The organization El Pueblo condemns the inhumane and abusive actions carried out by federal immigration agents in the Charlotte area and stands in solidarity with the families of those detained and with the immigrant community in general.  

The arrests, which were recorded on video by neighbors, activists, and the media, show unacceptable brutality and a flagrant violation of the basic rights and dignity that all people deserve, regardless of their race, origin, or immigration status. 

Our immigrant neighbors are being targeted solely because of their appearance by federal agents acting undercover, heavily armed, and without warrants, which constitutes a flagrant and unpunished abuse of power that we strongly reject.  

We urge local authorities to defend the safety and rights of all people in North Carolina, regardless of their immigration status, and we reiterate our commitment to continue advocating for our community. 

We remind our community that right now, the most important thing we have is the power of a united community and knowledge of our rights! 

RALEIGH, NC.-  Wake Resiste, a network of local community organizations, has created a mutual aid fund to support individuals and families directly affected by recent operations by federal immigration agents in Wake County.

The fund will provide limited financial support to the families of those detained in these operations to help them through this time of crisis.

To facilitate this assistance, Wake Resiste has set up the phone line 919-400-8887 available to the community.

Families impacted in Wake County can call this number and leave a voicemail with their contact information so that Wake Resiste volunteers can return their call and assist them with the application process.

A Wake Resiste committee will evaluate all the applications to ensure the funds are disbursed as quickly as possible. 

“This mutual aid fund seeks to provide some relief to the families of victims of these abusive operations by federal immigration agents in Wake County, as well as to support them during these times of crisis,” said Martha Hernández, a member of the Wake Resiste steering committee.

To continue helping those affected by the immigration operations, Wake Resiste is accepting donations for the mutual aid fund through this website emancipatenc/donate  

Those who wish to donate directly to the mutual aid fund should check the Wake Resiste box when filling up the form.

“Now is the time to show our support and solidarity with our immigrant communities; a concrete way to do so is by contributing to the Wake Resiste mutual aid fund, which supports families who are currently facing trauma and urgent economic needs as a result of the abhorrent CBP/ICE raids,” Hernández said.

About Wake Resiste

Wake Resiste is a network of community organizations working to support individuals and families affected by immigration raids in Wake County. 

Wake Resiste steering committee is comprised of the Popular Action Committee, the Southeast Immigrant Rights Network (SEIRN), the Education Justice Alliance (EJA), and El Pueblo Inc.

Wake Resiste coordinates to respond effectively to a raid through community organizing, advocacy, communications, and humanitarian aid.

The nonpartisan organization El Pueblo, which advocates for Latino immigrants in the state, issued the following public statement:

“Federal immigration agents have no place in Raleigh. There is no emergency that warrants this level of terrorizing of our North Carolina communities. Workers, families, children, students, neighbors, businesses, all and more will be negatively impacted by the presence of immigration agents in our Raleigh community.

El Pueblo condemns the inhumane and abusive actions carried out by federal immigration agents in the Charlotte area and other areas of NC. We stand in solidarity with the families of those detained and with the immigrant community in general. We condemn the brutality and blatant disregard of basic rights and dignity that all people deserve.

Over this time, El Pueblo will continue to advocate for the Latine community and work to ensure they know their rights and feel prepared for any kind of immigration related emergency.

We are working with other organizations and grassroots groups to protect our communities together. We want to remind our community that they are not alone. We call for solidarity and action in defense of those who are victims of this campaign of terror orchestrated by this administration.”

The organization is encouraging members of the community to refer to their emergency perpardness guide, Familias Seguras, for information on what to do in case of an immigration-related emergency and to know their rights. This guide can be found here

RALEIGH, NC.- The state legislature voted today to redraw congressional maps in NC.

Following the vote in the General Assembly, the nonpartisan organization El Pueblo, which advocates for Latino immigrants in the state, issued the following public statement:

“El Pueblo, which advocates for fair electoral maps, transparent democratic processes, and the equal right to vote for all people regardless of their background or race, condemns the decision by state legislative leaders to implement an atypical congressional redistricting just before the midterm elections.  

