It’s been two full years since the City of Bellingham abruptly pushed aside the Keep Bellingham Families Working ordinance in favor of approving their own ordinance regarding immigrant protection. In all that time there has been no amending of that ordinance or activation of civilian oversight or of a safe space to report discrimination or persecution.
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January 10, 2019 Dena Jensen
When I received a response email from Bellingham City Council Member Michael Lilliquist today, I had to think hard about whether or not I should publicly remark on it. It’s not like it was, in many ways, remarkable in comparison to the few other email responses I have received from him. In fact, some Bellingham City Council Members do not respond to me – ever – regarding my emails asking them to reach out and develop relationships with frontline and marginalized community members. Most of the time, I don’t even expect them to email me back. I just want them to take action.
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Click the graphic to access this Keep Bellingham Families Working Facebook post on their Facebook page
September 19, 2018 Dena Jensen
In light of our heightened awareness of threats to Whatcom County residents through the initiation of deportation proceedings against immigrant’s rights activist and Bellingham resident Maru Mora-Villalpando in December of 2017, and the August 29, 2018 ICE raid against employees of the Bellingham location of Granite Precasting, I am going to try to shed some light on this Operation Stonegarden Grant funding that the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office has been receiving for years now with the approval of the Whatcom County Council. Continue reading
Click the graphic to read or listen to the complete Public News Service report
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Farm-labor advocacy groups are furious after a District Court judge in Bellingham slashed the fine to $35,000 on Tuesday for a berry farm accused of unsafe working conditions, after a worker there collapsed and died last August.
February 1, 2018 Edgar Franks
In the thick of Donald Trump’s first year as President, the U.S. labor movement scored an improbable victory.
The workers are mostly indigenous Mixtec and Triqui immigrants from Mexico, living in predominantly white, conservative rural counties famous as historic breeding grounds for the Ku Klux Klan. Continue reading
February 23, 2018 Dena Jensen
Monday February 19, 2018 was the one year anniversary of the Dignity Vigils in Bellingham, where community members have been gathering to stand in solidarity with undocumented and immigrant families and people as well as joining to stand against law enforcement and federal immigration collaboration which leads to deportation. These weekly events, part of the Keep Bellingham Families Working campaign, have been occurring every Monday during the lunch hour in front of civic buildings downtown, and often on Monday evenings at the WTA station on Railroad Avenue. Continue reading
Photo Credit: The Western Front
February 21, 2018 Sarah Porter
Regional farms have started a campaign in response to farmworker advocacy groups that critics say is deceptive. Continue reading
February 13, 2018 Dena Jensen
Dear Bellingham City Council and Whatcom County Council:
I am writing early this week to let you know that next week there will be a special Dignity Vigil honoring the one year anniversary of these vigils in downtown Bellingham held in solidarity with immigrant and undocumented people, and to stand against law enforcement and federal immigration collaboration which leads to deportation. I hope you will all plan on attending during any portion, or all of the 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. time period. I will send you more details about next Monday’s vigil when they are available!:
https://www.facebook.com/events/144972296180055/ Continue reading
August 13, 2017 Sandy Robson
The August 12, Seattle Times article provided a good report on the recent events surrounding Sarbanand Farms and the tragic death of H-2A farm worker Honesto Silva Ibarra. However, in the article, local public relations guru Gerald Baron took an opportunity to defend Sarbanand Farms, and to hurl accusations at two local organizations which are trying to help the fired and displaced H-2A farm workers. Continue reading
