News for Amigos de Casa San José: July 25, 2017

Dear Casa San José Amigos,
Welcome back to our weekly message!  Here’s what’s new:

Your help is much needed:

• Please support us as a sponsor of the fall fundraiser, ¡Que Viva Clemente!, which will honor Casa San José as the recipient, and which will be held on October 7 by the LCLAA at City of Asylum on the North Side. Funds from this were instrumental last year in hiring Monica as our community organizer, and this year will expand our organizing and outreach.  Ad rates and instructions are here, and more information about the event can be found in this letter from Sister Janice and Julian.  Deadline for the ad request is August 25.  This could be from an individual or an organization. Thank you so much for making our work possible!
• Here's an Amazon Wish List from our youth coordinators:  Casa San José is throwing a Back to School Bash (Bad and Boujee, the kids call it) on August 18.  Both of our youth groups will get together to celebrate going back to school in style. We are asking the kids to dress up and have fun for the last day of summer. Below you will find our Wish List for the party. If you think of anything else don't be afraid to add it in. Thanks, Jeimy and Fernanda  - http://a.co/8MX2oRq.

Political action:

• New feature: "They are here illegally.  Why can't they just follow the rules?"  We've found that variations on this question come up often in discussions with people and legislators who oppose immigrant rights.  So we would like to to offer some talking points in response, one each week.  This week:
• There are insurmountable barriers.  Explained in this easy-to-digest 5-minute video explainer from the MTV Decoded Series, and/or this fact sheet: There is No Line for Many Unauthorized Immigrants from the American Immigration Council.
• Reminder: upcoming workshops on Supporting Immigrant Rights in Your Community.  Learn how Pittsburgh supports immigrant rights and where your state legislator stands - what the issues are and how to work for productive solutions. Events are hosted by Casa San José, the Thomas Merton Center, and the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement. (Library locations are here.)
• Tuesday, August 1st, Homewood Library, 6-8 pm
• Thursday, August 3rd, Beechview Library, 6-8 pm
• Thursday, August 10th, Mt. Washington Library, 6-8 pm

“Our Story” episode 13: “A staff profile"

Our newest staff member, Pilar Caballero Garman, started a few weeks ago.  She came to

Casa San José first as a volunteer, but that lasted only a week when she applied for the newly opened position of Service Coordinator (when Julian became Executive Director) and was perfect for it. From Panama, where she grew up, she came to the US with her American husband and became a citizen. They lived for a while in Texas near the Mexican border before they moved to Mt. Lebanon with their two children. Her work has focused on helping people: in physical therapy, hospital service coordination, and as a translator. She is seeing daily through her work at Casa, "how many Latinos struggle here," and appreciates its "warm, genuine" atmosphere and concern for people rather than numbers.  "No one has ever hugged me when I got a job before."

Suggested if you’d like to read or see more:

• Finally some good news from Congress!  A new version of the Dream Act is being proposed by Sen. Richard Durbin (D) and Sen. Lindsay Graham (R) to support DACA and "would put those immigrants and thousands of others on a path to U.S. citizenship."  Washington Post, Jul. 21.  
• Another Sunday installment in the Post-Gazette's series "Unsettled in America," this time about human trafficking and the stories of new Pittsburghers, Rodolfo and Juana.
• A veteran agent describes what goes on behind the scenes at ICE, where "now there are lots of people who feel free to feel contempt" and “we seem to be targeting the most vulnerable people, not the worst.” The New Yorker, July 24.

Thank you for joining us!