On June 17, EunSook Lee, Executive Director of NAKASEC, and a panel of speakers addressed community members at the USC Taper Hall on the event topic of “Realities not Rhetoric: What is Needed for Human Immigration Reform?” The panel included staff attorney Jennie Pasquarella from the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, President and Reverend Eric Lee of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Campaign Coordinator Rey Barrera for the Coalition of Humane Immigrants Rights of Los Angeles and Jeffrey Kaye, journalist and author of “Moving Millions: How Coyote Capitalism Fuels Global Immigration.”
Ms. Pasquarella shared about the serious harm done to our communities by immigration enforcement, while Mr. Kaye challenged the audience to think not just locally, but globally about migration. Reverend Lee spoke about alliance building and the potential of immigrants and African Americans to forge a progressive agenda together.
EunSook Lee briefed the audience on policy opportunities for immigration reform and also about the importance of telling our stories, which can be powerful forces to influence and change minds of those who may be at first opposed to or uncertain about immigration reform.
EunSook Lee states, “Immigration reform is not just a policy; it’s about communities and integration. Dialogues like the one we shared tonight among diverse communities including Muslim Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans, African Americans and Jewish communities are a critical part of inclusive, humane and meaningful immigration reform.”
Read Korean language media coverage of the event at the Christianity Daily.
NAKASEC Executive Director EunSook Lee pictured with author/journalist Jeffrey Kaye.
