Stories of Impact: JCIRA
¿Cómo podemos ayudarle a sentirse segura?
Kijan nou ka ede w santi w an sekirite?
How can we help you feel safe?
It was the question Katie Franco, Libby Palmer, and a group of volunteers from Jefferson County started asking members of Jefferson County’s immigrant community almost 20 years ago.
They are still asking the question today.
Answering the question led to the creation of Jefferson County Immigrant Rights Advocates (JCIRA) in 2017. Since its founding, JCIRA has helped immigrants from 19 countries navigate the challenges of coming to a new country. They have come from Afghanistan, Cambodia, China, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Scotland, Senegal, Thailand, Ukraine, and Venezuela.
The desire to feel “safe” is universal. At the same time, it is very personal, unique to an individual’s identity. There are the basic needs of food and shelter, work, education, and healthcare. But there is now, and always has been, the specter of individuals losing their rights, as stated in the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution, to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.
JCIRA mission is to help those in the immigrant community who are at risk, materially, psychologically, and existentially. JCIRA offers a wide range of services in support of immigrants in need, be it naturalization applications, citizenship test preparations, family immigration petitions, asylum, and referrals for clients who have experienced domestic violence or other crimes. They also offer mental health counseling, ESL classes, and transportation.
They have bilingual staff members and volunteers to help immigrants with housing, grants, legal assistance, and obtaining medical care and insurance. They host celebrations sharing the rich cultural traditions in Jefferson County and opened a multicultural center in Port Townsend, providing assistance for immigrants and asylum seekers as well as offering classes, including ESL and Spanish language classes. Working with organizations like JCF, The Fund for Women & Girls, KIAC, and more.
The image below was drawn by Hispanic member of Jefferson County who asked not to be identified due to concerns for her safety, and the safety of their family.
