Hayward, California—on January 20, 2008, over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, 600 people gathered to launch one of the first citizenship drives in the PICO Bay Area Citizenship and Civic Participation Campaign. The campaign is designed to urge the 387,604 legal permanent residents in the Bay Area to become citizens and will teach people how to participate effectively in civic and political life. This historic coordinated campaign will include 25 citizenship drives in 12 different cities in five counties across the Bay Area. PICO Bay Area is bringing people together across race, culture, and faith tradition in the common pursuit of democracy, human rights and to build community leaders who have a voice on issues that affect their communities.
"Our vision is communities that are safe, thriving and involved - where all people, including the billions of immigrant families across this country who have always made this country great --- are fully valued, protected and meaningfully engaged in civic and political life," said COR Leader, Deacon Rigo Cabezas. "On this weekend as we celebrate the life, work, and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, we look to a future where all people of every race, culture, language, and country of origin have equal access to the rights we all deserve and a voice in shaping the issues that matter most in our communities."
The kickoff event was held in Hayward, California in a community that has paralyzed by recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. At the event, COR leaders shared their vision and research with Alameda County Supervisors Nate Miley and Alice Lai-Bitker and received strong commitments from both elected officials to work closely with COR leaders to implement their vision of active citizenship and immigrant integration. Afterwards, hundreds of immigrants received training on their civil rights and eligible residents received assistance in initiating the process to become citizens. At the event, 100 people initiated the citizenship process.
Mark Silverman of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) said in English and Spanish that the forum was a good example of democracy. "We need more democracy. We need more citizens," he said. "People applying for citizenship today are soldiers of democracy — peaceful soldiers."
COR and other PICO Bay Area organizations have formed partnerships with dozens of local educational and legal service providers to create community-based pathways to citizenship. At the event, dozens of potential citizens signed up to create new citizenship and English classes in their local congregation. Community residents will be able to go through the citizenship process together and support each other throughout the process. They will also have an opportunity to participate in local campaigns to address community concerns and learn how to take a more active leadership role in their community.
Currently, there are 2.7 million immigrants in California who are eligible for naturalization and there are an estimated 387,604 lawful permanent residents eligible to apply for naturalization in the Bay Area. The transition into citizenship is a critical part of the integration of immigrants in American society. Citizenship makes our democracy real and enables all to participate fully in our civic life. Growing numbers of residents who are on the margins of society only threatens the stability of broader community-building efforts. Our society is not neatly divided into citizens and non-citizens and nearly 85% of all immigrant families have mixed immigration status. Citizenship helps to provide security and stability for individuals and families and naturalization opens new economic and education opportunities for immigrants. In addition, new citizens can and will become effective advocates for the broader immigrant community in helping to create policies that are more responsive to their needs.
"Today is just the beginning!" declared COR leader Esperanza Alcantar at the event. "PICO Bay Area will not stop until we have helped thousands of people in counties across the Bay Area – from Contra Costa County, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Francisco--to become citizens. And we won't stop there –we aim to register these folks to vote, so look for these new citizens at the polls!"
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