Vigil for Immigrant Justice 5/15/12 in Greensboro

Orfilia and her two sons

Copyright: 

 AFSC

Vigil for Immigrant Justice

This year to celebrate Mother’s Day, help keep one mother with her children, including a US
citizen minor son.

· Keep Orfilia’s Family Together; stop her imminent deportation
· Support victims of a recent ICE raid in Greensboro, terrorizing at least 40 families
· Stand together against Secure Communities and               other programs harming our immigrant
   neighbors

Tuesday, May 15
6:30-8pm
Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church
2205 W. Market St. Greensboro, NC 27403

RSVP on Facebook

Sponsored by: American Friends Service Committee, Center for New North Carolinians,
FaithAction International House, Greensboro Immigrant Rights Working Group

For more info:
LKhamala@afsc.org /             336-854-0633      

Background Information on Orfilia’s case:
Orfilia Sagastume-Reyes of Thomasville, NC is currently set to be deported on June 7, 2012. She
is the mother of a US citizen honor student. Orfilia fled political persecution and death threats in Guatemala to the United States with her family in October 1990, following the assassination of her brother. In 1993, Orfilia applied for asylum in the US. 


Based on the erroneous advice by a previous lawyer, Orfilia and her family withdrew their asylum application, which resulted in an order of deportation. Since then, Orfilia has been trying to fix her status, without result. Orfilia has resided in the United States for 22 years and is the primary caregiver of a minor US citizen child. 


She has no criminal record, not even a traffic ticket. If ICE re-opens her case, she will be eligible for a Green Card. If she is deported, her son will likely have to go with her, taking him away from his country and destroying his chances of a high quality education. If her son stays here, he will be in the custody of Social Services. If deported, Orfilia will not be able to return to the US for 10 years. Please help keep this family together!

Take Action!

• Attend the Vigil 5/15/12 in Greensboro. Facebook event link here.

• View the video, Fredi Reyes’ Letter to my country:http://youtu.be/pOEMf3VVgRo

•Sign the petition: http://chn.ge/orfilia 

• Make the call: Ask ICE to please re-open Orfilia’s case. Orfilia Sagastume-Reyes, A#073-189-266. 

ICE’s John Morton:             202-732-3000       · ICE’s Peter Vincent:            202-732-5000      

Storyology 2012: Final

Budding immigrant filmmakers debuted their 3-minute masterpieces to a standing room only crowd at International House Charlotte on Friday, March 16, 2012. A story of treacherous journeys across the sea and prison escapes mingled with personal stories of a marriage broken by abuse, a student’s journey from a refugee camp to a Charlotte school, and an account of how a family got its start in the United States. Each story was different, but each painted a picture of the external and internal struggles faced by immigrants in North Carolina today.

The second Storyology: Digital Storytelling by Immigrants and Refugees class brought together six immigrants and refugees from Eritrea, Mexico, Bhutan, Colombia and Ecuador for three weekends of participatory workshops on storytelling, audio and video editing and community building. A seventh student, unfortunately, had to drop out of the class after being hospitalized with pneumonia. The class utilized interactive storytelling techniques, laptop computers, photographs, oral histories, digital cameras and music, sharing skills with the new documentarians that last a lifetime.

Storyology is unique in that it empowers immigrants to tell their own stories in their own words. As one student expressed, “I got an opportunity to share my own story and my own feelings. I got more experience by sharing my story, how I live in my country, how I deal with my hindrances. And I like to collaborate with my friends, and [get to] know their story too, my international friends, Mexican friends, African friends. I learned their stories , their own feelings, their experiences…I really appreciate this class; I am really joyful… I love this class!” Another student reported that “I did learn how to make a video, but most important, I learned about other cultures and people. My expectations were exceeded!”

Volunteer Martin Doherty expressed that the class gave him “a profound opportunity to recognize my values as an American and move forward the quality of every human life… I’m honored to be helping other people tell their stories so more respect and more care is given to human beings around the world.”

The class was sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee and International House Charlotte, with funding provided by the Charlotte Arts & Science Council. You can view videos produced in the class atwww.youtube.com/afscnc.

Storyology 2012: Life Dream

Budding immigrant filmmakers debuted their 3-minute masterpieces to a standing room only crowd at International House Charlotte on Friday, March 16, 2012.

Storyology 2012; My American Dream

Budding immigrant filmmakers debuted their 3-minute masterpieces to a standing room only crowd at International House Charlotte on Friday, March 16, 2012. A story of treacherous journeys across the sea and prison escapes mingled with personal stories of a marriage broken by abuse, a student’s journey from a refugee camp to a Charlotte school, and an account of how a family got its start in the United States. Each story was different, but each painted a picture of the external and internal struggles faced by immigrants in North Carolina today.

The second Storyology: Digital Storytelling by Immigrants and Refugees class brought together six immigrants and refugees from Eritrea, Mexico, Bhutan, Colombia and Ecuador for three weekends of participatory workshops on storytelling, audio and video editing and community building. A seventh student, unfortunately, had to drop out of the class after being hospitalized with pneumonia. The class utilized interactive storytelling techniques, laptop computers, photographs, oral histories, digital cameras and music, sharing skills with the new documentarians that last a lifetime.

Storyology is unique in that it empowers immigrants to tell their own stories in their own words. As one student expressed, “I got an opportunity to share my own story and my own feelings. I got more experience by sharing my story, how I live in my country, how I deal with my hindrances. And I like to collaborate with my friends, and [get to] know their story too, my international friends, Mexican friends, African friends. I learned their stories , their own feelings, their experiences…I really appreciate this class; I am really joyful… I love this class!” Another student reported that “I did learn how to make a video, but most important, I learned about other cultures and people. My expectations were exceeded!”

Volunteer Martin Doherty expressed that the class gave him “a profound opportunity to recognize my values as an American and move forward the quality of every human life… I’m honored to be helping other people tell their stories so more respect and more care is given to human beings around the world.”

The class was sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee and International House Charlotte, with funding provided by the Charlotte Arts & Science Council. You can view videos produced in the class atwww.youtube.com/afscnc.