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Immediate Release
April 11, 2013
Contact: Jane Yoo, NAKASEC, 202.630.4013
NAKASEC Rallies for Immigration Reform with Thousands of Immigrants & Supporters in Washington D.C.
Echo Event held in Georgia, California and Illinois
Washington D.C. – The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), the Korean American Resource & Cultural Center (KRCC) in Chicago and the Korean Resource Center (KRC) in Los Angeles participated in the April 10th “Time Is Now” rally for citizenship and immigration reform. Thousands of immigrants and supporters from across the country gathered to call on Congress for a swift introduction of a comprehensive immigration reform bill.
Among the participants was 17 year old Faustin Combe, a FYSH and KRCC member from Chicago who shared her painful story of being separated from her father and brother who are currently in the Philippines. Joining her was HyunKyu Lee, a recent DACA recipient, undocumented youth and organizer with KRC who also spoke in Asian American and Pacific Islander press conference with the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans and Senator Mazie Hirono and Reps. Judy Chu Congressman Mike Honda.
During the main immigration rally, Son Ah Yun, executive director of NAKASEC spoke to the crowd about the impacts of the broken immigration system on Asian American communities and the need for immigration reform. She said, “We are tired of being separated from our families through long backlogs and deportations. We are tired of women being an afterthought. We are tired of our young people unable to go to school. We are tired of immigrants being treated as criminals and living in fear.”
In the morning, NAKASEC participants also delivered 1,267 signatures in support of family unity to offices of the “Gang of 8” Senators, as well as to Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL), Reps. Ed Royce (R-CA), John Campbell (R-CA) and Gerry Connolly (D-VA).
Echo events in Georgia, California and Chicago were held with communities calling for immediate introduction of a comprehensive immigration reform bill.
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The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) was founded in 1994 by local community centers to project a national progressive voice and promote the full participation of Korean Americans as a part of a greater goal of building a national movement for social change. NAKASEC is based D.C. and Los Angeles. NAKASEC also has affiliates in Chicago (Korean American Resource & Cultural Center) and Los Angeles (Korean Resource Center).
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