Dear Friends,
February may have been a shorter month, but it was certainly filled with more than its share of heartbreaking news. Between the wars unfolding in Ukraine and continuing in Yemen, and the release of the Sixth Assessment Report by the IPCC regarding the climate crisis, we at KIAC have grappled with finding our place in it all.
One of our staff members came upon our quote of the month by Ursula Wolfe-Rocca, a writer for the Zinn Education Project.
It can be overwhelming to witness/experience/take in all the injustices of the moment; the good news is that “they’re all connected.” So if your little corner of work involves pulling at one of the threads, you’re helping to unravel the whole cloth.
It seems particularly fitting, as we steadfastly continue KIAC’s work for our immigrant neighbors.
Throughout the month of February, KIACcontinued to “pull at our thread” through our work.
- KIAC assisted our partner Peninsula Community Health Services in a second Covid-19 vaccine event in late February. Between the two vaccine events in January and February, 191 community members were vaccinated — 135 adults and 56 children.
- Our Immigration Legal Services team successfully negotiated a bond hearing for a client held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center. This client and their spouse fled their native country after receiving threats and harassment from the government. After turning themselves into immigration agents on arrival in the United States, one spouse was sent to Tacoma and the other was released to family in another state. Thanks to the work of our Legal team, our client was released from the Northwest ICE Processing Center on a bond the family could afford, and was reunited with their spouse the next day!
- KIAC was one of the 100+ organizations to sign a letter pushing for a $30 million state fund for refugee resettlement in Washington State.
March is underway, and with it comes new opportunities.
- KIAC needs tax preparation volunteers! Interested in getting involved or know someone who is? Email Graciela to find out more.
- We are getting back into the community and look forward to sharing information about KIAC and what we do in an informational session at Kol Shalom Jewish Congregation on March 22.
- Mark your calendars! Kitsap’s biggest day of giving — Kitsap Great Give — is Tuesday, April 19. We will be in touch in the coming weeks with information about how to get involved.
When reflecting upon the past month, I continue to feel gratitude for the partnerships that make our work at KIAC possible. Thank you for your support.
In gratitude,
Thangam Chandrasekaran, Executive Director
