Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights · [email protected]

April 16, 2025 at 2:03 PM

The Quarterly Brief: Announcing our Waymaker Award Recipient and Celebrating our Volunteers!

January - March 2025  If you live in the Illinois or Michigan area, please join us for our Homecoming Reception on Thursday May 15th. You can purchase your ticket by clicking below! RSVP HERE We are delighted to share that the Young Center will be honoring Help for Children (HFC) with the 2025 Mari…

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  The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights · [email protected]

April 7, 2025 at 4:30 PM

20 Years of Fighting for Immigrant Children: Join Us Tomorrow for Our Video Premiere!

Dear Friend,  We're just one day away from our 20th Anniversary panel discussion and video premiere! We're looking forward to seeing you tomorrow for an inspiring conversation about how we can use the transformative power of storytelling to defend immigrant children and families.  REGISTER NOW Tues…

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  Gladis Molina Alt · [email protected]

April 3, 2025 at 3:43 PM

Immigrant children seeking safety alone should be met with compassion, dignity, and a fair opportunity to be heard.

Stand with us.  Friend,  Immigrant children weather storms of all kinds when they make journeys to our borders alone. After fleeing abuse, violence, trafficking or the lack of basic human needs, unaccompanied children seek a safe place to land, where they can live with family in their communities, a…

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  The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights · [email protected]

March 24, 2025 at 3:03 PM

It Starts With A Child's Story: Register Now for Our 20 Year Celebration!

Dear Friend,  In honor of the Young Center's 20th Anniversary, we are hosting a virtual panel discussion and video premiere. We hope you can attend! The event will bring together instrumental members of our community who will reflect on how we can uplift the voices of immigrant families, change har…

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  The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights · [email protected]

March 17, 2025 at 3:01 PM

Join Us on April 8 for A Celebration of 20 Years and Our Exclusive Video Premiere!

Dear Friend,  As the Young Center commemorates our 20th Anniversary, we are hosting a virtual panel discussion where we will explore the power of storytelling. Since our beginnings at the University of Chicago, we have had the honor and privilege to uplift the voices of the immigrant children and f…

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  Marisa Chumil · [email protected]

March 13, 2025 at 2:46 PM

Celebrating Social Workers at the Young Center (and beyond)

Dear Friend, My journey with the Young Center started in 2009 as a social work intern. Back then, I was part of a small but mighty team of attorneys and a part-time administrative assistant who worked tirelessly to advocate for and accompany immigrant children arriving in the United States on their …

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  Anne Kelsey · [email protected]

February 21, 2025 at 4:28 PM

Take the Pledge to Protect Immigrant Children.

Help us defend the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) Dear Friend,  Right now, unaccompanied immigrant children are under attack. The new administration has renewed efforts to weaken protections for these kids, falsely calling essential legal safeguards “loopholes.” Unaccomp…

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  Young Center Board and Staff · [email protected]

February 13, 2025 at 3:02 PM

This Valentine's Day: send a message of support, love, and hope to immigrant children in government custody.

Friend, It's hard to imagine what it's like to be a kid right now, let alone an immigrant child or youth in government custody as they wait to hear if they’ll be able to find safety and live with dignity in this country only to be met with uncertainty, fear, and rejection.   For 20 years, the Young …

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  Young Center Board and Staff · [email protected]

January 30, 2025 at 4:47 PM

Impact comes from sustained awareness, not scattered focus.

Friend, When faced with an information overload, the brain’s natural stress response is to disengage.  And that’s precisely what the Trump administration is intent on doing with its deluge of Executive Orders attacking immigrant communities, families, and children. By shocking us into a cognitive bo…

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  Gladis Molina Alt · [email protected]

January 21, 2025 at 6:48 PM

The only way to stand up to fascism is by matching the moment with solidarity, courage, and love.

We will not drown under a barrage of hate. Dear Friend, There is no denying that yesterday was brutal for immigrant children, their families, communities and allies.  Within a few hours of Trump's inauguration as President, he attacked birthright citizenship, shut down the Southern Border, suspende…

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  Meghan Jorgensen · [email protected]

January 8, 2025 at 2:32 PM

This is how your support translates into impact.

2024 by the numbers. We meant to sent this email on December 31. In case you missed it, we hope that you'll take a little time out of your day to read it!  The next four years are going to be full of challenges for immigrant communities and families, Friend. But that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate …

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  Young Center Board and Staff · [email protected]

January 2, 2025 at 3:01 PM

Happy New Year!

Friend,  We are so incredibly grateful for all of the support we received from you in 2024. This year will be a challenging for immigrant children and their families. As the incoming Trump administration rolls out its plans against immigrant communities, we’ll be at the frontlines fighting them ever…

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  Meghan Jorgensen · [email protected]

December 31, 2024 at 3:28 PM

This is how your support translates into impact.

