Contact: Sam Singleton-Freeman
414.469.9206
sfreeman@vdlf.org

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Next Monday, representatives of Voces de la Frontera will attend the World People’s Conference: For a World Without Walls, Towards Universal Citizenship in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Organized by the Bolivian government, the conference will bring together thousands of representatives from social movements and progressive governments from across the world. Attendees include the current Presidents of Bolivia and El Salvador and former Presidents of Colombia, Paraguay, Spain. Attendees aim to reinvision the global immigrant and refugee rights struggle, develop a joint declaration and discuss international strategies to combat the rise of xenophobic right wing nationalism at a time when the refugee crisis has never been greater.

“On behalf of the members of Voces de la Frontera, we are honored to participate in this historic gathering,” said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera.”This invitation is an affirmation to our members of the importance of their sacrifice, courage, and perseverence in organizing three general strikes involving tens of thousands of workers within the last two years. Our members have tenaciously resisted state anti-immigrant legislation and the 287g program, both of which would turn local law enforcement into an arm of Trump’s mass deportation program.

“As the Trump Administration escalates threats of war, withdraws from the Paris climate agreement, tries to ban refugees and Muslims, and works to implement a mass deportation program, our movement is strengthening international ties. We look forward to learning from other immigrant and refugee rights movements around the world and developing joint strategies to defeat the attacks on immigrants and refugees and efforts to institutionalize the super-exploitation of people through the criminalization of workers, unfair trade agreements, and guest worker visa programs. Through our presence at this conference, Voces will escalate our fight for a world where human beings can cross borders with dignity, where all have access to the basic needs of life free from poverty and discrimination, and where all families thrive.”

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About Voces de la Frontera: Voces de la Frontera is a national leader in the movement for immigrant and worker rights and and the largest grassroots Latinx membership organization in Wisconsin. Led by low-wage immigrant workers and students, Voces has organized some of the largest marches in the country, and works to protect and expand civil rights and workers’ rights through leadership development, community organizing and empowerment. Voces de la Frontera has chapters in Milwaukee, Racine, Madison, Green Bay/Fox Cities, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Waukesha, and Walworth County. Voces’ student arm is called Youth Empowered in the Struggle. Learn more at www.vdlf.org.

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