Contacts:

Paulina Hernandez, Southerners on New Ground 919.323.2057
Xochitl Bervera, SomosGeorgia 404.861.0756
B. Loewe, National Day Laborers Organizing Network 773.791.4668
Russell Roybal, National Lesbian and Gay Task Force 202.306.3047
Sue Hyde, National Conference on LGBT Equality, Creating Change 617.320.6635

IMPENDING National Boycott of Georgia

Local and national groups press Governor Deal to commit to veto Arizona-style anti-immigrant legislation
Allowing passage of Arizona-copycat law will cost Georgia millions

A national network of organizations instrumental in coordinating the boycott in Arizona after controversial anti-immigrant legislation passed there in 2009 has sent a letter to Governor Deal of Georgia “notifying [him] of efforts underway to organize a national boycott of Georgia, in the event that Georgia’s Arizona copycat legislation — HB 87 and SB 40 — should become law.

The National Day Laborers Organizing Network (NDLON) and The Turning the Tide campaign sent the letter via facsimile early this morning.  B. Loewe, a spokesperson for the organization, said “We are currently prepared to contact all conventions, organizations, companies, cities, counties, and states that participated in the Arizona boycott to advise them of the current status of Georgia’s legislation and tell them to be ready to change plans, divest, and/or issue travel alerts to avoid the state of Georgia.”

B. Loewe said that various organizations and community members of Georgia, including the SomosGeorgia/WeAreGeorgia campaign, notified them of the efforts by Georgia’s Republicans to drive immigrants out of the state.  NDLON and Turning the Tide will wait for those groups to give the go-ahead in the event that the bills pass and the Governor does not issue a veto.

Georgia State Senator Vincent Fort said he and others will give just such a go-ahead. “If House bill 87 passes and the Governor refuses to veto it, we, in Georgia, will call for a boycott. These laws have devastating effects on families, students, workers, and entire communities.  People of good conscience will find other places for their vacations and conventions until this state gets back on the right side of history.”

The National Lesbian and Gay Task Force is in support of the boycott, and also sent a letter to Governor Nathan Deal and Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, stressing that “should the State of Georgia follow Arizona down a regrettable path to codifying anti-immigrant bias in its laws, we would be forced to reconsider our choice of venue and host city for the 2013 Creating Change Conference.” The Creating Change Conference brings more than $4 million in revenue to host cities each year.

Supporters of the boycott state that Georgia has historically thrived in part because it’s a state with some of the largest and most minority-owned businesses in the Southern region. These businesses in particular will suffer economically if immigrant communities and people of color are driven out.

Referring to the recent New York Times report that Arizona had, less than six months after passage of the controversial HB1070, lost $45 million in convention revenue and stands to lose upwards of $750 million overall, Paulina Hernandez, co-Director of Southerners on New Ground said “A boycott will undoubtedly hurt the state of Georgia as it did the state of Arizona and our Governor will be squarely to blame if he does not do the right thing and commit to vetoing these anti-immigrant bills.”

Georgia Representative Virgil Fludd (D-66) commented on the economic impact of multiple pieces of legislation pending in the legislature. “Republican are proposing to turn down $175 million in unemployment benefits from the federal government for over 20,000 Georgians who are currently unemployed and looking for work. The current tax proposal we will be voting on next week has a fiscal note of $200 million–creating a massive hole in the state’s budget.  Should an anti-immigrant Arizona style law pass, and a boycott ensue, the economic impact will simply be devastating. Georgia has always been known as a business friendly state and HB 87 is not business friendly. We cannot afford this.”

Members of the faith and nonprofit communities have also opposed HB 87 stating that provisions of this legislation create new, significant criminal and civil liabilities that will chill the work of communities of faith across Georgia who provide critical physical and spiritual support to some of the most vulnerable individuals in our communities.

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We Are Georgia is a growing movement of individuals and organizations committed to immigrant and racial justice throughout the state of Georgia.

