tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-194977432024-03-18T09:57:10.461-07:00Migrant DiariesThe National Network for Immigrant & Refugee Rights (NNIRR) is a national U.S. organization composed of local coalitions and immigrant, refugee, community, religious, civil rights and labor organizations and activists committed to immigrant rights. For more information about NNIRR, visit www.nnirr.org. This blog documents NNIRR's efforts and experiences in various international arenas including the WTO ministerial meetings, the World Social Forum, the United Nations etc.National Network for Immigrant & Refugee Rightshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05551016152729866428noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-32043481784610219042011-03-04T14:12:00.000-08:002011-03-11T12:36:56.710-08:00Migrants Rights at the 2011 WSF in Dakar, Senegalby Colin RajahFebruary 25th, 2011Preface: Long time followers of Migrant Diaries will recall that we closed this esteemed blog at the end of last year. NNIRR is launching a new website which houses a new and improved blogging space, and we anticipate future postings to be anchored there. As it turns out however, our prediction of the next NNIRR travel blog to be published there was a bit Colin Rajahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316103961307493814noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-59238609593354645902010-12-10T23:59:00.000-08:002010-12-15T12:30:21.726-08:00Closing out COP 16, Closing out Migrant DiariesBy Colin RajahDecember 10th, 2010[Left: Our delegation meeting in our "HQ" preparing for the day of action.]So here it is, the last and final installment of Migrant Diaries. We started this blog 5 years ago for the World Trade Organization (WTO) mobilization in Hong Kong. It seemed like it was important to quickly jot down thoughts, share pictures, report on events, and "write home" during our Colin Rajahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316103961307493814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-67868953558528847152010-12-06T22:04:00.000-08:002010-12-14T19:22:43.139-08:00For Life, Environment & JusticeBy Colin Rajah, reporting from Cancun, MexicoDecember 6th, 2010The international farmers' movement, La Via Campesina (LVC) began its Global Forum for Life, Environment and Social Justice this past weekend with a dynamic march through downtown Cancun and a series of plenaries denouncing the carbon markets that governments are trying to legitimize in their negotiations at COP 16 (see previous post.Colin Rajahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316103961307493814noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-18141071442524329302010-12-03T23:59:00.000-08:002010-12-04T17:18:48.998-08:00CJ from the USABy Colin Rajah, reporting from Cancun, MexicoDecember 3rd, 2010For faithful readers of Migrant Diaries, we apologize for the long silence. Most of our recent postings have been deposited on NNIRR's other blog Immigrant Rights News. We'll also be transitioning to a newer, better blog in the coming months with the anticipated launch of our brand-spankin' new website in the new year. Stay Colin Rajahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316103961307493814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-45166924380688201072009-06-06T07:59:00.000-07:002009-06-11T00:25:22.711-07:00From the Swiss Alps to the Greek Seas: NNIRR lobbying in Geneva, movement-building in Athens<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if !mso]> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } <![endif]--> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:2; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitchColin Rajahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316103961307493814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-71574878164965194752008-12-17T17:59:00.000-08:002008-12-17T18:01:23.675-08:00On International Migrants Day: U.S. Immigrant Rights Groups Call for End To Immigration Raids, Urge Humanitarian PoliciesVERSION EN ESPANOL SIGUE/In English and Spanish (Spanish follows)News ReleaseDecember 18, 2008Contact:* Laura Rivas (510) 465-1984 ext. 304 lrivas@nnirr.org* Colin Rajah (510) 465-1984 ext. 305 crajah@nnirr.orgOn International Migrants Day:U.S. Immigrant Rights Groups Call for End To Immigration Raids,Urge Humanitarian Policies(Oakland,CA) Immigrant rights groups urged today, International Arnoldo Garcia | La carpa del FEOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866611051746994618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-12946785389030912872008-11-01T08:02:00.000-07:002008-11-01T09:09:09.557-07:00Voices of Africa Share Their Visions and Concerns at People's Global ActionBy Nunu Kidane Priority Africa NetworkBlack Alliance for Just Immigration I must admit, coming to Manila, I was convinced that the Africa agenda would be nowhere and participants from the region would be few – at least much fewer than last year in Brussels. Was I wrong. Not only was the process intentionally inclusive of Africa focused issues, but the were about 20 participants from Arnoldo Garcia | La carpa del FEOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866611051746994618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-73027790271582513302008-10-29T19:35:00.000-07:002008-10-29T23:57:44.884-07:00PGA Women's Action Day: Women Organizers Speak Out Against Abuses, Hundreds March for Women's Migant JusticeBy Arnoldo