Through Their Eyes: Immigrant Experiences and Advocacy in Philadelphia

Blanca Pacheco, Co-Director, New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia

Carmela Apolonio, Immigrant Leader

In the midst of the current political debate around undocumented immigration, the immigrant community often gets lost, and we lose sight about how attempting to immigrate into the United States affects individuals. The New Sanctuary Movement believes that all policies should be shaped from the perspectives and input of the affected community. Carmela Apolonio will be joining us via video to discuss her experience with the violence factors that pushed her to look for asylum on the border and that eventually led to her living in Sanctuary in Philadelphia. Carmela will share her expertise as lived by herself at the border, her experiences with border patrol, the separation from her children, her experiences living in a detention camp, losing her asylum case, and living in Sanctuary. Blanca Pacheco will be speaking about myths and realities around immigration and legalization, the challenges for new immigrants arriving to Philadelphia and what the New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia is doing to build proactive campaigns such as, providing sanctuary, supporting undocumented immigrants’ ability to obtain driver’s licenses and separating ICE from the court system. New Sanctuary Movement seeks to bring meaningful change on a local and state level. There will be space for conversation and questions.