Reports

March 24, 2011 – A Rising Tide or Shrinking Pie, Center for American Progress, Immigration Policy Center

November 2010 – Stop the Conferences: The Economic and Fiscal Consequences of Conference Cancellations Due to Arizona’s S.B. 1070, Center for American Progress

News Articles

April 5, 2011 – Georgia’s farming, landscape industries raise concerns about immigration legislation – Atlanta Journal Constitution,

April 4, 2011 – Dayton ends state’s use of E-Verify – Minnesota Public Radio -

I attended Decatur United Church of Christ this past Sunday morning. Their senior pastor, Reverend Glenna Shepherd, shared powerful words of hope during the inter-faith blessing at the Rally for Truth at the Georgia State Capitol this past Thursday. You can find the message she shared with the crowd here! She and I had the opportunity to share some words right before the rally began and felt compelled to worship with her congregation this morning. As I was perusing the worship bullatin this morning, I was surprised to see a wonderful pastoral letter (see below) included about the greater context in which last week’s rally needs to be framed, particularly in relation to communities of faith.

Many of you are following story around Arizona copycat hate legislation that is unfolding here in Georgia. it is imperative that we hear more voices from the faith community step to the plate on this issue, as it impacts all of our communities. As Paulina Hernandez recently conveyed in a GA Voice Article “The people behind these bills are the same as those with homophobic agendas all over the country. This is a growing trend of “white nativism.” We are all under attack and it is imperative that we find intentional ways of coming together to fight these hate bills as a unified front.

Please read Reverend Shepherd’s letter to her congregation and share with your own communities of faith:

My spirits were revived today!

Many of you know that I was invited to address the RALLY FOR TRUTH! which was sponsored by the Georgia Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. The rally, which was held at the Georgia State Capitol, was organized to protest proposed legislation similar to the recent Arizona measures.

If you want to know more, you can check out their website at www.glahr.org or read the full texts of Georgia House Bill 87 and Georgia Senate Bill 40 online as well. You can also read the text of my brief speech on our website.

I was honored to be asked to speak. But that‟s not exactly why my spirits were revived today. My spirits were revived because this Interfaith Rally preceded the official protest and – literally – THOUSANDS of people showed up. And it wasn‟t just so they could arrive early to get close to the platform. No. I‟m sure of it because many of them had signs about GOD – positive signs about God‟s love and inclusion. They were there because they thought maybe people of faith might just have a message of HOPE , and they wanted to hear it.

My spirits were revived today. Even though there is some truth to the assertion that we live in a post-church age. Even though religion is less respected in our communities. Even though we know for sure that churches and synagogues are closing at unprecedented rates. My spirits were revived today BECAUSE FOLKS LOOKED TO US FOR HOPE! They wanted to hear OUR voices (not the press or the politicians or even the public) offer a message of the love, compassion, and empowerment of God. They wanted to know what Jesus would do – and what WE will do to speak up for the dignity and worth of all human beings. They wanted to know where WE stand on racial profiling and second-class citizenship and keeping our privileges to ourselves! They wanted to know. And that revived my spirits today.

I hope it touches your heart, gives you hope, and revives your spirits, too. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

With Love (and a revived spirit),
Rev. Glenna Shepherd

Original in March 27, 2011 Worship Bullatin

Reverend Shepherd gave an absolutely wonderful sermon this morning on John 4:5-42. Some of us know it as the lesson of the Witness at the Well. I had never thought of examining that lesson from the vantage point of Yeshua before. It provided a whole new way of looking at the Social Gospel…but, more to come on that once the sermon is posted.

I have reached out to a few other Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders in Atlanta to begin discussions about developing an action-focused inter-faith coalition. It’s something I had the privilege of being a part of developing in Philadelphia. Far be it from me as the new girl to tell Atlanta what it needs. Nevertheless, after several conversations and a bit of digging, it seems that there is a yearning for these kinds of collection.

I am not sure what this kind of coalition will look like, but I do know that I want to be at the table and want to be a part of helping such a community take shape.

