Immigrants in Action :: Short Stories Immigration Equality Papers

Immigrants in Action Members of the Comit de Inmigrantes en Accin Santa Teresa (the St. Theresa Committee of Immigrants in Action) see to it solemn this evening. It is Friday, 500 PM, in the basement of St. Theresas Church. The basement boasts a distinctly cafeteria-like atmosphere fluorescent lights, linoleum floors, folding chairs, b ar walls, and long institutional tables. Appropriate, a church volunteer later informs me, as the room too functions as a soup kitchen for homeless and low-income families. Outside, red late afternoon sunlight diffuses by means of the air and low-bellied cars cruise the streets, bursting with hip-hop beats. But neither the music nor the sun can penetrate the brick church walls. Inside it is quiet, except for the buzzing of blue-white lights. The sparseness of the great space makes the Comit look small. There are ten members present this evening, huddled near one table near the entrance. They straggle in during the first half hour of the meet ing, nodding hellos, hanging jackets, pulling up chairs. Juan Garca, the Comit leader, has positioned himself at the head of the table. Beside his chair rests a bulging black briefcase and spread out before him are folders, binders, pamphlets, papers, all in neat stacks. The words Puerto Rico promenade merrily across his T-shirt, the e and the r interrupted by the ever-present gold locket that hangs around his neck. It is splayed open, as usual, la Virgen Maria holily presiding over the Comit. Garca started the Comit in 1999, with the support of St. Theresas, a Catholic church on the West side of Providence, Rhode Island. The church secured him a paid position as an organizador comunitario - a community organizer. The Comits to the highest degree immediate mission is simply stated to assure permanent residency for the 6-9 million some-odd unregistered immigrants in the United States. Garca, himself a documented Guatemalan immigrant, collaborates with the Latin American community i n Providence and the surrounding areas to raise awareness about the most recent immigration policies and proposals and to encourage the people to organizarse. Organize themselves. As the Comit is part of the National Coalition for Dignity and Amnesty, a nation-wide network of similar groups, Garca also keeps tabs on events and advancements in other parts of the country.The size of the Comit is forever fluctuating at the moment, it includes about ten members, documented and undocumented immigrants from Mexico and Central America.