2024 by the numbers.Friend,Tomorrow is International Migrants Day, a day which aims to raise awareness about the challenges and difficulties faced by migrants, as well as their rights and stories. Among those stories is Hernan’s, who grappled with Trump’s family separation policy in 2017.  ---My nam…

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  Estrellita Alvarado · [email protected]

December 26, 2024 at 3:14 PM

It’s truly amazing how one document can open multiple doors for a person.

This is Emilio's story.Friend,Imagine coming to the United States in search of a better life at the age of 16 and being placed in government custody.Imagine finding out that your lack of a birth certificate is the one thing getting in the way of being reunited with your sponsor and your dreams of st…

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  Gladis Molina Alt · [email protected]

December 23, 2024 at 2:01 PM

Happy Holidays!

Dear Friend,Over the next few days, many of us will be gathering in our homes to celebrate the holiday season and spend time with our loved ones.  However, many of the children and families we serve will not be able to do so. Countless mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters who make hard choices to p…

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  Hernan from the Young Center Community · [email protected]

December 17, 2024 at 5:03 PM

No parent should ever go through what I went through.

This is my story.Friend,Tomorrow is International Migrants Day, a day which aims to raise awareness about the challenges and difficulties faced by migrants, as well as their rights and stories. Among those stories is Hernan’s, who grappled with Trump’s family separation policy in 2017.  ---My name i…

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  Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights · [email protected]

December 11, 2024 at 4:31 PM

December Brief: Wrapping up the year and looking ahead to 2025

December 2024  Our Executive Director Gladis Molina Alt was featured in an article on USA Today discussing how the Young Center and other partners working in the immigrant rights space anticipate Trump's policy shifts will hurt immigrant children. READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE. On November 21, the Y…

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  Gladis Molina Alt · [email protected]

December 4, 2024 at 6:01 PM

We are the champions (for children).

And with over $87,000.00 raised, we'll keep on fighting 'til the end.Friend,We did it! With your support this Giving Tuesday not only did we meet our goal of raising $65,000.00, we surpassed it and raised $87,067.88.   We are so incredibly thankful for your contributions, your love, and compassion. …

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  Gladis Molina Alt · [email protected]

December 4, 2024 at 1:01 AM

It's the final countdown.

With $62,000.00 raised so far, we're showing them we're doing this together. Friend,In 2018, eleven-year-old Oscar was taken from his parents at the border during the “zero tolerance” policy that resulted in thousands of families being torn apart. By the time a Young Center attorney was appointed to…

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  Estrellita Alvarado · [email protected]

December 3, 2024 at 9:02 PM

Your donation will guarantee that children and their families stay together.

Help us raise $65,000.00 by midnight. Friend, Five-year-old Ana traveled with her mother to the United States from Central America to reunite with her father who lived in the United States. Before trying to cross the border in Mexico, a man threatened to harm them, forcing Ana’s mother to make the d…

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  The Young Center · [email protected]

December 3, 2024 at 6:15 PM

We're halfway there.

But we ain't living on a prayer because we know you'll help get us all the way to the finish line.Friend, Giving Tuesday just started and our community is showing up in a big way.  So far we've raised nearly $30,000.00 for unaccompanied immigrant children and their families. This means we're pretty…

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  Shaina Simenas · [email protected]

December 3, 2024 at 3:49 PM

Join us in uplifting the voices of families like Laura and Daniel's, who were separated by Trump's harmful government policies.

Give a donation today and help us raise $65,000.00 by midnight.Friend, In 2017, I worked with a family who was profoundly affected by Trump’s family separation policy. Laura and her nine-year-old son, Daniel, arrived to the United States-Mexico border, where they were apprehended by Border Patrol. L…

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  The Young Center · [email protected]

December 2, 2024 at 8:49 PM

Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday!

Help us raise our fundraising goal for immigrant children and their families!Friend, Giving Tuesday is tomorrow! We're flexing our fundraising muscles to raise $65,000.00 for immigrant children and their families by the stroke of midnight!  Each gift up to $15,000 will be matched. Be the first to do…

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  Young Center Board and Staff · [email protected]

November 28, 2024 at 3:13 PM

Sending our gratitude and love.

Friend, Many of us are gathering around a table today to share a meal and spend time with our families, our communities, and our loved ones.  We are so grateful to our Young Center community. Throughout the years, each of you has stood up for the hopes and dreams of unaccompanied and separated immig…

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  Jennifer Nagda · [email protected]

November 26, 2024 at 7:16 PM

Humanity and reason must triumph over hate.

Every contribution, no matter the amount, reminds us that we’re not in this alone.Friend,This November marked my 16th anniversary at the Young Center. I had always hoped that years 2016 to 2020, marked by family separation and increasingly inhumane border policies, would represent the low point for …

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  Kelly Albinak Kribs · [email protected]

November 21, 2024 at 4:25 PM

We won't let them tear children away from their parents arms again.