Media Contact:

Xochitl Bervera (404) 861-0756
Kathrin Ivanovic (215) 776-1162
Adelina Nicholls (770) 457 -5232

THOUSANDS TO DESCEND ON THE STATE CAPITOL TO PROTEST
CONTROVERSIAL ARIZONA COPYCAT LAWS

Immigrants, students, members of the civil rights community, representatives of labor, faith and business communities, and other everyday Georgians band together to demand Governor Deal commit to veto harmful, anti-immigrant legislation

[Georgia State Capitol] As anger at legislators mounts regarding HB 87 and SB 40, thousands of Georgians from across the state plan to take to the streets to show their opposition to these bills and the law makers who persist in pushing them. Opposition to the bill comes from a broad based constituency who point to clear evidence that the bill will harm Georgia’s economy, kill jobs, encourage racial profiling, and return Georgia to a ‘show me your papers’ state.

WHO: Thousands of representatives of labor, faith-based groups, immigrants, the civil rights community, business leaders, and elected officials
WHAT: A massive rally and protest to defeat all Arizona Copycat Legislation in Georgia
WHERE: Capitol Steps facing Washington Street, Atlanta, GA
WHEN: Thursday, March 24th 11:00am – 2:30pm

• Welcome Drummers begin at 10:00
• Interfaith service begins at 11:00
• Speakers representing the diversity of opposition 12:00 – 2:00

Thanks to Our Endorsers:

Alterna; American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia; American Immigration Lawyers Association–Atlanta Chapter; Am- nesty International-Southern Regional Office; Anti-Defamation League; The Antonini Law Firm; Asian American Legal Advocacy Center, Inc. of Georgia; Atlantans Building Leadership for Empowerment; Atlanta Grandmothers for Peace; Ave Maria Law Firm; Black Latino Council; Building Locally to Organize for Community Safety; Caminar Latino; Center for Pan Asian Community Services; Chinese Community Federation of Atlanta; Coalicion de Lideres Latinos; Coalition for the People’s Agenda; Cobb Immigrant Alliance; Corso, Kennedy, & Campbell, LLP, Attorneys at Law; Culture Con- nect; Dale, Schwartz and Associates, LLP; Dignidad Inmigrante en Athens; The Diversity Projekt; Feminist Women’s Health Center; Garvish, Orza & Polutan, LLC; Gentle Spirit Christian Church; Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials; Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence; Georgia Commission on Family Violence; Georgia Detention Watch; Georgia Green Party; Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights; Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition; Georgia Rural Urban Summit; Georgia State Conference NAACP; Georgia Women’s Action for New Direction; Government Contractors Association; Herman, Taylor & Lee Law Firm; Hispanic News Service, Inc.; Human Rights Atlanta; Iglesia Luterana Sagrada Familia; Indigo Girls; International Action Center; International Center of Atlanta; International rescue Committee; Kindred Southern Healing Justice Collective; Korean American Chamber of Commerce of Georgia; Korean American Association of Greater Atlanta; Kick Immigration Partners, LLC; The Labor Forum, WRFG 89.3 FM; Lambda Legal; Latin American Association; Latin American and Caribbean Community Center; The Law Office of Kerry E. McGrath, LLC; Marronage Productions, Inc.; Metro Atlanta Democratic Socialist of America; Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless; Mexian-American Coalition; Movement to End Israeli Apartheid-Georgia; 9to5 Association of Work- ing Women; OCA Georgia: Hopes and Aspirations of Asian Pacific Americans; Partnership Against Domestic Violence; Patents & More, Inc; Pinnacle33 Signage Solutions; Plaza Fiesta; Project South; Radio Diaspora, WRFG 89.3 FM; Raksha, Inc.; Real Atlanta Magazine; Refugee Family Services; Refugee Women’s Network; Refugee Resettlement and Immigration Services of Atlanta; Revolution Books Atlanta; Rohan Law, PC; Sinsinawa Dominicans of Atlanta; Sis- terLove; SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective; SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW; Southern Center for Human Rights; Southerners on New ground; Students for a Progressive Society, Gainesville State College; Trail of Dreams; Voces Unidas-Statesboro; US Human Rights Network; Women Watch Afrika, Inc.; Ms. Benin Dakar– Gwinnett County; Frank E. McDonald; Ted Brodek; Elisa Covarrubias; Anne Olson; Emily Russell; Rebecca Eileen Zuniga

Prudence Juris and I have only been friends for a short while, but in that time I have learned many valuable lessons, the most important being about patience. She recently penned this open letter to Maryland Delegate Tiffany Alston.

