“Alliance has always been proud to serve immigrant students in our schools, but these days, that’s not enough,” said Dan Katzir, CEO of Alliance College-Ready Public Schools. “If we are going to make good on our promise to empower communities and change lives, we need to do more than provide a great education. We need to work with all people, young and old, in the communities that make up our city.”
The fair featured informational workshops and legal consultations, arts and crafts for kids, and a community resource fair for people concerned about recent federal action against immigrant communities. The event was organized by the Alliance Immigrant Working Group, a volunteer committee of teachers and staff dedicated to creating a safe environment for all students and their families.
California State Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de León, the event’s keynote speaker, thanked Alliance for organizing and hosting the fair. “The only way we are going to make it through uncertain times is together. I want to thank everyone who took time on a Saturday to say we won’t be afraid, and we won’t be silenced.”
Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, who represents the school in the House of Representatives, also expressed her appreciation for Alliance’s hard work on this fair, and for all who attended: “America has always been a land of immigrants, and still is today. This fair is a moving reminder of that truth. At this time of fear and uncertainty for so many in our communities, events like this are crucial to making immigrants aware of their rights and keeping families united. I thank Alliance for its valuable work to spread awareness of immigrant rights.”
Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren D. Price echoed Senator de León’s sentiments, saying, “All Angelenos deserve to feel safe in their communities, and that means relying on community resources. I’ll do whatever I can to make sure we have more events like the one Alliance is hosting today, as well as more access to the services that our immigrant neighbors need.”
Eva Morelos, Alliance teacher at Alliance Simon Tech High School in Watts and a member of the Alliance Immigrant Working Group, explained the rationale for organizing the event. “As a teacher and immigrant myself, I know every student needs a safe place to learn and to thrive. It’s not enough for me to provide that in the classroom. We all need to work together to make sure our students feel welcomed at school and in their community, regardless of their background or immigration status.”
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KTLA News covers the Alliance Together We Dream Immigrant Rights Fair on March 25th, 2017
