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As an organization dedicated to advancing justice and equity for all, we at GCIR are appalled at the insurrection, violence, and rioting we witnessed earlier this week, which were direct consequences of the divisive rhetoric and oppressive policies promulgated by Trump and his enablers over the past four years.
One month after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake killed over 2,200 Haitians and left 650,000 more in need of humanitarian assistance, the Biden administration is undertaking a mass expulsion of Haitians seeking safety in the United States. Under the guise of stopping the spread of Covid-19 through the Trump-era Title 42 policy, migrants are being sent back to a country reeling from overlapping crises and decades of political upheaval and natural disasters. Returning to Haiti is not a viable option for them.
My name is Brittany Shaheen (she/her/hers), and I have served at the Center for Arab American Philanthropy (CAAP) since February of 2021, beginning as a Program Generalist and working my way to my current position as a Program Officer. CAAP, a national institution of ACCESS and the only Arab American Community Foundation in the country, empowers the Arab American community by strengthening strategic giving in the community while shaping perceptions, highlighting heritage, and demonstrating collective impact. When I heard about the GCIR 2024 conference, I immediately knew I wanted to attend. I was honored to be the recipient of the Emerging Leader Scholarship, and I learned so much as a result.
Today, the Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). While the decision was made on procedural grounds and not on the merits of the program, it nevertheless provides a reprieve for 650,000 immigrants and their families, including more than 250,000 U.S.-citizen children.
In this edition, GCIR President Marissa Tirona speaks with Katherine Perez, Director of the Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy, and Innovation at Loyola Law School. Read on as Katherine shares her thoughts about building power for immigrants with disabilities, working at the intersection of movements, and how philanthropy can support and strengthen the work of immigrants with disabilities.
The recent federal court decision blocking approval of new and pending DACA applications underscores the need for a pathway to citizenship for all 11 million undocumented immigrants who call this country home. Read our statement for analysis and specific actions philanthropy can take to help the immigrant justice movement reach this goal.
In her second quarterly message, President Marissa Tirona discusses how GCIR is rooting our work as a philanthropy mobilizing organization in a global analysis, and explores how this ties into dismantling white supremacist systems worldwide.
In her quarterly message, President Marissa Tirona calls on philanthropy to act to address forced displacement, the systems that drive it, and secure the safety and dignity not only of those who are forcibly displaced but also of marginalized communities who experience violence and discrimination.