Newsletter: How to get involved in immigration activism
Plus, thank you for partying with us last week!
Greetings everyone, buenas and bom dia,
First of all, thank you to everyone who supported our party. From the line out the door to the Post-Its filled with thoughts on local journalism to the selfies you tagged us in to the dancers getting down in front of the stage, we felt the energy that you came with deeply, and we are more motivated than ever to keep doing this work with you and for you.
Congratulations and thank you to all of the opportunity drawing and silent auction winners, and another round of appreciation to our event sponsors:
Artist Johnny Bear Contreras, BCF Photography, Carlsbad Alkaline Water, Common Theory, Folk Art Records, Higher Vibration Tonics, La Jolla Playhouse, Live Local Apparel, Passion Planners, Matcha Cafe Maiko San Diego, Mo Records, Off the Mapp Cards + Gifts, Pacific Arts Movement, Part Time Lover, Professor JoJo Consulting, Queen Bee’s Art and Cultural Center, SD CAP Hitting, SD Whale Watch, Shogun by Embolden, Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, Solare Ristorante, Staples, The Doan Foundation and The Free Pour Mobile Bar.
You can see how beautiful you all looked in Brittany's photo essay from the event.
What was your favorite part of the evening? Send us an email or a message on social media. We would love to know. And we just might share your thoughts in a future newsletter or post.
Now for the news…
Rep. Juan Vargas, the Democrat who has represented the South Bay and parts of San Diego for many years, held a call with constituents on Tuesday to answer questions about immigration under the Trump administration.
Joined by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Vargas emphasized wins from the pushback that California and other Democrat-led states have brought in court battles over the current administration's policies.
“Trump is counting on silence,” Vargas said. “He has congressional Republicans so scared that they'll never push back on him. But we're not scared. We'll continue to speak out.”
He quickly opened the line for questions, and many seemed to ask different versions of the same thing — how could they help? What else could they do to protect neighbors and loved ones from immigration raids?
He and Bonta encouraged people to learn about their rights if Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials appear at their homes or businesses. Bonta directed listeners to a page on the state Department of Justice website that has resources for immigrants and other community members.
Vargas encouraged people to continue speaking out and to vote to redraw congressional district maps in a special election in November.
As a journalist focused on covering immigration news, I've seen many other ways that San Diegans are getting involved. (It's not surprising given that our region also had a strong response during the first Trump administration, and many organizations that are active today started because of what was happening back then.)
Multiple groups monitor ICE activity at the immigration court in downtown San Diego and accompany people to their hearings. They document when ICE officers make arrests outside of the courtrooms.
Volunteers from various mutual aid and grassroots groups have been showing up to the court since arrests began in May.
More recently, leaders and others from San Diego's faith communities led by the Catholic Diocese and the San Diego Organizing Project also now show up at the court daily.
Rev. Megan Cochran of the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Point Loma said that many of those who had been volunteering through the summer with the grassroots effort were students and teachers who were going back to school. She said the faith community, including retirees from her church, stepped up to help fill the gap.
On the first morning, Rev. Scott Santarosa from Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish led a prayer outside the federal building. He said the work ahead would require a lot of presence.
“In a way, we're walking on water,” Santarosa said. “We're doing something very difficult.”
#AfghanEvac and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America also recently launched Battle Buddies nationwide to accompany Afghans who worked with U.S. forces and later had to flee the Taliban. They recently accompanied an Afghan journalist at the San Diego Immigration Court.
Beyond court accompaniment, some mutual aid groups also organize visits to people detained at Otay Mesa Detention Center. Others have started hosting or finding safehouses for families whose loved ones were already detained by ICE after some families received threats from officers that they would come back for the other parent.
Other volunteers monitor their neighborhoods for ICE activity to alert people in the area if they see vehicles suspected of belonging to the agency. Some patrol specifically around schools, hoping to deter ICE from picking up more parents on their way to drop off or pick up their children. Others pass out know your rights information in neighborhoods that have been targeted or are likely to be.
Did I miss a way to get involved that you know about? Email me at kate@daylightsandiego.org. Or, if you know about upcoming volunteer or training events related to these efforts, send us a message, and we will add them to our events calendar.
Charges dropped for man accused of assaulting ICE
A young man from Guatemala whom immigration officials arrested in Linda Vista at the beginning of July was facing charges of assaulting federal agents. The government asked a judge to dismiss the case, and the U.S. Marshals Service transferred the man to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
— Kate Morrissey
Black comic book creators and cosplayers push for representation
For many Black cosplayers and comic book creators, gaining acceptance in pop-culture spaces at Comic-Con and beyond has required years of speaking up for themselves. Some have faced racist comments when dressed as characters who are typically drawn as or played by White actors. Meanwhile comic book creators continue to push publishers for better representation.
— Lauren J. Mapp
You can discuss eliminating exclusionary housing policies over pastries, enjoy a night of silent movies set to live organ music and taste vegan foods in Oceanside this weekend.
— Lauren J. Mapp
Measles making a comeback, even in California
Measles, a disease so effectively treated that the U.S. declared it eliminated from our country 25 years ago, is making a grim comeback. And despite California’s status as a comparatively well vaccinated state, residents here won’t be spared — and lower-income families and communities, as always, will be most vulnerable to its spread.
— Story by Mark Kreidler, Capital & Main
Other news
ICE this week made a third arrest of a parent near a school since children went back to class, this time in Encinitas. The City Council passed an emergency response that same day that will launch a know your rights campaign, send letters and record requests to the federal government and explore other possible future actions the council could take, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
KPBS reported on a new study from University of California Riverside that shows the extent of the mental health toll that current immigration enforcement policies have on children.
Voice of San Diego profiled the new city manager for Chula Vista, Tiffany Allen.
Upcoming Events
Aug. 22
Drum-Making Course: The Cool Uncles Group is hosting a drum-making course hosted by Steven Garcia at the Yaytaanak Wellness Center. Space is limited and RSVP is required. For more info, email jroman2@sihc.org or njoles@sihc.org 2 to 4 p.m. Yaytaanak Wellness Center, 1389 Viejas Grade Rd, Alpine, CA 91901
Aug. 23
Oceanside Vegan Food Festival: Viridian Productions hosts North County's biggest vegan food festival, featuring more than 70 food vendors from San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles. Free parking is available on nearby streets and the garage at the intersection of Ditmar Street and Civic Center Drive. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 505 Pier View Wy, Oceanside, CA 92054
More than Pho Community Mixer: More than Pho celebrates its launch with a community mixer at Morley Field Freedom Park with food and a scavenger hunt. Attendees can register online. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Morley Field, Freedom Park, 2221 Morley Field Dr, San Diego, CA 92104
Aug. 24
Queer Yogi Meetup: The theme of this meetup is loving your inner child, and the event includes yoga, breath work, sound healing and mocktails. RSVP online. The event is free but there is a suggested $15-$30 donation. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in San Diego (address provided after RSVP)
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