Immigrant Leaders Successfully Conclude their 6th Annual Assembly

“Somos/We Are” Adopted as a Guiding Principle in Struggle to Reaffirm Immigrants’ Humanity and Contributions

Greenville, NC.  Following the conclusion of the Sixth Annual Leadership Assembly, the National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities have issued the following press statement:

“We are very pleased to have concluded our main annual event successfully.  We return to our respective cities and towns across the United States with renewed energy and a strong resolve to reaffirm our dignity as a people and resist the dehumanizing rhetoric that results in adverse policies both here and in our countries of origin,” stated Angela Sanbrano, NALACC’s President.  “During  the Assembly we analyzed the political, economic and social context in which the Latino and Caribbean community is immersed and we confirmed that the negative and erroneous view of immigrants as ‘illegals’ and ‘criminal aliens’ is preventing us from enacting sensible and humane immigration and immigrant-related policies” added Ms. Sanbrano.

“We resolved to work towards eliminating the use of pejorative terms when describing our community from public discourse,” stated Ms. Gloria Saucedo, member of NALACC’s Executive Committee. “Epithets such as ‘illegal’ have been normalized and legitimized by the media and elected officials. Yet they belie our worth and value as a people and our actual insertion into the social, political and economic fabric of this nation,” Ms. Saucedo continued. “At the Assembly, we adopted the principle of ‘SOMOS/WE ARE’ to galvanize our communities’ determination to reaffirm our humanity and to contribute to the immigrant rights movement so that sensible and humane immigration reform can be enacted.   We will also add our voices to progressive efforts that seek to include the immigrant community in health care reform,” concluded Ms. Saucedo.

“Understanding as we do that migration stems from the economic, social and political conditions in our countries of origin, we also resolved to apply the principle behind “SOMOS/WE ARE” to our works towards U.S. foreign and international trade policies that put the interests of people above corporate interests,” stated Mr. Jose Luis Gutierrez, NALACC’s Associate Director. “In that regard, we will advocate for U.S. policies that support the fledgling democracies in Latin America and the Caribbean and that invest in comprehensive local economic and development initiatives so that people in our countries of origin can have a dignified life and not be forced to migrate” added Mr. Gutierrez. “We will begin this work by redoubling our solidarity efforts with the people of Honduras in their continued struggle to defend democracy” concluded Mr. Gutierrez.

“We thank our NALACC member AMEXCAN and our partner the East Carolina University (ECU), both of whom played a key role in ensuring the success of our Assembly” added Ms. Sanbrano.  “The collaboration and partnership between AMEXCAN and ECU is an inspiring testament to how much can be accomplished when we work in solidarity and in alliance with each other,” concluded Ms. Sanbrano.  

NALACC will launch its call to action inspired in the principle “SOMOS/WE ARE” on December 18^th, the day designated by the United Nations as International Migrants’ Day.

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