Please seek a presentation from the Public Health Advisory Board on the needs of immigrant families in our community / Letter to the Whatcom County Council, Dena Jensen

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letter from Rachel Lucy Screen Shot 2018-11-08 at 6.52.07 PM

Screen shot of the 10/25/18 letter from the Public Health Advisory Board to the Whatcom County Health Board proposing the resolution for which PHAB was seeking support from the Whatcom County Council on 11/07/18

November 9, 2018  Dena Jensen
[Note: I wrote a blog post yesterday on November 8, 2018, entitled, “‘I just wanna make sure it’s people who are legal’ – 3 minutes of the Whatcom County Council 11/07/18 Public Works and Health Committee meeting” on which this letter to the Whatcom County Council is based.]

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One Year Anniversary for Dignity Vigils in Bellingham / Letter to Bellingham City and Whatcom County Councils, Dena Jensen

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https://www.facebook.com/events/144972296180055/
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2018/01/17/oakland-bans-cooperation-federal-immigration-agents-braces-for-ice-raids/

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 →

Seeking strong engagement from Council Members with members of oppressed communities / Letter to Bellingham City Council and Whatcom County Council, Dena Jensen

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democracy now maru mora

Click the graphic to access the 1/17/18 Democracy Now interview with Maru Mora Villalpando

January 17, 2018 Dena Jensen

Dear Bellingham City Council and Whatcom County Council:

It was very interesting standing out in front of Mount Baker Theater on Martin Luther King Jr. Day during the City of Bellingham’s MLK event. Many of our county’s most effective activists were out there holding signs, conducting interviews, and passing out educational literature to people who were either passing by or going into the event. Continue reading →

Access to info on Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force meetings / Noisy Waters Northwest

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IPRTF meeting calendar

Click the graphic to go to the meeting calendar for the Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force

November 8, 2017  Dena Jensen
With the 2017 Jail Sales Tax vote showing rejection at 57.77% so far, we need to use this momentum and the education we have received about needs for criminal justice reform in our community to become even more engaged in promoting that reform. One easy way to start, is to become aware of the dates of all related Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force meetings.

Stand up for dignity / Letter to Whatcom County and Bellingham City Councils, Noisy Waters Northwest

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NO HUMAN IS ILLEGAL FOR NWNW

October 11, 2017  Dena Jensen

Subject: Further perspective on ordinances to protect members of our undocumented immigrant community

Dear Whatcom County Council and Bellingham City Council:

I wrote to all of you last week regarding creating ordinances that would provide more protections for members of our undocumented immigrant community. I recently had a local government official share their perspective on that letter with me. In this case, it doesn’t matter who made the statements because I think portions of the perspective expressed to me were similar to those I have heard expressed at council meetings. Continue reading →

Notes and perspective: The 9/12/17 design2 LAST presentation on renovation of the Whatcom County Jail / Noisy Waters Northwest

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September 15, 2017  Dena Jensen

On September 12, 2017, Lauri Strauss, CEO of design2 Last, gave a presentation to the Whatcom County Council’s Finance and Adminstrative Services Committee regarding anticipated renovation to the existing county jail facility located adjacent to the Whatcom  County Courthouse in downtown Bellingham. Continue reading →

Seattle​ ​Human​ ​Rights​ ​Commission​ ​Opposes​ ​Washington​ ​State’s​ ​Petition​ ​for​ ​Certiorari​ ​on Ninth​ ​Circuit​ ​Culverts​ ​Opinion,​ ​and​ ​Seattle​ ​Times​ ​Endorsement​ ​of​ ​that​ ​Petition / Press Release, Seattle Human Rights Commission

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Seattle Human Rights Commission

September 11, 2017  Press Release, Seattle Human Rights Commission
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Seattle Human Rights Commission writes in response to the Seattle Times recent editorial “The Supreme Court must clarify culvert ruling,” and seeks to correct inaccuracies regarding tribal treaty rights and the State’s obligation to not impair them. Washington’s tribal nations have lived and fished throughout our State since time immemorial, and their right to do so is protected by treaty. Continue reading →

Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) deception leads advocates to investigate ‘cancelled’ mass deportation raids / Press Release, NWDC Resistance

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7 hrs  September 9, 2017  Press Release  NWDC Resistance

FOIA requests to be filed at Seattle ICE field office

Seattle, WA — Immigrant advocates are not taking ICE officials at their word over this week’s announcement that ICE is scrapping “Operation Mega,” its plan to target and detain nearly 10,000 immigrants over a five-day span beginning September 16.

On Tuesday, September 12, advocates will deliver a FOIA request to the local ICE office, demanding information into the detailed plans for “Operation Mega” and any potential future plans to implement mass immigration raids in Washington State.

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Bellingham City Council, 8/14/17 Committee of the Whole discussion regarding renaming the Pickett Bridge / Noisy Waters Northwest

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april barker cob committee of the whole pickett

Click the graphic to access the 8/14/2017 Bellingham City Council Committee of the Whole meeting. Discussion regarding the Pickett Bridge starts at about 2:02:00 on the video.

August 15, 2017  Dena Jensen

At last night’s August 14, 2017 Bellingham City Council meeting, there was a brief discussion which touched on a bit longer discussion held earlier that day at Council’s Committee of the Whole meeting regarding renaming Bellingham’s Pickett Bridge.  Council Member April Barker said the issue is being raised due to constituent’s concerns that the name of the bridge “is celebrating a man who has a legacy of pro-slavery and had a strong alliance with the Confederate Army.”  In the summer 2015 The Bellingham Herald ran a story saying discussion of renaming of the bridge came forward when Community to Community Development and the Racial Justice Coalition, held a protest of crime-mapping software being considered by the Bellingham Police Department.  Pickett Bridge was the site of their protest.

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Gerald Baron’s incorrect characterization and marginalization of Community to Community and FUJ’s efforts / Facebook post, Sj Robson

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seattle times sarbanand

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 →