We're going to fight like hell to not go back.Friend, It was a little more than seven years ago that Young Center Child Advocates working with “unaccompanied” immigrant children in federal custody first started to notice a disturbing trend: More and more children arriving in custody who had been sep…

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  Young Center Comms Team · [email protected]

November 11, 2024 at 4:38 PM

Join us on November 21 @ 1 PM ET for a post-election recap on the road ahead for immigrant families, children and youth.

Friend,For months, organizations, stakeholders, have been preparing for any potential fallout from the results of the 2024 Election, including the Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights.  With Donald Trump officially declared the winner, the lives of immigrant families, children, and youth are…

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  Gladis Molina Alt · [email protected]

November 6, 2024 at 5:02 PM

We will not give up.

We will continue to fight back and protect immigrant children and their families. Friend, This morning, the world woke up to the news that Republican nominee and former President, Donald Trump was officially declared the winner of the United States Presidential Election with 51% of the vote. We stan…

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  Gladis Molina Alt · [email protected]

November 5, 2024 at 6:15 PM

We're in this together.

No matter what, we're here for our immigrant communities. Friend,Today is a big day for our Nation.  Many of us will go and line up at our local voting stations and cast our ballots, with high hopes and a lot of anxiety.  But the truth is we may not know the results for some time.  What we do know i…

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  Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights · [email protected]

September 17, 2024 at 2:11 PM

We're going to be in El Paso September 18-20!

We're unlearning our borders and coming together to better serve our Young Center community. Friend,From September 18th - 20th we're going to be in El Paso, Texas "Unlearning our Borders" at our All-Staff Conference. Our 100-plus strong team will come together for two days for a series of intensive,…

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  Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights · [email protected]

June 21, 2024 at 2:00 PM

REMINDER | Monday, June 24 at 1 PM ET: Join us for our webinar "Ending Child Labor Exploitation in the United States: Exploring Root Causes and Advancing Solutions"

Sign Up National media reports have highlighted for the American public the realities of ongoing child labor exploitation in the country. While it’s important to understand the situation of children facing exploitation, policies to address it must interrogate its root causes.     For the past 20 y…

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  Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights · [email protected]

June 6, 2024 at 5:00 PM

Monday, June 24 at 1 PM ET: Join us for our webinar "Ending Child Labor in the United States: Exploring Root Causes and Advancing Solutions"

National media reports have highlighted for the American public the realities of ongoing child labor exploitation in the country. While it’s important to understand the situation of children facing exploitation, policies to address it must interrogate its root causes.     For the past 20 years, th…

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  Gladis Molina Alt · [email protected]

March 28, 2024 at 3:00 PM

A Young Center Executive Director Spring Update

SPRING UPDATE 2024Dear Friend,  In the spirit of giving you visibility into our work and conveying our appreciation for your support, I am sharing with you an update on the impactful strides our organization has made over the past months, thanks to your partnership and belief in our mission. As we e…

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  Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights · [email protected]

February 21, 2024 at 2:30 PM

Your voice played a role in protecting asylum .

But we still need to remain vigilant for our communities and for families and children seeking safety. Dear Young Center supporter,We write to thank you for your role in protecting asylum. For months, we've been asking you to reach out to your congressional representatives to tell them to block ant…

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  Kelly Albinak Kribs · [email protected]

February 12, 2024 at 8:31 PM

Help Separated Families Achieve Justice.

Join us in ensuring their access to free, high quality legal representation. Friend, As an advocate who worked with separated children in the spring of 2018, when family separations at the border reached a fever pitch, I am profoundly disappointed at how little our government has done to right the w…

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  Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights · [email protected]

February 6, 2024 at 7:30 PM

Border Bill a Bitter Deal for Children and Families Seeking Safety

Urge Congressional Representatives and the Biden administration to not throw asylum seeking children and families under the bus for military funding. Dear Young Center supporter,On Sunday night, Senate leaders released the text of a funding bill filled with anti-immigrant measures that would endang…

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  Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights · [email protected]

January 24, 2024 at 7:00 PM

Get all your Young Center Updates via our new text message service!

Sign up here. Dear Friend,  As we head into the thick of this election year, we want to make sure you're up to date with everything the Young Center is doing, event and advocacy-wise.  That's why we've set up a text messaging service to better stay in touch with all of our community members. Intere…

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  Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights · [email protected]

January 8, 2024 at 2:30 PM

A New Year, a New Congressional Session: We need your help to #SaveAsylum by January 9.