This is timely in light of the recent statements by Keith Ratliff, Sr. that there are “no parallels” between the civil rights movement and the gay rights movement. Much of the NAACP’s senior leadership – National Board Chair Julian Bond, President Benjamin Jealous and Chairwoman Roslyn Brock, have actively been working to become more active partners in the struggle for lgbt equality. Yet, Rev. Ratliff seems to be unwilling (or unable) to grasp the ways in which the civil and gay rights movements are part of the same trajectory, particularly as many of us are active and invested in both struggles.

If, after reading, you feel compelled to share your thoughts with Ms. Alston, her contact information can be found here. I am sure she would love to hear from you.

Dear Del. Alston,

I am extremely curious about your recent vote against marriage equality in Maryland. My reading of your biography states that you are a licensed attorney. If that is true then I will dare to assume that you took at least a basic course in U.S. Constitutional law. If that is true then perhaps at some point during your course you studied the First Amendment, a part of the Bill of Rights. If that is true then perhaps your law professor acquainted you with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment which states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,” which is generally read to prohibit the Federal government from establishing a national church (“religion”) or excessively involving itself in religion, particularly to the benefit of one religion over another.

Following the ratification of the Fourteenthe Amendment, and through the doctrine of incorporation, this restriction is held to be applicable to state governments as well. So, if you are familiar with these laws and doctrines I am absolutely dumbfounded how you can stand up as a duly elected official of the State of Maryland and declare that you oppose (or support) a piece of legislation because it violates (or supports) your particular religious views? How is that not a state government involving itself in religion? Or even worse is that not the clear benefit of one religion over another? In case you were wondering there are many religions which support marriage equality for all people, including marriage between people of different races (remember Loving vs. Virginia??).

Furthermore, as an African-American woman attorney, I am deeply offended that you would presume to assert that you are more deserving of full citizenship in Maryland of all states. This is the state that stood in opposition to allowing African-Americans to attend its law school. Yet, again you would presume to stand with an oppressive majority. If others had taken a similar stand you would not enjoy even half of the career freedoms that you do now. You were elected to stand up for the law, and as a lawyer one would hope that you are well acquainted with what is the law.

This is so sad that you would stand in judgment because of your religious beliefs, I thought Christians were found of saying that your God is the only judge of things religious? So does this mean you are the Christian God? Congratulations!

Best regards,
Prudence Juris
African-American gay social justice advocate

Prudence Juris is a queer social justice advocate, creative writer of poetry/short stories/plays, a cultural worker and entrepreneur. Currently working at the frontier(s), generating active possibilities of expressivism and intentionality, building frames of reference for what we do + things that are still being dreamed up, creating language, building bridges.

I am reminded of my mother, Sigrid Ivanovic, who taught me that I can start and run my own successful business while growing and nurturing meaningful relationships (and perhaps a family one day).

I am reminded of my grandmother, Erna Schaefer, who rebuild her family and community in post-World War II Germany, raised a family on the front lines of the Cold War in a little town along the east / west border, and steadfastly cared for her husband during the last years of his life.

I am reminded of all the women who fight to protect their bodies, their families, their communities, every single day, whose work goes unnoticed and unacknowledged on a daily basis and during the numerous televised and publicized television award shows.  I solute them today and every day.

I am reminded of our many steadfast and enduring allies – husbands, partners, friends, fathers, brothers, uncles – who come along side of us as we fight for our liberation.