Garcia(Tuesday, October 28, 2008, Manila, Philippines) Some 2,000 mainly women with youth, elders and men, converged on the Plaza Olivia Salamanca to speak out and march as part of "Women Migrants' Action Day against the GFMD" as part of the People's Global Action on Migration, Development and Human Rights.Voices of Migrant WomenThe women's day of action began with a press conference Arnoldo Garcia | La carpa del FEOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866611051746994618noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-38298731837649608692008-10-27T23:31:00.000-07:002008-10-28T00:15:44.904-07:00Solidarity Forever! The Movements Convergeby Colin RajahOct 25-26, 2008The People’s Global Action on Migration, Development and Human Rights (PGA), reached its programmatic climax with a candle-light protest march and the global opening ceremonies this past Saturday evening, and convergence workshops, reporting, and adoption of its Joint Declaration on Sunday.What was particularly unique and inspiring about these days, was the Colin Rajahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316103961307493814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-60467737275926081322008-10-27T08:10:00.000-07:002008-10-27T12:36:21.802-07:00Workers Lead Migrant Rights March in ManilaBy Arnoldo Garcia(October 27, 2008, Manila, Philippines) Today, convened by unions under the banner of "Solidarity Action of Labor against the GFMD," (SALAG), thousands of members of national and international civil society, workers, migrants, trade unions, migrant rights and human rights groups, women's rights, lgtb rights groups, working class political parties, youth and families "massed-up" Arnoldo Garcia | La carpa del FEOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866611051746994618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-59229303944431673462008-10-24T20:05:00.000-07:002008-10-24T21:02:12.785-07:00The GFMD Does Not Provide Any Hopeby Colin RajahOct 24th, 2008Workshops and other events continued today at the People’s Global Action on Migration, Development and Human Rights (PGA), including the opening of a couple of large forums as well as other smaller but equally critical workshops.Migrant Forum in Asia’s (MFA’s) annual Regional Conference on Migration (RCM) kicked off its 2-day forum, this year with the theme “The Right Colin Rajahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316103961307493814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-52297175478126636922008-10-22T02:06:00.001-07:002008-10-22T22:30:28.778-07:00And So It Beginsby Colin RajahAs reported yesterday, the People’s Global Action on Migration, Development & Human Rights (PGA) has become a target of the local government and police here in Manila, in order to prevent it drawing undue attention to the Philippine government's hosting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) later next week. In spite of the increased repression, including the Colin Rajahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316103961307493814noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-25286612043902597522008-10-21T08:32:00.000-07:002008-10-21T08:59:32.517-07:00PGA Outraged by Unjustified Cancellation of Permitby Colin Rajah One of the unique facets of a formerly-colonized country such as the Philippines is that there are still a number of clear reminders of popular resistance, even embedded in such commonplace affairs as public parks. All public parks in Metro Manila are thus designated “Freedom Parks”, i.e. for the use of the Filipino people. Since the People’s Global Action on Migration, Colin Rajahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316103961307493814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-29033060414664042762008-10-16T15:08:00.000-07:002008-10-16T16:44:59.571-07:00GFMD 2, here we come!by Colin RajahIts been a while since we've posted on this NNIRR travel blog, so for avid readers (yes, both of you!) we sincerely apologize for the sensory drought! Nonetheless, this month we are on the cusp of one of the most critical developments in international migrant rights, so we thought it an opportune time to revive our Migrant Diaries.As many of you know, the appointment of Peter Colin Rajahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316103961307493814noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-32125079840757877982007-09-10T15:15:00.000-07:002007-09-10T15:41:57.057-07:00Tongue to TongueBuilding Coalitions and MovementThis weekend, Friday, Sept 7 - 9, 2007, was the Tongue to Tongue Conference (http://www.tonguetotongue.org/) in Los Angeles, California. The conference was held at the Gay and Lesbian Center, called The Village, in West Hollywood.I went to the trans history workshop, a useful backgrounder on the elite establishments vision of tranny hirstory, a medicalized view of Diana Pei Wuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502257744331030515noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-6446855794242366062007-09-10T14:09:00.000-07:002007-09-10T14:59:24.124-07:00Highlander Center, and Asheville, NCthis past labor day, i spent with generations of organizers and activists at the Highlander Research and Education Center's 75th Anniversary in New Market, TN.We celebrated 75 years of organizing with poor white folk in rural Appalachia, black folk throughout the South, and more recently, with some Latino leaders in the rural South, using tools of cultural organizing, participatory