Sunday, June 9, 2024
On Immigration: First Friends of New Jersey and New York
Katy Sastre
Please join us for a presentation on the current work of First Friends of New Jersey and New York, an organization dedicated to upholding the inherent dignity and humanity of immigrants who are impacted by the immigration enforcement system. First Friends provide compassion and hope through connections with volunteers dedicated to helping them survive detention, gain freedom, and rebuild their lives. With dramatic increases in detention numbers over the past year and recent news that Geo Group, another private prison company, will be allowed to open up a new immigration detention center in the state, the needs in the region are on track to continue to increase over the coming year. In response, First Friends is redoubling its focus on supporting detained immigrants in 2024. You will learn about volunteer and advocacy opportunities with the organization, including virtual and in-person visitation, becoming a pen-pal, helping to answer the organization’s hotline, among others.
Bio: Katy (she/her) is the Executive Director of First Friends of New Jersey and New York, an organization dedicated to upholding the inherent dignity and humanity of immigrants who are impacted by the immigration enforcement system, particularly those who are held in immigration detention. Prior to joining the staff, she was on the First Friends’ board and co-chair of the advocacy committee. In addition to her work with First Friends, she is also on the steering committee of the Latino Action Network. Katy has over a decade of experience working in non-profits, specifically in the service of immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers. She has worked at the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights, the International Rescue Committee, and the International Center for Transitional Justice. Katy is a graduate of Cornell University (BA, Sociology & Government) and SOAS, University of London (MA, Gender Studies).
Tune in remotely by visiting our Facebook page for Livestream of this service.
