Please support Adhikaar this holiday season

Dear Friends,

It is with great excitement and joy that I write to you. For the past 5 years, Adhikaar has been on the frontlines of human rights struggles in New York City. During this holiday time, I am requesting you to join me in supporting this remarkable organization that has brought justice and dignity to thousands of low-wage workers and to invest with me, as Adhikaar plans for the year ahead.

Founded in 2005, Adhikaar is the only organization ensuring that the voices of Nepali-speaking communities are heard in New York and beyond. Nepalis, Tibetans and Bhutanese are among the newest immigrant groups to New York and one of the communities most desperately in need. We work with individuals one-on-one to provide translation, access to health care and legal services, Know Your Rights trainings, English classes, and computer assistance. We also work with progressive organizers and activists across the nation to share best practices and bring about better policies for low-wage workers. We believe the nation is stronger with active participation of our community, and we give access so that our members can be part of democratic change.

Through my work at Adhikaar, I have come across many powerful stories, like that of Maya didi. Maya (name changed) is Nepali woman who lost her husband shortly after marriage. She took a job as a domestic worker in India to support herself and her young son. In 1987, Maya was brought to the US by her employer. For over 20 years, she washed clothes, cleaned floors and did everything her employer asked. She was abused and sometimes refused pay. She had no choice. Separated from her son, she struggled so that he might have a better life. Two years ago, Maya came across Adhikaar. This community has made a world of difference – Maya knows her rights, is learning English, and built her confidence. Maya takes English classes, gets case management support, and has a community of supportive sisters and brothers. She also went to Albany to share her stories with lawmakers and advocate for the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. She lovingly calls Adhikaar her maiti (mother’s home) where she can share struggles and celebrate victories.

2010 has been historic year for Adhikaar. This year we celebrate many milestones, including:

• passage of New York Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, the first bill of its kind in the nation, which … This is a long time coming and Adhikaar was proud to be at the center of this struggle, speaking at press conferences and vigils and marches from New York City to Albany.
• the report launch of the first community needs assessment of the Nepali community in New York City. The launch of this report helps deepen our strategy and programs to best serve those most in need.
• the campaign to get Nepalis counted in the 2010 US Census. The Census numbers will get the Nepalis recognized as a growing community, and increase access to resources we need to strengthen our community.

I know you care about immigrant rights and giving everyone an equal chance. This holiday season, I am requesting your generous investment into ensuring that new immigrants like Maya have a chance to bring dignity and equity to their work.

Please join me in supporting Adhikaar with a tax-deductible gift. Please fill out the attached form and mail it to Adhikaar or you can donate online. For recent updates about Adhikaar’s work, please visit our website at www.adhikaar.org and join our online community at www.facebook.com/adhikaar. I am also happy to share more information. Please feel free to email me at luna(at)adhikaar.org or call me at 718-937-1117.

Warm wishes to you and your loved ones,
Luna Ranjit
Executive Director
Adhikaar

P.S. You can also support Adhikaar while you shop for gifts this holiday season by using GoodShop.com and choosing Adhikaar as your cause. A percentage of your shopping will go to Adhikaar, without any extra cost to you.

No to inSecure Communities

NO MORE DEPORTATIONS. POLICE SHOULD NOT BE IMMIGRATION AGENTS.

Governor Paterson, Stop ICE’s “Secure Communities” in New York Now!

RALLY in Manhattan. Thursday December 9, 2010, 11 am. Gov. Paterson’s NYC Office, 633 3rd Ave (btwn 40th and 41st St.)

For more information: Lili Salmeron, NMCIR, 212-781-0355 or co@nmcir.org

In May 2010, NY State signed a Memorandum of Agreement with ICE approving "Secure Communities," in which local police send fingerprints of all arrestees to Department of Homeland Security databases. This costly program will push thousands more immigrants into the unjust detention and deportation system, while making us all less safe and violating our rights. ICE has repeatedly misrepresented and lied about the program to the state and nation. Join us in demanding that Governor Paterson terminate the Secure Communities agreement and that the federal courts require ICE to share all documents on “opting out” of the program.* New York State should not cooperate with ICE in tearing apart immigrant families.

