Bailonga's Immigrants' Rights Fundraiser

[Kella Hanna-Wayne]

Hi friends! I wanted to talk about something a little different than usual, and the fundraiser Bailonga will be hosting in response. 

I don't know about you, but over the last 6 months, my thoughts have increasingly been with the immigrants in our communities. Thanks to ICE's escalating tactics and dramatic increase in detentions and deportations, it has become increasingly unsafe for immigrants or anyone who "looks like" an immigrant in our country. There are frequent reports of neglect of Due Process, 70% of those detained have no history of criminal convictions, and 170 those detained by ICE were US citizens. Families and communities are being ripped apart and not a day goes by that I don't reflect on the danger and trauma they are experiencing.  

But what does this have to do with Bailonga? Well, Bailonga has a long history of hosting fundraisers for causes that directly impact our community and immigration justice definitely falls into that category. In the last year, we have had multiple guest instructors and musicians visit us from Argentina, which requires them to have a work visa. In addition to more logistical difficulties in acquiring these visas resulting in delays and near-cancellations for these visits, there are many reports nationwide of ICE ignoring legitimate work visas and jumping straight to detainment. If we want the amazing people from Buenos Aires to share their expertise and music with us, it needs to be safe for them to do so. 

It is easy to feel helpless in the face of such powerful forces at work. Which is why I decided to hold a fundraiser, on November 19th at Bailonga, where all profits will be donated to a local grassroots immigrant justice group. If you have felt powerless to help, as I have, you can make a concrete difference by attending or donating to this fundraiser. 

Did you know that Eugene is home to an ICE administrative office inside the federal building downtown? It's here that immigrant families come for required check-ins--moments meant to safeguard their legal rights. But too often those check-ins end in detention. Your donations will go towards a local volunteer-run network that shows up outside the ICE office to bear witness, support families, connect people to legal help, and track detentions. They are entirely grassroots-- no staff, no salaries, just community members standing together in solidarity to resist detention and deportation. 

But to keep showing up, they need your support. Donations go directly to essentials that make their work possible: a community resource table, canopy for shelter, signs, lanyards, printed materials, and more. 

Your gift helps them be there when families need us most-- outside the ICE office, standing together for dignity and justice. 

Further details of the fundraiser and how to donate will be posted soon. For now, mark your calendars for Wednesday November 19th, 7-10PM, to come dance to support our community. Thank you for your continued support. 

--Kella