In photos: Families Belong Together Rally on June 30

Benny Garcia lifts a sign to the crowd that reads 'No Excuse For Child Abuse" after giving a speech at the Families Belong Together Rally. Photo by Cindy Kunst

Over 1,000 people from Asheville and Western North Carolina participated in the “Families Belong Together” rally on downtown Asheville’s Haywood Street on June 30. Part of a larger national protest held on the same day in 700 cities, the rally was organized locally by Families Belong Together Asheville and Indivisible Asheville/WNC to speak out against family separation and a zero-tolerance immigration policy recently enacted by the United States government.

The speakers had only a bullhorn to address the large crowd gathered at the city-owned lot at 68 Haywood St. across from Pack Library. Protesters filled the area, ringed the fencing around and above the lot and spilled out into the sidewalks on both sides of the street to condemn the separation and indefinite incarceration of families at the southern U.S. border with Mexico.

Benny Garcia, a recent graduate of Macon Early College, gave an impassioned speech:

“When I see these children on the news, I can’t help but see myself in them. Not just because they’re Hispanic, like me, or because they speak Spanish like me, or because their mama and papa look like mine. But because they are people who have imagination, aspiration and hope just like me and just like all of you and even just like President Trump. At the end of the day, we belong to one species: the human race. When we strip away our skin colors, religions, our nationalities, our sexual orientations — everything that divides us — we are simply left with people. We share the same anatomy. Whether we are black or white, whether we are gay or straight, whether we are citizens or immigrants searching for a better life, our hearts beat the same way. We cry when we’re sad, we laugh when we’re happy and we fear when there’s something unknown, so please, let’s have sympathy for these children and their families. They dream just as big as you do and they deserve to make those dreams a reality. By letting these children reach their true potential, we can cultivate the next generation of scientists, doctors and innovators that could change the world. We must not leave the future locked in cages.”

The American Myth Center, a local repertory company, performed a recitation of Warsan Shire’s poem, “Home,” stanza by stanza in English and Spanish. The poem explains in graphic detail the many factors that drive someone from their home to seek refuge in another country.

Jim Barrett, executive director of Pisgah Legal Services, explained the nonprofit legal organization’s mission, Justice For All:

“Within the limits of the law, we help the most vulnerable immigrants, including children and victims of violent crimes. A large number of our clients come from mixed-status households, which means some members of the household are U.S. citizens and some are not. These families are particularly vulnerable to family separation in light of recent policies at the federal level. There is no constitutional right to legal counsel in the immigration context, even for children. So many of our neighbors rely on Pisgah Legal Services to be their advocates and enforce their rights. Keeping families together creates stronger communities. Separating families here in Western North Carolina causes trauma, insecurity and financial instability, not to mention the cost of foster care for children.”

Pastor David McNair of The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit in Mars Hill and the Rev. Sara Wilcox of the Land of the Sky United Church of Christ in Asheville spoke as allies on behalf of the Compañeros Inmigrantes de las Montañas en Acción (CIMA), an immigrant advocacy group in Western North Carolina.

McNair and Wilcox read from a joint statement drafted in partnership with CIMA. Pastor McNair opened, “Today’s rally is a great consciousness-jarring event to help sensitize us and awaken us to a reality that immigrants have known for many, many, many years. They have faced this for a long time. And for a long time, Latinx and targeted communities have been leading comprehensive strategies and movements of resistance. The work is not new, but our awakening, for many, including myself, is new. I urge you to wake up. To continue to wake up. Let’s awaken ourselves and those around us and let’s stay awake and then let us take action to eradicate ICE and to abolish the systems that have allowed such gruesome and dehumanizing institutions to exist,” he said.

Wilcox continued, “As allies, we have a responsibility to ourselves and to our communities to name, resist and hold accountable the ways we are complicit in using privilege to perpetuate oppression and instead use that privilege for the purpose of dignity and liberation for all. It is what all good human beings are called to. It is what people who serve a God of love and justice are called to. Showing up today is but one step, and in this space I want to ask you, ‘How far are you willing to go?’”

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

6 thoughts on “In photos: Families Belong Together Rally on June 30

  1. John Penley

    It is not just Trump it is NC Republicans too and while seeing a large amount of people protesting against the Republican administration policies is inspiring until people organize and get NC Republicans out of Washington absolutely nothing is gonna change.

  2. Enlightened Enigma

    Yes, Penley elections have clear results! Get ready for November 2018 !!! Can’t WAIT! MAGA!

    Deport ALL illegals today!

    Meanwhile another MURDER of a 12 year old in Lee Walker Hgts, and the segregationists want to build even MORE new ghettos for killing in AVL! SHAMEFUL these people!

  3. Enlightened Enigma

    STOP ALL IMMIGRATION for the next 50 years! We have WAY too many ILLEGALS already… DRAIN the illegal SWAMP!

  4. jan zollars

    I am really disappointed in the City of Asheville. While the entire country gathered to speak out against the abomination created by our government, our citizens couldn’t even be heard because the city refused to issue a permit for a sound system. My hat’s off to our citizens, who with their children stood in the boiling heat to show their support. Pity they could not hear the important messages delivered by the speakers.
    Shame on the City of Asheville.

Leave a Reply to John Penley ×

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.