research, Diana Pei Wuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502257744331030515noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-83736061373875466642007-06-28T13:47:00.001-07:002007-06-28T14:13:31.823-07:00The Hunger and Urgency of the Movement's MomentThere is a hunger in our movement for discussing the state of the movement, and future directions. Every session that I've attended today that had part of its focus as immigrant rights also wanted to focus on national strategy, especially now given that the Senate Bill, is as far as we can see, dead.There was the first press conference this morning from 9:30 am - 10:00 am at the Immigrant Rights Diana Pei Wuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502257744331030515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-38187913270745925182007-06-28T13:43:00.000-07:002007-06-28T14:13:10.143-07:00the marchwhat arelief to walk out of the MARTA station at 2:30 yesterday in the afternoon, in the sweltering heat, and hear and see this from the inside of the train station!Diana Pei Wuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502257744331030515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-47952324747542865672007-06-28T10:46:00.000-07:002007-06-28T14:25:21.716-07:00Faces of the Immigrant Rights Caucushow do we do the things we do? and why?I think the way we do things reflects a lot about our real beliefs and values. Not just the values in terms of words, but because the way we do things is what has been made real and visceral, made it into the body and the heart, beyond the intellect.and so that's why I appreciate the way we opened up the orientation, a chance for all of us to meet new peopleDiana Pei Wuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502257744331030515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-48006783775731454322007-06-26T23:35:00.000-07:002007-06-28T10:46:10.513-07:00The Wasatch Range or Knowing Our PlaceImmigrant rights in flight and on the road from Oakland to the U.S. Social Forum in Atlanta by arnoldo garcíaI asked him if he knew the name of the mountain range visible in the distance, as our jet-plane sauntered along towards the runway. He said, “No; I’m not from here.” He smiled a sheepish smile adding in self-defense, “But I do come here once a week.” Our plane turned into the headwinds, Arnoldo Garcia | La carpa del FEOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866611051746994618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-9746111508589453242007-06-19T13:47:00.000-07:002007-06-28T10:43:49.009-07:00Its Here! The First U.S. Social Forumby Colin Rajah Its been a long time coming – more than 3 years since the April 2004 meeting in Washington DC that launched the United States Social Forum (USSF) process! NNIRR has been at the heart of that process, even before that historic meeting in DC, in consultation meetings with the World Social Forum (WSF) International Council in Miami back in November 2003. From the Central and Colin Rajahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10316103961307493814noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-64881924232219341912007-06-18T16:01:00.001-07:002007-06-18T16:13:45.549-07:00Popular Education, Community Organizing and Movement Building -- Part IIDiana Pei Wuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502257744331030515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-30420451944435192642007-06-13T14:38:00.001-07:002007-06-13T15:46:03.852-07:00Notes from the 1st Southeast Regional Immigrant and Refugee Rights Training Institute!Tuesday, May 29 -- a long flight to RDU (Raleigh Durham International) from Oakland, leaving early morning, over packing for two weeks away. ... looking forward to NOT living my nightmares about the upcoming gathering. Chapel Hill seems so much smaller than I remember it, and less glamorous ... the 15-501 is the same highway I remember from my days in Durham, and Durham, must have grown, but Diana Pei Wuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502257744331030515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-38914948842649148502007-06-07T13:21:00.000-07:002007-06-07T13:53:58.189-07:00Overview of Senate Bill 1348Overview of the Senate ProposalBorder Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 – S. 1348Provisions in the Senate bill for legalization and a guestworker program would not launch until a number of conditions were met for greater enforcement mechanisms and practices – the “trigger” process demanded by legislators who believe in an “enforcement first” approach to immigration reform. Although Arnoldo Garcia | La carpa del FEOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10866611051746994618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19497743.post-15048160038695125812007-05-03T11:17:00.000-07:002007-05-03T11:20:41.791-07:00Statement of the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights On May 1, 2007 - International Workers DayStatement of the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee RightsOn May 1, 2007 - International Workers DayFair & Just Legalization with Equality, Justice & LibertyFor all immigrant and native-born workers, families and communitiesStop the Raids and DeportationsEnd Migrant Deaths at the BorderUphold Our Human, Civil, Labor and Economic RightsMillions of working class people, lead by Diana Pei Wuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02502257744331030515noreply@blogger.com0