Dear Somos Friends,
As the holidays come fast, and many people are getting ready to celebrate with their dear ones, we are continuing to expose the myriad of abuses the MCSO has inflected on the Hispanic community, in particular the culture of hate and discrimination that is promoted under Sheriff Jose Arpaio’s leadership.
But many of our people continue to face other authorities, regardless of what the DOJ announced, including Phoenix Police Department officers and other uniformed policing forces. Now more than ever is important that our community continues to report abuses and that we open communication with the Hispanic families in the Valley to make sure we remind them of the existence of organizations they can trust.
The forum “Recontruyendo la Confianza” (Rebuilding the Trust) will take place this Wednesday December 21st at 6pm at the Faith Lutheran Church on 7th street and Camelback, 801 E Camelback Rd. in Phoenix. The goal is to let people know that Arpaio’s DOJ investigation included a lot of detail on abuses thanks to the reporting of people in the community. We want them to know there are organizations such as the ACLU and Respect-Respeto that are willing to listen and take reports, but there are also departments such as the Phoenix Police Department that are willing to partner with us and push for people to report any abuses or discrimination they see in their communities.
This forum comes at a really important time, and it is crucial that you help us promote it as well. We have confirmed the participation of the ACLU, Respect-Respeto, an immigration attorney and the Phoenix Police Department, including the attendance of Chief of Police Joe Yahner. We also have hundreds of brochures with information on know your rights, and the administration’s announcement on prosecutorial discretion.
Univision has agreed to promote the forum on TV and radio, but we will need more help with the promotion of the event. Please make sure you share this e-mail with others and invite organizations and individuals accordingly.
Let me know if you have any questions, and I look forward to seeing you this week,
Luis Avila
