Join us Saturday to Register Voters in the Central Valley

We have just 51 days until the October 21 voter registration deadline! And as we gear up for the November elections, we want to continue to register voters in the Central Valley in part of our long-term vision to create a prosperous and welcoming California for all. 

Please join us Saturday September 1 for our Central Valley Voter Registration Invasion from 9am - 2pm.

We will be meeting at Earl Ruth Park located at 1st and K Streets in Parlier, CA 93648 at 9am for a brief training, then we will hit the streets! Snacks and lunch will be provided.

We are coordinating carpools from the Bay Area. If you are interested in carpooling, and to RSVP, please email action@siren-bayarea.org

Maricela Gutiérrez - Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network
http://siren.nationbuilder.com/

Donate to SIREN and give the gift of opportunity.
The opportunity to LEAD. DREAM. VOTE. 

 

Festival held to honor immigrants and refugees in Central Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- 

The drumbeat of the immigration debate got louder in Central Fresno.

Drummers and dancers got things rolling for a festival to mark the opening of the first SIREN office in Fresno, and food vendors kept everybody fed.

After this opening festival, they will turn to serious business.

The Services Immigrant Right and Education Network has helped immigrants out of its San Jose offices for more than 30 years with legal help, and political organizing.

"Right now we're at a crossroads where people want to get us to stop talking, complaining, and just remember that we are a community and this is your house. You have our backs and we have your backs," said Tomas Margain.

Organizers say about 900,000 immigrants live in the Central Valley and half a million native-born children have immigrant parents.

Community Spotlight: Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN) in Modern Latina

by Linda Castillo, ModernLatina.com

Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN) was founded by attorneys, immigrant rights activists and advocates over 31 years ago in response to the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act to assure that immigrants and refugees in Silicon Valley would have a place to land for legal services, receive support on an advocacy level for those that didn’t receive amnesty. Over the years, SIREN has grown to include policy analysis and advocacy, community education, legal services, civic engagement and community and service provider trainings.

I had a chance to speak with SIREN’s Executive Director, Maricela Gutiérrez. Maricela’s parents came from San Luís Potosí, Mexico over 40 years ago to the Central Valley, California. Growing up in a farm working rural area, she experienced firsthand the economic equity issues that are still apparent today for immigrants, especially undocumented immigrants. She saw the lack of health care, lack of well-paying jobs with benefits and overall lack of resources. She experienced 7 to 8 ICE deportation interactions growing up which formed her view of the world. She always grew up knowing she wanted to do something about it.

Take Action Today to Oppose the Citizenship Question on the Census

Back in March, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that he had directed the Census Bureau to add an untested and unnecessary question to the 2020 Census form, which would ask the citizenship status of every person in the United States. The fight to keep the citizenship question off of the 2020 Census has begun! Tomorrow, Tuesday August 7 will be the last day to submit public comment to the U.S. Census Bureau. 

The Census has historically missed certain communities at disproportionately high rates. Adding a new citizenship question will jeopardize census accuracy by deterring many people—already “hard-to-count”—from responding. 

Please take a few minutes to take action on keeping the citizenship question OFF the 2020 Census Form by clicking here.

We need to show the breadth of voices in opposition to the citizenship question. Please submit your comment today!

Maricela Gutiérrez - Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network
http://siren.nationbuilder.com/

Donate to SIREN and give the gift of opportunity.
The opportunity to LEAD. DREAM. VOTE. 
 

Support DACA youth/ Apoyemos nuestra Juventud DACA

While our community continues to fight against the relentless attacks from the current administration, we cannot forget our DACA youth who still need our support.

Today, we are pleased to announce that a generous donor will match donations made to SIREN to support DACA applicants with their renewal fees.

We invite you to join our efforts by making your donation today:  HERE 

Every dollar will be matched, enabling us to help more DACA youth. Let’s make our dreams of providing DACA youth with the opportunity to stay in the only country they know as home.

Thank you for your kind and generous support.

In community spirit,

Maricela Gutiérrez

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Mientras que nuestra comunidad continúa luchando contra los implacables ataques de la administración actual, no podemos olvidar a los jóvenes de DACA que aún necesitan nuestro apoyo.

Hoy, nos complace anunciar que un donante generoso se ha comprometido a igualar donativos hechos a SIREN para apoyar a los solicitantes de DACA con sus tarifas de renovación.

Le invitamos a unirse a nuestros esfuerzos haciendo su donativo hoy: AQUI 

Recuerde que cada dólar donado será igualado, permitiéndonos ayudar a más jóvenes de DACA. Hagamos realidad nuestros sueños de brindar a los jóvenes de DACA la oportunidad de permanecer en el único país que conocen como su hogar.

Gracias por su amable y generoso apoyo.

En espíritu comunitario,

Maricela Gutiérrez

Donate to SIREN and give the gift of opportunity.
The opportunity to LEAD. DREAM. VOTE.