This is a blatant attempt to once again manipulate the state’s already highly gerrymandered congressional maps just to favor partisan political interests, which will distort the results of the upcoming elections and undermine the right of North Carolina voters to elect their representatives to Congress. 

Rather than addressing the urgent needs of the state’s residents, such as the passage of the state budget on which the funding for key services like health care and education depends, legislative leaders chose to go into a national partisan political war for control of the U.S. House of Representatives. 

We believe this decision is completely wrong and untimely because it undermines the transparency of the upcoming elections and the right to vote of all citizens, especially minority communities that have historically been subject to discrimination and faced barriers to equal representation.”

RALEIGH, NC.- September 15 marks the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month which runs through to October 15. As El Pueblo begins to finalize details for their annual celebration of Latin American culture, La Fiesta del Pueblo, taking place this upcoming Sunday, September 21, the organization recognizes the importance of cultural celebrations like these to the Hispanic/Latino community.

National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed in the U.S to celebrate and recognize the achievements, contributions, and impact of the Hispanic/Latino community to the country’s history, culture, and successes. This year, the Hispanic/Latino community has seen increased targeting at the state and federal level, leading to an increase in fear and uncertainty in these communities, making it even more important this year to recognize the importance of Latino immigrants.

“La Fiesta del Pueblo is a celebration of Latin American culture for everyone. It’s where immigrants from Latin American countries can relive some of the cultural traditions of the home country, where people who are 2nd, 3rd, or more generations away from their roots in Latin America, can reconnect with their heritage, and it’s for our Triangle neighbors curious to learn more about our culture!”

The festival brings something new every year. This year, the organizers are preparing three new activations for festival goers: a free cooking demonstration, Unity Walk, and a Best Dressed contest.

The cooking demonstration will be provided by Mi Costeñita, La Fiesta del Pueblo’s presenting sponsor. Chef Angela Salamanca, owner of well-known businesses Centro, Gallo Pelón, and Ex Voto, will lead hands-on cooking demonstrations for beloved family recipes for Chilaquiles Rojos, Quesadillas con Macha & Curtido, and Calentado.

La Fiesta del Pueblo will also hold a unity walk during the festival and is inviting festival goers to participate. In the same spirit of cultural pride, the festival will be hosting a “Best Dressed” contest open to the public. Participants are invited to show off their culture and pride by dressing to represent their cultural heritage in honor of Hispanic/Latin American Heritage Month. 10 participants will have the chance to compete for tickets to see Alicia Villareal and Pancho Barraza and merch from El Pueblo, North Carolina Education Lottery, and Mi Costeñita

As a festival celebrating the Latin American heritage and culture of North Carolinians, La Fiesta del Pueblo will showcase talent from local musical artists and dance performers on their stage as well as have a variety local food and artisan vendors throughout the footprint for festival goers.

The musical headliner this year is Monchy, the famous Dominican bachata artist. Leading up to this musical guest’s performance, the festival will have numerous local talents onstage such as Zona Tipica, La Nueva 22, La Tropa de Tierra Caliente, and Letal Rock Band. Dance perfomers in the lineup include Colibrí Esmeralda, Cumbión Colombiano, Flor de Hidalgo, Folklorico Club at NC State, Sangre de Campeón Group Dance, and Urban Zumba with Alex.

This year, the festival is counting on 20 food vendors across the map of the festival to provide tasty food options. From empanadas, tacos, street food, plates, sandwiches, coffee, and more, audiences can expect to have a diverse offering of food options from across Latin America cuisine such as Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Venezuela, and Cuba to name a few.

La Fiesta del Pueblo is organized by the local nonprofit, El Pueblo, who this year, celebrates 30 years of advocating for the Latin American community in Wake County and surrounding areas.

This program is funded in part by the City of Raleigh based on recommendations of the Raleigh Arts Commission. El Pueblo is supported by the United Arts Wake County.

To learn more about La Fiesta del Pueblo visit here