On Sunday, thousands of diverse groups from across the nation marched on the National Mall in Washington D.C., peacefully, calling for immigration reform.
On Sunday, thousands of diverse groups from across the nation marched on the National Mall in Washington D.C., peacefully, calling for immigration reform.
During the past few weeks, various ethnic and advocacy groups across the U.S. have promoted fundraising efforts to help people get to Washington, D.C., for the immigration reform rally.
A similar call for action happened right here in North Carolina, where the state’s Spanish-language media network, Que Pasa, called for the public’s support through their radio airwaves to sponsor additional buses, food and water for community members wishing to take the ride up to D.C. for Sunday’s march.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the area known as the “research triangle” is the fastest growing metropolitan area in the country, with a growth rate of 4.3 in 2008. And, part of the growth is due to immigrants choosing this area to settle down: almost 35 percent of immigrants in North Carolina came to the United States after the year 2000.
Ethnic media outlets, like Que Pasa, have been keeping a watchful eye on the changes in North Carolina’s immigration issues, which have become an important topic for the Hispanic community in light of the state’s clamp down on undocumented immigrants.
Que Pasa newspaper’s print and online editions run the “Buzon del Inmigrante” -The Immigrant’s Mailbox – where readers can write in with immigration-related questions.
We recently built a partnership with the Spanish-language news network to provide immigration education and information to the state’s Hispanic community, so when I received a call from Que Pasa’s account executive, Josie Aronson, requesting Bashyam Spiro’s pledge of support for Sunday’s march, I knew that we would want to contribute our own “granito de sal” (grain of salt). Our managing partner, Murali Bashaym immediately agreed to pledge to the cause.
The media company had personally sponsored 6 buses. But with the support of local businesses, like us, and individuals in the community, they were able to add 6 additional buses to their caravan to the nation’s Capitol in just 24 hours!
Our firm was unable to attend the historical event at Washington’s National Mall, but as an immigration law firm we know that the topic of immigration is widely misunderstood in America, which causes unnecessary conflict where none should exist.
I worked as immigration caseworker for a U.S. Congressman several years ago and have since had an interest the immigration system and learned just how much it is in need of a “face lift.” While I did not go through the immigration system, I grew up in Puerto Rico and my grandparents came to the U.S. from Puerto Rico, Italy and the U.K.
Our managing partner, Murali Bashyam, has been an immigration lawyer for over 14 years, and represents many immigrants in North Carolina and across the United States. He too is an immigrant. His parents are from India and he was born in Canada. He is passionate about the topic of immigration for many reasons, one of which has to do with the wonderful people we meet through our work.
That’s why we are committed to supporting events like yesterday’s march, as well as, initiating conversations through the media and within the community that will hopefully result in mutual understanding among immigrants, U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents.
Tags: bashyam spiro, hispanics, immigration, immigration reform, march or america, news, north carolina, que pasa media