Urge Congressional Representatives and the Biden administration to not throw asylum seeking children and families under the bus for military funding. Dear Young Center supporter, We're only a few days into 2024 and already the White House and the Senate are negotiating a spending package that repor…

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  Young Center Board and Staff · [email protected]

December 31, 2023 at 3:02 PM

Happy New Year!

Wishing you all the best in 2024. Friend, It’s hard to believe another year has flown by. But here we are, at the end of 2023 and we are so incredibly grateful for all of the support we have received from you this year.  Together, we were able to serve over 1600 children seeking safety in the Unite…

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  Erika Andiola · [email protected]

December 27, 2023 at 2:30 PM

I will never forget my dangerous journey from Mexico to the United States.

No child should ever feel so alone. Friend, This past November was the 25th anniversary of my arrival to the U.S. It was 1998 when me, my mother, my 2-year-old brother and my 18-year-old sister embarked on a journey to this country. I was only 11 years old. We left Durango, Mexico with so many drea…

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  Gladis Molina Alt · [email protected]

December 23, 2023 at 2:34 PM

Stand with us to receive all who seek safety with open arms.

Help the Young Center fight for children to be welcomed with dignity by making a gift this holiday season. Friend, As dawn broke over El Salvador in the early months of 1985, my mother made a heart-wrenching decision: to flee her homeland without her three children in the hope she would find safety…

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  Jennifer Nagda · [email protected]

December 20, 2023 at 5:30 PM

CORRECTED EMAIL: Now is the time to act with courage for immigrant children and their families.

Your gift is essential for supporting this ongoing advocacy work.Dear Friend, In 2017, the Young Center began working with first of what would become many hundreds of immigrant children separated from their parents at our border. Our staff and volunteers met with children in shelters, witnessed thei…

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  Jennifer Nagda · [email protected]

December 20, 2023 at 5:00 PM

Now is the time to act with courage for immigrant children and their families.

Your gift is essential for supporting this ongoing advocacy work.Dear Friend, In 2017, the Young Center began working with first of what would become many hundreds of immigrant children separated from their parents at our border. Our staff and volunteers met with children in shelters, witnessed thei…

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  Alexis Bay · [email protected]

December 18, 2023 at 10:45 PM

Emergency Alert: Texas SB4 Signed into Law - Immediate Action Needed!

We must use our collective power to STOP SB4. Friend,Alexis here from the Young Center’s Policy Team with an alarming update from Texas.   Today, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed SB4, a law that dangerously targets immigrants, including children and their families. This law permits state law en…

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  Gladis Molina Alt · [email protected]

December 14, 2023 at 5:01 PM

Iqbal's story: Fleeing Uganda's Rising Anti-LGBTQI Violence

Friend, When Iqbal fled Uganda under rising violence against LGBTQ communities and new laws criminalizing people for being gay, he knew it was his only chance at survival. At just 17 years old, he had already been beaten so severely for identifying as bisexual that he was hospitalized. “Something …

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  Young Center Board and Staff · [email protected]

November 29, 2023 at 4:15 PM

Thank you for your support on Giving Tuesday!

Dear Friend, Each child's story, strengths, and needs are unique, and we meet them where we are needed. We're almost at $50,000 and donations are still coming from our amazing community! Thank you for getting us so close to our goal and helping us secure the challenge match! Each and every dollar…

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  AJ Albinak · [email protected]

November 29, 2023 at 2:35 AM

Time is running out: We’re 2 hours away from midnight and we need your help to reach our goal.

Dear Friend,Giving Tuesday is a global day of generosity and your chance to make a real difference on the lives of immigrant children who have traveled to the United States on their own, and have been separated from their families and their loved ones.  Gigi, Javier, Baby Doe, and Aryah are a handfu…

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  Gladis Molina Alt · [email protected]

November 29, 2023 at 1:00 AM

What does it mean to be “solito” (a little one alone) as an immigrant child?

Friend,What does it mean to be “solito” (a little one alone) as an immigrant child? First, many children are left in their home countries, either with one parent or with their grandparents, while the rest of their family members journey to “El Norte” (up north) in search of better opportunities or…

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  Estrellita Alvarado · [email protected]

November 28, 2023 at 11:15 PM

Every child deserves a fair shot at growing up healthy and happy, no matter where they call home.

Javier's story. Friend, Javier is like so many other boys who love playing basketball, listening to music, and watching soccer videos. Unlike other boys, Javier also has medical needs that made him uniquely vulnerable.  At the age of 17, Javier traveled to the United States, seeking better opportun…

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  AJ Albinak · [email protected]

November 28, 2023 at 8:15 PM

Every donation counts towards building a better future for children.

Here’s a look at FY 2022 by the numbers. Friend,There’s no denying that this past year was steeped in challenges.  Access to asylum was further restricted by federal decision-makers. At the state level, legislatures in places like Florida and Texas continued to wage their racist campaigns against b…

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