When the nation debates about immigrants and immigration, the children in our neighborhood feel it.
They have grown up through a series of political pendulum swings, with the introduction of DACA, widespread ICE raids, attempts to cancel DACA, family separations, false promises of reform, and several border crises.
When things swing in our favor, we see youth finding direction, getting legal residence, working good jobs. When they swing against us, families are torn apart. Stress, depression, and anxiety rise. When anti-immigrant rhetoric rises, we hear reports of bullying by teachers, employers, police, and strangers in the street.
Presencia is non-partisan. We work with a diverse group of supporters through different political seasons to protect, nurture, and empower the children of immigrants. That said, politics have a profound and immediate effect on our community. They shape how we work, the questions our students ask, what our options are, and how healthy the kids under our care are.
During this year's election, our staff is casting our votes, and we're asking that the wider Presencia community consider the lives of children under our care. As you're doing the complex math of how to vote, we ask you to consider the vulnerable children who walk through our door and sit at our table, and use your voice to protect, preserve, and empower this community.