BOISE, Idaho — The topic of immigration is a big one, and there have been lots of conversations around anti-immigration laws and border security concerns. Despite the controversy of immigration, one Idaho organization is trying to make a difference.
The ACLU of Idaho is hosting a five-week workshop aimed at cultivating Latino leaders to address those community issues.
The name of the workshop is SOMOS: Supporting Emerging Leaders and will provide bilingual training to better equip the Latino community with tools and skills needed to advocate effectively for immigrant rights.
The themes for the five workshops will include things like roots of racism, power and oppression, and storytelling as activism.
The objective of SOMOS is to help people create effective messaging about awareness and acceptance of immigrant community members.
Rosseli Guerrero, a community organizer fellow for ACLU Idaho, said through this program the participants will develop leadership abilities and will help amplify the voices of marginalized communities to foster positive change and progress in the gem state.
"We just had the legislative session and there was a lot of narratives about being criminals, drug dealing,” Guerrero said. “Really hurtful narratives and misleading narratives that really impact our community and how people often view our community. So, we're really trying to change that."
The workshops will start in July and will take place in a few locations, one in Twin Falls and the other in Canyon County in both Nampa and Caldwell.
For the people that attend the workshops, the ACLU will provide some services like food, interpreters, a travel stipend upon request and childcare to make sure parents can participate without a worry.
For people that complete the five-week program will receive $320. If you are Latino and would like to participate, you have until June 21 to sign up. You can visit their website acluidaho.org for more information.
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