#SanctuaryHomes
Living our politics begins at home. For those of us who employ domestic workers, one big thing we can do in this political moment is support the women, people of color, and/or immigrants who work in our homes.
Millions of American households employ domestic workers to provide care for children, support for seniors and people with disabilities, and housecleaning. The majority of these domestic workers are women, and of these, a majority are foreign born women of color.
And: It’s not enough to do this behind closed doors. We need to show our neighbors and our elected officials that we will not be divided. We all need to support each other for all of us to live and work with dignity.
Playdate Protests
Family playdates at detention centers and ICE offices across the country are fighting to keep immigrant families together. Taking action doesn’t always have to feel confrontational to be effective. Using our personal stories can be powerful: Just ask the people who have organized playdates in NYC and Newark; Columbus, OH; Springfield, Greenfield, and Boston; Burlington, Vermont; Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland, Baltimore, Memphis, San Francisco, and Philadelphia.
You can do this and people will join you!
Watch Now
In New York City, mothers and babies occupied the ICE offices and made headlines in the next day’s paper.
Getting Attention
National and local, niche and mainstream, the press has called the playdate protests a “national movement.”
Local
- New Jersey: Tap into Newark
- New York City: Daily News
- Springfield, MA: Valley Advocate
- Los Angeles: Daily News, ABC7
- Columbus, OH: NBC, WKSU
Other Ways To Take Action
If you employ a domestic worker, you can use our conversation tips for talking to your employee. Offer to review relevant resources together. You can also have this conversation with anyone where there is an established relationship, i.e. a person you see everyday at a local business. Having someone ask how you’re doing is extremely powerful.
Are you an employer of a nanny, house cleaner, or home care attendant? Make sure you’re a fair care employer. Economic security is crucial!
Participate in a local action led by immigrant rights organizing groups. See our resources page for a list of organizations by region, or contact us if you don’t see something where you live. We can help connect you.
- Host a fundraiser to raise money for a local group that is under attack.
- Host a Kitchen Table Conversation as a way to get friends, family, or neighbors involved in taking action with you.
- Family Preparedness Plans
- Carry your 4th and 5th Amendment Rights with you
- Know-Your-Rights information and printable cards in English, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Korean, Farsi, and Somali
- Legal help for immigrants in every state
Community Defense & Hate Free Zones
- Bay Area Coalition: Bay Resistance
- San Jose: Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network
- San Francisco: http://sfilen.org/
- Los Angeles: Chirla. Advancing human rights of immigrants and refugees in LA
- Make The Road New York. Dignidad, Comunidad y Poder. Make the Road has been mobilizing to defend immigrant communities in New York City.
- DRUM (Desis Rising up and Moving) organizing Hate Free Zones and for an end to Broken Windows policing.
- Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ): Leading the Jewish resistance in New York
- National Domestic Workers Alliance. Our lead partners, NDWA is a movement of childcare providers, housecleaners, direct care workers, and home attendants.
- Cosecha. A nonviolent movement working to win permanent protection, dignity, and respect for the 11 million undocumented people in this country.
- Here To Stay. A partnership of United We Dream, We Belong Together, Fair Immigration Reform Movement, and many more. Find resources and ways to publicly show your support for targeted communities.
- Women Step Forward is a resource and website from We Belong Together, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, and Immigration Advocates Network. Find stories of immigrants, legal information, and other resources.
Resources
- Resources 101: Important info for Immigrants and Allies
- Sanctuary Cities Report by Mijente
- Univision: “What Makes A Sanctuary City Now
- “A Radical Expansion of Sanctuary: Steps in Defiance of Trump’s Executive Order
- “The Principle and Politics of Sanctuary
- “Disabled People Will Die Under Trump“
- “Papers, please.”
Legal Resources
- Learn about Organizing Community Defense Zones with this guide from Mijente.
- Find out if DRUM (Desis Rising Up and Moving) is launching Hate Free Zones in your area
- Sign up to MPower, a Muslim-led grassroots movement, to get action alerts and resources because the fight against the #Muslim ban isn’t over
- Fair Care Pledge partner, Hollaback, provides regular bystander intervention trainings via webinar
Interested in organizing a local community defense team?
Email [email protected] and we’ll connect you to local trainings and more information.