*After the rally, a federal judge presiding over NDLON v. ICE will consider an emergency injunction ordering ICE to make documents public regarding whether jurisdictions can refuse to participate in Secure Communities. Please come to the hearing to show your support for this injunction at 2:00 at US District Court at 500 Pearl Street, Courtroom 15C, NY, NY.

Report Launch: First Nepali Demographic & Needs Assessment in New York City

Adhikaar is launching the first report on the Nepali-speaking community in New York City on December 8th. You are invited to attend this event:

Snapshots of the Nepali-Speaking Community in New York City:
Demographics and Challenges

Why has the Nepalis speaking community increased so dramatically in the past few years? Why do Nepalis come to New York? How do they earn a living here? What challenges do they face in New York? Adikaar’s new report addresses these questions and more!

The Nepali-speaking community has become increasingly visible in New York City, particularly in the last decade. Adhikaar undertook a community-based, participatory research project to document the demographic composition and the needs of the diverse Nepali-speaking community. This report is the culmination of our three-year long effort, including 300 surveys, twelve in-depth interviews, and four focus group discussions with diverse groups of Nepali-speaking community in New York City. The information obtained through this project improves our understanding of the experiences and challenges confronting the Nepali-speaking immigrants. As the first comprehensive report about the Nepali-speaking community, this report helps set the baseline for future research projects. We hope that the data in this report will mobilize our community, Nepali organizations, journalists, and other organizations serving immigrant populations to advocate for more resources and for social justice.

Date: December 8, 2010
Time: 4pm – 6pm
Location: Eugene Lang College, New School University
65 W 11th Street
New York, NY 10011

Speakers include: (List in formation…)
Councilmember Danny Dromm, Chair, Immigration Committee, New York City Council
Howard Shih, Census Program Director, Asian American Federation
Dr. Susan Hangen, Professor, Ramapo College and Board Co-Chair, Adhikaar
Luna Ranjit, Executive Director, Adhikaar

Please RSVP by Monday, December 6, to Nima Sherpa at
nima@adhikaar.org or 718-937-1117.

Invitation to Photo Exhibit

join us at the
APA HEALIN’
healthy eating + active living in our neighborhoods
photography exhibit
opening reception

photovoice is a process that uses photography as a strategy for social change. during the summer and fall of 2010, community members were asked to explore how access to food, recreational spaces, and health care looks like in their community. it was a way of documenting the community experiences, initiating dialogue on problems, resources, and solutions, and a tool for sharing their stories.

opening reception will include an unveiling of the photography, light refreshments, brief discussion about photovoice, and an opportunity for the community members to share their experiences.
opening reception
december 6, 2010
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
[space on white]
81 white street (btw broadway & lafayette)
new york, ny 10013

subway: 1; ACE; NQRW; JMNZ; 6 to the canal street stop and walk to 81 white st.

to rsvp or for more info: call noilyn abesamis-mendoza at 212.809.4675 x.106 or email namendoza@cacf.org

apa healin' is a collaborative addressing access to healthy foods and safe places to play, exercise, and gather for the asian american community in new york city. this initiative is funded by the asian pacific american partners for empowerment, advocacy & leadership.

this photovoice project was made possible by the participation of the following organizations: adhikaar, asian americans for equality, indochina sino-american community community center, kalusugan coalition, and the coalition for asian american children and families.