As I reflect on the many hard-fought victories over the last 100 years, I am also painfully aware of the many ways in which women’s bodies, families and communities are under attack from many places of power in our societies – from local, state and federal government, from within many of our places of worship, from within our educational institutions, and even from within many of our homes.

….from the threat of defunding Planned Parenthood and other critical health and and wellness service

….from egregious and ridiculous anti-immigrant racial profiling legislation

….from policies that empower officials to shackle pregnant women in our prisons

On March 8…..that’s TODAY at 11:00 a.m., women’s rights and human rights activists will host a press conference/celebration in front of the State Capitol to celebrate 100 years of struggle led by immigrant women and call on law makers to reject legislation attacking immigrant women’s human rights.

The heroic strikes by women garment workers, mostly young immigrants, at the turn of the century electrified the world, and their efforts to win decent wages and working conditions were honored by establishing March 8 as International Working Women’s Day.

“The achievements of tens of millions of women at work, in their communities, families, organizations, and schools – today and over the decades – must not be ignored and disrespected by racially-biased, anti-immigrant legislation,” said Loretta Ross, a founder and the National Coordinator of SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective.  “As women from all backgrounds, we will gather at the Capitol to demand human rights for all women.”

*from IWD press release, SPARK Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collaborative

How are you celebrating 100 years of struggle and victory for women’s and human rights? Send photos and video and I will post with a link to your blog or community/organization blog!

Who are the unsung female heroes and trailblazers in your life?

The people of southern Sudan are currently voting in a referendum that will determine whether they will remain part of Sudan or break away to form an independent nation, thereby partitioning Africa’s largest landmass. Voting began on January 9 and will end on January 15.

Remember the 60 Minutes segment late last year chronicling George Clooney’s ongoing work in Sudan? This sounded an alarm that Sudan may once again be teetering on the brink of genocide?  Several years ago Clooney joined forces with The Enough Project, an organization that works to build a permanent constituency to prevent genocide and crimes against humanity throughout the world. Together they have been making a lot of noise, once again directing the world’s gaze on Sudan for this pivotal and potentially historic moment.

It’s going to take a lot more than the world’s gaze once again fixed on Sudan to see how this historical referendum plays out. What really matters is how the North will respond once the election results are confirmed next month, and whether the world continues to watch this potentially violent response, or whether the international community will step to prevent what many human rights organizations on the ground in Abyei have been warning against for months.

This scenario is very likely, particularly with Khartoum’s militarization of  the border region in recent months. Further, the North remains economic dependence on the South’s rich oil deposits. Despite its oil wealth, the South is still one of the most impoverished and economically devastated regions in the world. This is a product of not only Khartoum’s corrupt leadership, but also of colonial legacies and post-colonial realities.

Pivotal questions remain. Will the world continue to watch as Sudan teeters on the brink of another genocide, or will the world act? Will “never again” come to mean more than a hallow catch-phrase that sounds pretty but lacks any real substance when judged on the the basis of the world’s response Kosovo, Rwanda, Chechnya, Armenia, Kurdistan…shall I go on?

Furthermore, setting aside plausible northern responses (all of which are speculative at this point), another question arises. What will the potentially newly independent southern government do with this opportunity?

While Abyei could choose to follow the lead of its northern counterpart by perpetuating oppressive and divisive government policies, it also has the opportunity to take a different road. It can choose to build a society based on just and inclusive, democratic rule.

Only time will tell. Until then, the world watches.

2010 was a mixed bag, filled with a lot of laughs, some tears and a lot of life lessons. I took some time to re-group and re-evaluate and I am back, better than ever!

I am excited about all that 2011 has to offer – nurturing existing and new relationships, living with intention, daring to try new things. We also have a lot of work ahead of us. Although Congress managed to end DADT at the 11th hour last year, we have a long road ahead of us. We have to do better to ensure that the journey ahead is an inclusive one.

We need to bring the same energy and resources that we harnest in 2010 to bear in 2011. The challenges are significant but not insurmountable. The Diversity Projekt is committed to:

building bridges | reconciling communities | speaking truth

Welcome, 2011 Everyone!

