PLENARY SESSION – (9:00 – 10:30 am)

“The State of North Carolina & Immigration: 287(g)/ Raids and Deportations”
During this plenary, Foro attendees will be informed on legislation that has passed which affects Latinos in North Carolina, particularly undocumented immigrants. Attendees will also learn of the status of the 287(g) program, especially as it relates to specific counties throughout the state as well as learn more about Raids and Deportations that have occurred in NC. An opportunity to break out in small groups will be offered so that participants are able to strategize and offer recommendations on how the community can respond to these issues in their counties and how communities can work in collaboration with local and statewide Latino advocacy organizations. This plenary will be facilitated by the Latino Coalition, NC Justice Center and El Pueblo, Inc.

WORKGROUPS – Morning (11:00 – 12:30 pm)

I. Know your Rights Training
Participants will learn their rights at home, in the workplace, while driving and in the community. The goal of this workgroup is to dismantle myths of the audience and to provide the audience with the knowledge needed in case of a raid or encounter with law enforcement. The desired outcome of this workgroup is to prepare community members and leaders in a proactive manner because by the time a raid occurs or when a person is stopped while driving it is too late. A commitment form will be signed by attendees indicating that they will take the knowledge acquired and use it to inform their local communities. This workgroup will be facilitated by COLA, the Center for Participatory Change and El Pueblo, Inc.

II. Education – Access to Higher Education
This work session will have a panel of representatives whose work focuses on increasing access to education among the Latino population in North Carolina. The panelists will first briefly present about their work with education. Then the work session will break out into a participatory discussion about the existing barriers to education in the Latino community and participants will be able to brainstorm about ways to break down the barriers and improve access to education in their local communities and throughout the entire state of North Carolina.

III. Domestic Violence – another form of oppression against women
Domestic violence, as part of discrimination and oppression against women is common among all communities. Communities of color and immigrant women, though, face additional barriers when trying to access services. Participants will reflect on how several factors perpetuate oppression against women and how communities can work together to identify and eradicate these forms of oppression.

Afternoon – (1:30 – 3:00 pm)

I. Welcoming Initiative Implementation Training
This workgroup is based on the Welcoming Tennessee Initiative, launched by the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) in 2005 to counter anti-immigrant sentiment circulating the state. This is accomplished by educating the public on the positive contribution immigrants and refugees make in their communities and by developing effective, positive and proactive messages distributed by way of billboards, op-eds, presentations, etc. Participants will learn how to implement a Welcoming Initiative at the state and local level, using the model of a “ground” and “air” campaign. Participants will also learn how to be proactive about messaging in their local communities. This workgroup will be facilitated by TIRRC.

II. Leadership and Base Building for Social Change
Participants will identify and discuss the characteristics that they associate with “good” or “bad” leaders; talk about different models of leadership, the values behind them and what is the relationship to social justice; assess how their personal leadership and organizational processes help or hinder the development of leadership of their constituencies/base; and reflect and identify concrete steps on how to strengthen leadership development.

III. Reproductive Oppression and Reproductive Justice in Our Communities
This workgroup will introduce SisterSong, a Reproductive Justice organization based in Atlanta, GA, the Reproductive Justice framework and will discuss the theory and history behind this model. Through activities, participants will analyse how their own identities interact with institutions to create systemic reproductive oppression and how they can work toward reproductive justice for themselves and their families and communities. Ipas will share information about a NC (Triangle-based) Reproductive Justice Coalition and participants will identify strategies to strengthen the existing coalition and how to develop and support similar coalitions in other areas of NC.