Tips and tools for an America where everyone belongs!

Dear Friend and Fellow Change-Makers

Harmful Narrative

There's a pervasive and damaging narrative that falsely links immigration status to criminal behavior. This framing often appears in media coverage and political rhetoric, using inflammatory language and cherry-picked incidents to promote fear. 

How We Respond

Real safety comes from building strong communities together. When we focus on policies that strengthen community trust in law enforcement and invest in solutions that help all families thrive, we can create communities where everyone feels secure and valued. Remember that repeating false narratives often reinforces them, so resist the temptation to myth-bust. Focus instead on painting a clear picture of how our solutions reflect our values of fairness, dignity, and justice.

Priscilla Olivarez

Priscilla Olivarez is a Senior Policy Attorney & Strategist with Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) and an alum of TOA’s Narrative Innovators Lab. At the ILRC, Priscilla works to shut down Operation Lone Star (OLS), a multi-billion dollar scheme that threatens the safety and dignity of people in Texas. By sharing the unique stories of immigrant communities in Texas, she is educating lawmakers about the harms of OLS and changing the way we talk about safety at the border.  

Literary Bridges: What We're Reading

At a time when our nation's highest office embraces political isolationism that threatens to narrow our worldview, international literature serves as a powerful antidote. This month's "Culture Corner" features three translated novels—recommended by Sughey Ramírez, our Director of Cultural Strategies & Networks—that will transport you beyond borders. You might even recognize the first one from Netflix. 

The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin (translated from Chinese by Ken Liu): The first in a sci-fi trilogy and the inspiration for Netflix's series by the same name, this book follows disillusioned physicist Ye Wenjie as she establishes contact with the alien civilization of Trisolaris. Disheartened by society, Wenjie hopes her communication will save humanity, but we learn Trisolaris faces its own challenges to survive extreme weather spells. Sughey loved learning about their efforts to predict future "eras" and emphasized that watching the series "does not mean you've experienced the story."

The Words That Remain by Stênio Gardel (translated from Portuguese by Bruna Dantas Lobato): Set in northeast Brazil, this moving novel follows 71-year-old Raimundo as he learns to write with one purpose: to read a letter left by his lover Cícero decades earlier. Though the setting may be unfamiliar, Raimundo's journey resonates universally—his struggle against homophobia and violence reflects the universal quest for acceptance and authentic connection. As Sughey reflected, "It's only when Raimundo confronts his truth that he begins to heal and build true community."

Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi (translated from Arabic by Sherif Hetata): Based on a true story, this powerful novel recounts the life of Firdaus, an Egyptian woman condemned to death for killing her pimp. Though it was written in 1975, El Saadawi's unflinching portrayal of a woman's repeated attempts to find safety and independence remains devastatingly relevant. The narrative boldly confronts violence against women, systemic poverty, and patriarchal oppression, transcending time and geography.

Image credits: The Opportunity Agenda, Three Body Problem

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