“This is not the kind of world we want to live in. Whole families are happy families, and it should be kept that way.”
— Gabriel, 12 years old, Portland, Oregon
Gabriel and his mom, Aimee.
When twelve-year-old Gabriel learned that U.S. immigration policies are separating children from their parents, he was shocked. It was hard for him to imagine that 5.5 million children just like him have at least one parent who is at risk of deportation, and that over five thousand children are in foster care as a result.
So Gabriel decided to do something about it. And he’s not alone.
Thousands of children around the country are writing letters to express one, shared wish: keep all of our families together. They are participating in A Wish for the Holidays, a letter writing campaign that will bring children’s voices to policymakers in Washington, DC.
Please join Gabriel in helping to keep families together this holiday season. Click here join the A Wish for the Holidays campaign.
Will you help the young people in your life write a letter to keep families together? You can find everything you need to get started at www.WeBelongTogether.org/wish, including information on the issues, tips for discussing them with children, and age-appropriate activity guides. Our goal is to collect 20,000 letters by the end of November from children around the country, and then deliver them to the members of Congress who most need to hear from our young people.
For Gabriel and his family, A Wish for the Holidays has already been a powerful experience. Gabriel’s mom, Aimee, has told her children that “we all have a role to play, and unless all communities are safe, there is no safety for anyone.” Gabriel wants other young people to know that “every little letter counts towards the big picture, no matter how small you might feel.”
Please join Gabriel. Help us keep families and communities together. Click here to get started.
Thank you for your participation in this important project,
Ai-jen Poo, National Domestic Workers Alliance
Miriam Yeung, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum
A Wish for the Holidays is a project of We Belong Together, a collaboration of women’s and immigrant rights groups working to expose the negative impact of anti-immigrant policies on our families and communities, and to achieve a society that upholds possibility and dignity for all.
The message above went out on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 to Standing on the Side of Love supporters. You can sign-up for these emails here.
