a meeting, when we speak the truth to power, and when we march in solidarity, we are engaged in “doing the peoples’ work.”

Postville is hundreds of miles away from Washington, but the issues and concerns of its residents should not be. That is why we need organizers; people like you and me who, when it relates to education, transportation, healthcare or immigration reform, are ready through our local organizations to move these issues from the bottom up, and keep our national leaders honest and connected to the base.

So, I saw the June 2, 2009 meeting with Deputy Assistant to President Cecilia Muñoz as an opportunity to do this. It made sense to have Rev. John Welch of Pennsylvania and head of the African American Leadership Commission, Jesusa Rodriguez from South Bend, Indiana, Angela Jones from Virginia, Ana Garcia Ashley, co-director of the Gamaliel Foundation, Marty Sánchez of Pilsen Neighbors in Chicago, Dr. Ann Smith, president of the Gamaliel Foundation and myself, Rev. Rudolph T. Juárez, Secretary of the Gamaliel Board and from Iowa, to be at the table.

A meeting at this level was a first for me.  Because of security clearance at the White House, we all had to submit our social security numbers ahead of time and present a valid I.D., the actual day of our meeting.  What a surprise when Dr. Smith discovered that she had misplaced her I.D. and didn’t have it with her. So, once at the White House gate, we had to wait until Ana Garcia Ashley used her best negotiating skills to get Dr. Smith admitted to the White House. It was fun teasing Ann about being “undocumented.”

Once we were on the White House grounds, the guard at the West Wing opened the door for us to come into the waiting room. There we sat “tweeting” and looking at oil paintings of the American landscape, historical figures and presidential papers, not quite believing we were actually in the White House. To truly appreciate the magnitude of the occasion, even Ana Garcia Ashley stopped talking for awhile!

So, when the time came for our meeting, we walked up three flights of a staircase that had pictures of President Obama and Administration officials on its walls. One of the first things I noticed about the White House personnel was their youthfulness and diversity. There were Anglos, African- Americans, Asians and Latinos on staff. And, I couldn’t help but wonder if this could have been said of previous administrations.

Once in her office, we began our meeting with Ms. Muñoz with a prayer in Spanish and introduced ourselves and who and what we represented. She explained to us that as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, it was the function of her office to act as a doorway out and in to constituencies with a stake in good government.

As we shared the Gamaliel concerns on Education, Health Care, Immigration Reform, Worker Justice and Transportation, she gave us the names of Administration officials for us to contact and work with. She shared that President Obama was particularly respectful of organizers and organizing – for obvious reasons!  And, she emphasized how important it is for us to work together in helping to bring about the many changes we need in the country.

When the meeting ended, we were happy to get a group photo of the group with Ms. Muñoz. And, while I was pleased to know that Gamaliel has allies in the White House. And, as exciting as that is, as Ms. Muñoz said, it still takes 218 votes in the House of Representatives and 60 votes in the Senate to get legislation passed.

This is a lot of food for thought.

So, as we strolled down the front driveway getting ready to leave, I could hardly believe that I had actually been to the White House for such a positive and informative meeting. But I also couldn’t help think: friends in the White House or not - we still need to exercise our “pedestrian democracy”.

And, if we are to move Education, Health Care, Immigration Reform, Worker Justice and Transportation forward – it will take working on issues, organizing people for justice, attending a meeting, speaking the truth to power, and marching in solidarity. Because, whether it be in Postville or Washington D.C., when we do this, as Dr. Smith said, we are engaged in “doing the peoples’ work.”

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CRI IN WISCONSIN

JOSHUA and ESTHER in Wisconsin have been working very diligently on immigration issues.  They were instrumental in getting  the Wisconsin Legislative Joint Finance Committee to include in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants in the proposed state budget, the result of a multitude of visits, phone calls, e-mail messages and prayerful support from affiliate members. The budget provisions include in-state tuition rates for the children of undocumented workers who have lived here a long time, who have graduated from Wisconsin high schools and who otherwise qualify to attend state universities or technical colleges. This was the very first issue that JOSHUA advocated for over 5 years ago.

The budget also includes a provision that will allow undocumented workers (and temporary residents) to get driving cards.  The cards would also be available to foreign students and people seeking asylum in our country.  In compliance with federal law, the cards will not be usable as ID ( for example, to board an airplane) but they will allow people to drive and obtain insurance.  This is a very important issue.   Until the whole immigration system is fixed, it will at least allow people to drive to work and to bring their children to school without fear.

So far, the budget with these measures has passed the Wisconsin Assembly.  These provisions have the support of the Wisconsin police association and ESTHER was able to obtain the support of the Appleton Mayor.  Stephanie Gyldenvand (ESTHER organizer) reports, however, that when the Wisconsin Senate voted on the budget that the in-state tuition and driving card provisions were pulled out of the budget.  “We were shocked,” Gyldenvand said, “because these provisions have such wide-spread support and the Governor has agreed to sign-off on these provisions.” 

The next step is a conference committee meeting between the Assembly and the Senate to reconcile the budget this week.   ESTHER and JOSHUA will be out in full force to put pressure on the committee to reinstate these vital provisions into the budget.

Watch for a follow-up to this story in the next issue of Organizing.

Send Organizing news of what is going on in your state regarding the Civil Rights of Immigrants.

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AFRICAN AMERICAN–IMMIGRANT ALLIANCE BUILDING

Professor jon powell submitted an interesting document from the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity.  It contains five case studies on African American-Immigrant Alliance Building.  The reports highlights the challenges and opportunities that characterize collaborative efforts between immigrant and African American communities in the United States.   Many progressives, it is noted, urge these groups not to succumb to largely structural inducements to regard each other as rivals.   Rather, they argue, the interests of black Americans and immigrants would be served best by deliberate, strategic collaboration.  The five case studies demonstrate opportunities to unite and that the achievement of important policy successes exists.   Read the full report here. NOTE:  BIG FILE . . . BE PATIENT.

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CIVIL RIGHTS OF IMMIGRANTS PRINCIPLES

In July 2003 the Gamaliel Foundation established and adopted the Civil Rights of Immigrants Principles.  In 2004, for the first time in its history, the Network took on CRI as a national issue.  This issue is as important now as it was then.  We must not let up on our efforts and we must always be aware that while small steps are important, they are not enough.  So, to remind ourselves just what those principles were that we vowed to adhere to in July 2003, we invite you to read them again and renew your allegiance to them with added vigor.   Read CRI Principles here.

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LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD

Our new President, the Organizer in Chief, Barack Obama has stated he wants to hear from ordinary citizens.  We take him at his word.  Don’t let the Civil Rights of Immigrants issue get lost in the political shuffle that is Washington.   Agitate on this issue by going directly to the White House.

The link to the White House Comment form

Or call the Comments Line:  202-456-1111

Or the White House Switchboard: 202-456-1414

Or  FAX: 202-456-2461