Dear Friend,

There’s no way around it — this past year has been horrifying. The hate-fueled attacks on our immigrant communities have been relentless. We’ve all witnessed the sheer evil and chaos unleashed onto our streets by ICE and other federal forces, not to mention citizen vigilantes impersonating federal agents.

But let’s not forget: As neighbors and community groups scramble tirelessly to combat the violence against our communities, we’ve racked up significant victories. It may not seem like much when set against the backdrop of this administration’s ongoing crimes against humanity, but we celebrate every. single. win. From reversing or slowing dangerous policies in the courts to freeing people from detention, each and every victory matters! 

As you may recall, my own safety has been placed in the crosshairs. Although I am not out of the woods yet, I still refuse to back down. If not us, then who? I fight because I still have breath. And as long as I am able, I will not be silenced. My work may look different, but my passion and fire is still the same (stronger even). I am more dedicated to this work now than I ever have been. Come what may, I am here. 

Which leads me to FFI’s new Annual Appeal theme: Until Everyone is Free: And Still, We Rise.

First and foremost, I want to acknowledge Maya Angelou, the historic poet and activist who has inspired so many people across all borders, identities, and classes. Her poem “Still I Rise” is the perfect answer to the hate we are seeing now. Regardless of how severe the attacks are on our people…still, like air, we rise! And, so long as we continue to rise to the occasion, all will not be lost. 

At FFI, we’re stepping up our game. We are not backing down, and I can assure you that our team is resolute in our fight for uncompromised liberation. We leave no community member behind as we fight alongside people imprisoned in jails, prisons, and detention centers and their families. Here’s a snapshot of the work we have planned for the year ahead:

• We’re hard at work distributing critical pro se legal materials and medical one-pagers to people inside so that they can better navigate and survive their time in detention.
• We’re addressing the criminalization of BIPOC people by expanding our Project Keep Away helpline and in-person programming to disrupt the prison-to-ICE pipeline. 
• We’re holding Know Your Rights trainings for community members caged in prisons or facing jail time with immigration consequences. 
• We’re re-launching our IMMPrint publication, which serves as a vital platform for people inside detention to express themselves and share resources. 
• We’re launching our new and improved National Immigration Detention Map to provide crucial information and resources to detained people and organizers across the country.
• We’re implementing our new Resource Mobilization Team, which will spend countless hours providing support to people in detention. 
• Finally, we’re strengthening our staff so that we are able to sustain ourselves and keep up with the increasing needs of our community. 

It will take all of us to defeat the powerful forces seeking to harm our people through detention, deportation, and family separation. Will you stand with us as we work to secure justice and dignity for our communities?