Friend,

We can’t deny that we are facing a dark hour for immigrant families, communities and advocates.

The Trump administration threatens the lives of immigrants daily, placing their right to lawful protections and due process at stake.

Institutions and organizations that stand for the dignity of immigrants face profound threats.

Moreover, there are days when it feels like hate, racism, and bigotry are the engines that drive society.

As a child, I lived undocumented. During that time — the 1990s in California—I remember the narrative around immigrants that then seeped into law and policy. Eventually, I got the message that my family and I did not belong.

But I also remember all the people who helped open doors that I thought were never meant for me. One by one, these people became my Waymakers by bringing hope into my journey. These are people for whom I carry deep gratitude and who empowered me when I needed it most.

Waymakers are bright rays of light that counter darkness. Immigrant children may be armed with resilience, but they still need us to show up for them as Advocates, Attorneys, and Waymakers to shine a light when everything else is telling them to disappear.

Each of us can make a commitment to stand with the thousands of children across this country that are facing unimaginable obstacles in shelters, in courtrooms, and in communities.

By giving a gift on this National Immigrant Heritage Month, you can help us be there for immigrant children and their families to remind them: You belong. You are not alone. You have the power to build a future full of possibility.