As 2010 draws to a close, I can’t help up reflect on this past year. I’ve taken some time over the last couple of weeks to reflect back on experiences of the past year and began to set some goals for the coming year. I finally started constructing my bucket list and will be posting my 2011 personal and professional goals before the weekend is over. These goals are influenced by lessons I have learned about interpersonal or romantic relationships, how I am looking to advance my career, and plans of self-improvement, both external and internal.

I am glad that I have had time to evaluate some of the decisions I made throughout the last year, as well as the relationships I maintained (and didn’t maintain) with others.

The year began and ended on a high note, albeit in very different ways. I welcomed 2010 with a new relationship that ended up being detrimental to my long-term emotional well-being, peace and happiness.  There is much to be said for “hindsight being 20/20″, but life just doesn’t work that way. It’s easy to look back and see clearly where we took the wrong path, said the wrong thing, made the wrong decision, let the wrong person or persons into our inner lives. It’s more complicated when we are living in that moment. I think it’s easy to fall into that trap. Worse yet, I ended up beating myself up for not “seeing it coming” or for thinking that relationships and situations were stronger than they really were. It’s easy to be a Monday morning quarterback when you already know how the story ends. (clearly I am cliche girl today)

What’s most important is recognizing the many lessons experiences bring us. I’ve spend a lot of time exploring the events of the last year – the good, the bad, the ugly – and reflecting most on my part in them, how my words and actions could have, and should have, been better. I’ve also learned that I have to let everything else go – other peoples words and actions. I can’t control them and I certainly can’t own them. I think one of the biggest hopes and opportunities of a new year is to learn from our mistakes and grow from them, an opportunity to recover from life errors, whether our own or those of others that have impact our lives.

The reality is that there is light at the end of the tunnel, that situations pass and that things do get better, a lot better. I do want to be sure to remember all that I learned this year, about myself, about others, and about human nature in general. While this is primarily a way for me to reflect back on 2010 to remind me about my newfound knowledge, I hope that some of my lessons resonate in your lives as well.

So, without further delay, my 2010 life lessons include:

• Family and friends are equally important, and in fact, some friends are actually family.
• Everyone is not your friend, even if they say they are.
• It’s important to apologize when you have wronged someone, but you can’t control whether they will accept the apology.
• It’s unhealthy to hold yourself hostage to unaccepted apologies.
• Breakups, no matter how painful, don’t remain painful forever.
• Lack of forgiveness is toxic. It’s important to forgive others, whether or not they feel compelled to apologize.
• Relationships can be salvaged, but only with effort from both parties involved.
• There are in fact do-overs in life. The difficult part is deciding which ones are worth pursuing.
• Life isn’t a dress rehearsal. Make every moment count.
• We often stand in our own way from achieving the success we are capable of and deserve.
• Lending and/or borrowing money between friends or family leads to disaster.
• I am capable of launching and running a successful business.
• Be thankful for your life because you never know when your time will come.

All of these lessons are directly related to decisions that I made this year and interactions that I had with others. I welcome a kick in the ass from life, reminding me that I don’t have any control over the actions of others, that I only control my actions, and that I need to be accountable for them. The wonderful thing is, even though many of these lessons were learned in painful ways, this year is ending on a high note. I am healthier and happier than I have been in a long time. I am excited about what 2011 has to offer – existing and new relationships, opportunities to explore new things, learn new skills, step outside of my comfort zone to see what happens.

I have big plans for 2010. I resolve to live intentionally. I resolve to live authentically. I resolve to not stand in my own way, professionally and personally. I resolve to foster deeper, more meaningful relationships with family and friends. I resolve to be good to myself, to give myself space to learn, be healthy, grow, and love.

What are some of the lessons that you learned in 2010?

Thank you for sharing your knowledge
and talents, and especially for sharing your lives with us!
We are excited and encouraged by what 2011
will bring and hope to build a richer, deeper relationship
with you in the New Year!