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COLUMBUS – Ahead of President Trump’s inauguration and Martin Luther King Day, the Ohio Immigrant Alliance has words of encouragement and support for Ohio’s immigrants.
Said Maryam Sy, Organizing Director of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance (OHIA), “Migration stories are tales of courage and love that strengthen our communities daily. Let’s unite to protect everyone’s dignity and rights, and build a welcoming home for all, regardless of background or journey. We are all part of the same human family, and we should strive to treat each other with love, kindness, and respect.”
Maryam interviewed 255 people who were deported, most under the previous Trump administration, for OHIA’s #ReuniteUS project. Read and listen to their stories.
Added Demba Ndiath, Advocacy Director of OHIA, “As we move into this new presidency, I hope to see respect and dignity for all immigrants. Every person deserves fair treatment and due process in their immigration and asylum cases. Migration is not a crime — it is a human right. Immigrants contribute to what makes this country great, and they should be treated as such.”
In this video, Demba invites everyone to get to know the Senegalese-Mauritanian community that is making a mark in Columbus and beyond. Watch Demba talk about the economic impact of mass deportation in Ohio on NBC4 (story at 9:10; Demba’s interview at 11:00).
“We created a website for Ohio immigrants, service providers, and concerned community members, OhioIsHome.org, because Ohio is our home and we are building community together. We have resources for mental wellness; beautiful art made by immigrants; guides for accessing legal help and working with attorneys; as well as information for agencies and service providers so they can stay focused on their core missions, rather than becoming arms of the immigration police. People are not defined by their citizenship or place of birth; they are defined by their humanity,” said Lynn Tramonte, Executive Director of OHIA. “Migration is a basic part of being human, and whether you came to Ohio from Georgia or Guatemala, this is your home now and we’re glad you are here,” she added.
OhioIsHome.org is available in English, French, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese with resources in multiple other languages. Many organizations contributed to the site. Special thanks to the Refugee Immigrant and Mental Health Coalition of Ohio; Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE); Attorney Farhad Sethna; and Informed Immigrant for creating many of these resources.
The website also includes ways for individuals to report abuses of human and civil rights across Ohio, find a local or regional immigration coalition, donate to support OHIA, request a speaker, and more. Check out this guide to navigating the website and find all of its resources at OhioIsHome.org. The broader Ohio Immigrant Alliance website is ohioimmigrant.org.