UPDATES & ANNOUNCEMENTS from THE VIRGINIA DEFENDER
Phil Wilayto
Updates & Announcementsii
A service of THE VIRGINIA DEFENDER newspaper
July 12, 2019
UN MENSAJE DE LOS DEFENSORES A NUESTRAS HERMANAS Y HERMANOS
EN LAS COMUNIDADES INMIGRANTES DE VIRGINIA:
Este domingo, 14 de julio, la agencia ICE planea realizar redadas en 10 ciudades principales de los Estados Unidos. No sabemos si esto también sucederá en Richmond, pero siempre es mejor estar preparado. Puede encontrar información sobre sus derechos en: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights/
Además, el grupo activista ICE Out of RVA opera una línea directa de "ICE Watch" en: 804-453-2122.
Y aquí hay una noticia acerca de las redadas: https://www.nytimes.com/…/politics/ice-families-deport.html…
En solidaridad,
Los Defensores de Virginia
A MESSAGE FROM THE DEFENDERS TO OUR SISTERS & BROTHERS
IN VIRGINIA'S IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES:
This Sunday, July 14, the ICE agency is planning to hold raids in 10 major U.S. cities. We don’t know if this will also happen in Richmond, but it’s always best to be prepared. You can find Information about your rights at: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights/
Also, the activist group ICE Out of RVA operates an “ICE Watch” hotline at: 804-453-2122.
And here’s a news story about the raids: https://www.nytimes.com/…/politics/ice-families-deport.html…
In Solidarity,
The Virginia Defenders
VIGIL TONIGHT, FRIDAY, JULY 12, IN SOLIDARITY WITH IMMIGRANTS!
“LIGHTS FOR LIBERTY” - https://www.facebook.com/events/859078621131298/
WHEN: 8:15 - 9:15 pm
WHERE: Capitol Square (outside the Virginia Capitol building, between East Broad & Bank) (SEE MAP)
“On July 12th, there will be hundreds of “Lights for Liberty” vigils across the U.S. to demonstrate against the separation of families, caging of humans, and human rights abuses at the U.S.-Mexico border. … We gather this Friday evening to show that we see and want to learn about how these immoral immigration policies impact our own beloved Richmond community, our friends, and family. And to learn about effective ways to lend a hand and stand in solidarity. There will be an informational table and volunteers to talk about local organizations that are advocates for immigrants and refugees, and who have been leading and doing this work for years. Most importantly, we need the impacted communities and their advocates to know they have our support and that we will stay engaged long after the lights of these candles burn out. … The vigil is family friendly and ASL interpreters will be present. Parking is available in the St. Paul’s two-level parking garage. The entrance to the garage is on 8th Street between Grace and Franklin Streets. Trained Legal Monitors will be present. However, we advise those who are “out of status” or on temporary visas not to attend, but to please light a candle, from home, in solidarity.”
BENEFIT FOR ‘ICE OUT OF RVA’
https://www.facebook.com/events/454144948487241/
WHEN: 5 - 11 pm, Saturday, July 14
WHERE: Sediment Arts, 208 East Grace St., Richmond, Virginia 23219 (SEE MAP)
“ICE Out of RVA, a human rights and justice collective, was created as an organized community response to the raids, deportations, abuses and criminalization against our community. They are individuals from different nationalities, race, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation and lifestyles, that have come together to say NOT ONE MORE! ICE out of RVA supports campaigns like Hands Off Abbie, Hands Off Maria and Richmond Immigrant Transit Assistance (RITA). To support this amazing organization. local and touring artists have come together and put together this mixed bill of awesome performances, including music, and panel discussion!!! Our guest panel is comprised of organizers from ICE out of RVA, indigenous community organizer and healer Vanessa Bolin, Restoration Fellowship and Southerners on New Ground who will host a small discussion. There will be food, drinks and merch made by folks who are currently in sanctuary in Richmond. All proceeds from door, tape sales, ICE out of RVA merch, artworks, food and drinks will go into supporting the various ways the organization plugs into the community. Artists on the bill are: DJ Sophia Lakis (RVA), DJ Sanji (RVA), Kome, Womajich Dialyseiz x Tavishi (RVA). $5-20 entry cover. Please be respectful of the space and the people around you. Violence, transphobia, homophobia, racism, misogyny, or any other forms of oppressive behavior are absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Abusers, misogynists and apologists are not welcome.”
PARTICIPATE IN THE
SHOCKOE SMALL AREA PLAN COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
WHEN: 6-8 pm, Wednesday, July 17
WHERE: Martin uther King Jr. Middle School, 1000 Mosby St., Richmond (SEE MAP)
“The Department of Planning and Development Review is working with the Shockoe Alliance to create a Small Area Plan for the Shockoe Area. The next step toward development of a Small Area Plan and implementation strategy for Shockoe will take the form of a community workshop. The Shockoe Alliance will hold its next community meeting from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on July 17, 2019 at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, 1000 Mosby Street. This meeting will include a brief presentation of public input received from approximately 200 people who participated in the first meeting in April at Main Street Station, as well as continued on-line input and survey responses. The focus of the meeting will be a workshop-style discussion around the major themes identified at the April meeting, updates on key projects in Shockoe, and development of key program elements for use in developing plan concepts. The discussion will be facilitated by community leaders, City staff, and members of the Shockoe Alliance.”
SUPPORT THE STRUGGLE FOR THE
9-ACRE SHOCKOE BOTTOM MEMORIAL PARK!
The decades-old struggle to reclaim and properly memorialize Shockoe Bottom, the downtown area in Richmond, Virginia, that once was the epicenter of the U.S. domestic slave trade, is coming to a head. New studies, commissions and committees established by City government are all pointing to what the community has been saying for years: Richmond needs a nine-acre Shockoe Bottom Memorial Park to accurately portray the enormity of the suffering, exploitation and resistance that took place there in the three decades before the Civil War.
So what’s holding things back? Shockoe Bottom is valuable real estate that local developers want for their own profit-making deals - and developers can be very generous to politicians. Furthermore, Richmond’s corporate elite doesn’t want “their” city associated in the public mind with Richmond’s horrific slavetrading past. What they don’t understand is that we won’t be judged by what happened here a century and a half ago, but rather by how we deal with that history today. And so far, Richmond has barely been dealing with it at all.
To help bring things to a conclusion, the Defenders’ Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project will be hosting events this fall, including on Thursday, Oct. 10, the date the great slave rebellion leader Gabriel was executed at what is now known as the African Burial Ground. Plans call for events that can attract the attention of Black communities and their allies all over the country and throughout the Diaspora, so that even Richmond’s politicians will see that they have no choice but to do the right thing.
Please stay tuned for details.
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