Celebrate health care heroes on the frontlines of the pandemic

"We know how to work hard and in a team. Those are the things that also keep me from feeling the fear so much. The companionship and the teamwork and the caring.”⁠ —Ilon, former Immigration Equality client

Dear Friend,

Ilon takes an early morning train four days a week to arrive at a drive-through COVID-19 testing site in Queens. By 7am, they’re already suiting up in full personal protective equipment for a six-hour shift so they can test people for the virus from within their cars. Ilon, and a vast network of other immigrant medical professionals, are serving immigrant families, most of whom are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.

Please share a few words of encouragement for health care workers like Ilon who are keeping immigrant communities⁠—and all of New York City⁠—safe every day.

Ilon told WNYC they wish they could be doing more to fight the pandemic, saying, “I have these sets of skills and my hands are tied.” In Venezuela, Ilon was a practicing physician, but faced daily discrimination for being non-binary and almost lost their life when a group of men attacked them. When they came to the U.S., Immigration Equality helped them win asylum, but the Venezuelan regime refused to send the paperwork necessary to allow Ilon to practice medicine here. Still, as a health educator and volunteer, they use their training and passion for medicine to change lives.

Share your thanks for Ilon and all frontline health care workers that continue to give us hope.

At Immigration Equality, we know it can feel easy to become overwhelmed by the current situation, but we’re always inspired by the power and resilience of our amazing clients. They remind us of our own capacity to make a meaningful difference, even when we face uphill battles.

Thank you for being a part of our community,

Kristen Thompson, Communications Director
Immigration Equality

Immigration Equality is a registered 501(c)(3) organization (EIN: 13-3802711) and a proud participant in the Combined Federal Campaign (member number 40016). All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Immigration Equality

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