Vigil shows support for immigrants, refugees
ROXBOROUGH >> “No hate, no fear!”
“Immigrants are welcome here!” “Refugees are welcome here!” Those were some of the sentiments a group of more than 100 people chanted as they gathered in Gorgas Park in Roxborough Friday evening, May 12, for a candlelight vigil to show solidarity with and support of immigrants and refugees in America
he vigil was organized by Roxborough/Manayunk Indivisible, a recently formed group dedicated to blocking President Donald Trump when he promotes racism, sexism and bigotry, according to group organizers.
People of all ages came out for the event, with many families attending with their children. Many in attendance held American flags or signs such as “Stop ignorance, not immi-
grants” and “We welcome immigrants and refugees.”
While winds from the impending weekend storm prevented the candles from staying lit for very long, the vigil pressed on with several speakers addressing the value immigrants and refugees bring to the Unites States, while also dispelling some misconceptions. Others read first-person narratives-written by immigrants and refugees.
“We stand together for tolerance, justice and equal- ity,” Julie O’Dell of Roxborough/Manayunk Indivisible said.
“We all come from immigrants, refugees and slaves, but we’re all Americans now,” she said.
“We are all here tonight because we all love this country and we want this country to live into its potential,” the Rev. Kirk Berlenbach of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church said.
“A line on a map doesn’t mean very much if you’re a parent and you have a child who is starving or scared,” he said, noting while not everyone may agree on the issues, there is a need to focus on what everyone has in common, such as a parent’s love.
“If you ever wondered what you would do in 1930s Germany, this is your chance,” Leona Goldshaw of Indivisible: NW Philly said. “Now is the moment to resist. We must stand in solidarity with immigrants. We must stand as allies against evil.”
Goldshaw said immigration has a long history of supporting the U.S. economy, noting an Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy report found undocumented immigrants pay an estimated $11.7 billion annually in state and local taxes. She also said notions that immigrants contribute to crime are incorrect, noting studies have found immigrants are less likely to commit serious crimes than native-born residents.
“We are big believers that facts matter,” said Rona Buchalter, director of refugee programming and planning for the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society Pennsylvania, encouraging all those in attendance to become educated about refugee and immigrant issues.
“They’re just regular people,” she said. “They’re like you, like me, like our loved ones, like our family members.
“This is not about us vs. them,” she said. “This is about all of us together creating the nation we want us to be, indivisible.”