Today is Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). While many associate this holiday with Mexican traditions, festivals to honor and celebrate deceased family members are celebrated in a diverse range of nations worldwide, from Latin America to Haiti to the Philippines. This hook presents not only an opportunity to celebrate cultural traditions but has also been used to demand government agencies be held accountable for deaths in U.S. custody. Cite the values of voice and community when discussing this day.
Tag: immigration
Statue of Liberty
On this day in 1886, the Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York City. Lady Liberty has served as an enduring, national symbol of the importance of welcoming immigrants and refugees to the United States. Given the adverse health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, advocates are urging Congress to eliminate barriers based on immigration status to public programs like Medicaid, CHIP, and SNAP. Cite the values of Community and Economic Security.
PATRIOT Act signed into Law
On Oct. 26, 2001, just weeks after the 9/11 attacks, President George W. Bush signed the PATRIOT Act into law. The legislation expanded surveillance powers of the government and permitted indefinite detention of non-citizens. In 2015, many of its expiring provisions were extended or modified by the USA FREEDOM Act. Discuss this anniversary by citing the values of Community and Voice.
Families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border
On this day in 2020, lawyers tasked with reunifying families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border under the Trump Administration’s pilot program revealed the parents of 545 children were yet to be found. In June 2021, the Biden Administration’s task force reported that 2,127 children separated under the “zero-tolerance” program still await reunions. Uplift human rights and guarantee of Equality and Family Unity when discussing this anniversary.
Anniversary of Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
On Oct. 8, 2001, President George Bush created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This anniversary provides a useful moment to examine how the national security frame has shaped the immigration agencies with DHS. Advocates are calling for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for its cruel practices that separate families and threaten the safety and health of immigrants locked up in detention facilities. In border communities, residents have organized to hold Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents accountable and protect human rights. Cite the values of Community and Voice when discussing this anniversary.
National Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month
National Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month pays tribute to “the generations of Hispanic Americans who have influenced and enriched our nation and society.” Use this month to discuss Community, Opportunity, and Equality.
Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act
On this day in 1996, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA). Use this hook to talk about how the law criminalized thousands of people and led to the deportation of more than 4 million people. Cite the values of Community and Economic Security when talking about this anniversary.
Anniversary of Forced Sterilizations at Ice Detention Center
On this day last year, a harrowing whistleblower complaint revealed immigrant women were allegedly subjected to forced sterilizations at a for-profit ICE detention center. Dawn Wooten, a nurse employed at the Irwin County Detention Center, detailed an alarming pattern of non-consensual medical procedures and negligence in protecting people at the facility from COVID-19. When discussing this event cite the values of Human Rights, Equality and connect it to the United States’ larger history of coercive sterilizations and medical experiments on vulnerable populations, particularly Black, Indigenous and Latinx women.
Television Academy’s Emmy Awards
Typically held in early Fall, the Television Academy’s 2023 Emmy Awards ceremony was postponed to Jan. 15, 2024. The award ceremony airs at 8pm ET on Fox and offers an opportunity to reflect on the stories we tell as a culture and who tells them. Discuss the values of community, equity, and voice.
National Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15 – October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, which honors the contributions made by Hispanic and Latinx Americans to the United States. Use this month to discuss Community, Opportunity, and Equality.
