On November 29-December 1, members of the Highlander staff participated in the second annual conference of the Southeast Immigrant Rights Network, which is made up of statewide immigrant-rights groups in the region.

The goals of the Network include building the capacity of immigrant groups throughout the southeast, facilitating cooperation and communication among these groups, and developing regional strategies to advance just immigration reform.

The conference was attended by 80 representatives from immigrant groups across the region, including the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, the Kentucky Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, the Mississippi Immigrant’s Rights Alliance, the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama, and the Florida Immigrant Coalition.

At the conference, participants attended a variety of skills-building workshops and issue strategy sessions. In order to coordinate their ongoing work together, they also formed working groups on Alliance Building, Civic Engagement, Immigration Reform, State Anti-immigrant Initiatives, and Local Law Enforcement and Immigration.

Highlander staff member Monica Hernandez and intern Isaias Guerrrero facilitated a session on leadership development. Monica also joined the Network steering committee and the working group on Alliance Building.