Call to Organize

14 Sep 2010
National Domestic Workers Alliance
A CALL TO ORGANIZE
On the Occasion of the Historic Signing of the NY Domestic Workers Bill of Rights
________________________________________________
Our movement has made history. On August 31, 2010 Governor David A. Paterson signed the New York Domestic Workers Bill of Rights into law. As domestic workers organizations it is time to both take a step back to appreciate this moment, and to make a giant leap forward. First, we must understand what we won:

We won recognition. For the first time in any state, domestic workers will be included in all of the major labor laws protecting other workers. NY State has recognized that this is a workforce that deserves protections like any other. This includes: overtime pay at time and a half your regular rate of pay, a minimum of one day of rest per week, protection from discrimination and harassment and inclusion of part-time workers in disability laws.

We challenged and expanded how minimum standards are legislated. We have broken through and established a mandatory minimum of at least three paid days leave per year. No other worker receives paid leave by law in New York State. In fact, New York is an employment at will state, which means “no work, no pay,” unless you have a contract that states otherwise. Because domestic workers pushed legislators to understand the specific challenges to negotiation in the domestic setting, the legislature set a new precedent and included days off in the establishment of minimum standards for domestic workers.

We are paving the way for a new labor movement. We are forcing a debate about the existing structures for collective bargaining. Included in the bill is a mandate to the Department of Labor to study the feasibility and specific challenges to collective bargaining for domestic workers under the current state and federal labor relations laws. This is the first study of its kind, and domestic workers are helping shape the investigation through a partnership with the Department of Labor, in addition to producing our own independent study.

We -- working-class immigrant women of color -- are inspiring other workers and communities everywhere to continue organizing. Throughout the country and around the world, other low-wage workers, women and oppressed communities have been encouraged by this win to fight. We received over 170 media hits with the bill’s passage, including front page of the NY Times national section. With this victory, we have demonstrated that even in times of economic crisis and anti-immigrant sentiment, we can achieve major victories that change the course of history for working-people through organizing.

This is just the beginning. Our California affiliates have pushed a resolution through the California legislature in support of recognition and labor standards for domestic workers. This paves the way for the passage of the California Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. Many of you are now talking about bills in your states. In addition to that, we are moving reforms at the Department of Labor. And, internationally, we are moving a strong “Decent Work for Domestic Workers” convention at the International Labor Organization to internationally recognize the workforce and our contributions. Next year, we will be putting forward our vision for federal legislation that creates jobs, a career ladder and a path to citizenship for domestic workers.

So we must celebrate how far we have come. It was not easy. Angelica Hernandez, a member of Domestic Workers United, traveled to Albany twenty-six times during the course of the campaign; each trip to Albany is a 12-14 hour day. In addition to Domestic Workers United, members of all of the New York Domestic Workers Justice Coalition groups – Adhikaar for Human Rights, Unity Housecleaners, Damayan Migrant Workers Association, Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees, Andolan Organizing South Asian Workers – rallied, marched, attended meetings and mobilized during the six year-long effort. The commitment and leadership of domestic workers inspired thousands to join the campaign.

And, now is the moment we must collectively take a big leap forward. We must make the most of this moment in history to organize and build real power among workers. As an alliance, we are still young. Many of our organizations are just beginning to build a membership base. There has never been a better time to build than now. With the press coverage, the story of the victory, and the track record of other organizations, we must now inspire tens of thousands of unorganized domestic workers to join our movement. We must do the difficult task of speaking to them, engaging them, bringing them to the next event or meeting, following up, and matching them with a role that will excite and involve them in building our organizations. Opportunities like this moment don’t come often – we must seize the moment.

When Governor Paterson signed the bill into law, he was surrounded by nearly 200 domestic workers and supporters; we filled two rooms in the Harlem community center where the signing took place. In his speech that morning, he said, “I am grateful to the sponsors for their extraordinary efforts to enact this landmark bill, and most of all to those domestic workers who dreamed, planned, organized and then fought for many years, until they were able to see an injustice undone.” Even the Governor knows that change happened in New York because domestic workers and the movement they built around this campaign organized to make it happen. Let us go out there and continue to grow and build this movement. In our work lies the key to deep social transformation. We can help lead the way for the working people of this country to collectively reach our human potential and realize our hopes and dreams for a better future for everyone.