Across the world, the right-wing movement is growing. Seventy percent of the world is now controlled by right-wing governments that won elections by manipulating people’s fears that immigrants will compete for scarce resources and destroy the host country’s dominant way of life. At the same time, these governments are rapidly and systematically expanding the fossil fuel industry and undoing established environmental protections.

The climate emergency is already displacing 25-30 million people annually. However, people who have been displaced by climate change have no place to go if they need to leave their countries. The United Nations has declared that climate migrants are not refugees. This leaves climate migrants with no pathways for legal international protection when they attempt to cross borders. Individual countries are free to develop their own immigration policies for climate migrants fleeing climate disasters.

Join us at this workshop to take a deeper look at the connection between the climate crisis and current immigration policies in the U.S. The current immigration crisis in the U.S. not only affects undocumented immigrants, international students and green card holders, it affects all of us – as friends, neighbors, co-workers, consumers, fellow humans, and as children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren of immigrants. We are all impacted. Immigrants are not “them”, they are “us”.

We will:
*  Examine current U.S immigration and climate policies
*  Share how those policies impact our lives and our hearts
*  Learn listening tools to help us stay connected and stay powerful
* Explore ways to change policies towards a more life-sustaining world that recognizes our interdependence and values, and respects everyone

Come share our stories, heal together, and regain our human connection with each other and the earth. (Learn how to strategize and empower ourselves as we advocate for a more life-sustaining world for everyone. Develop effective strategies together and empower ourselves as we advocate for a more life-sustaining world for everyone.)

followed by Healing Circle (optional)
11:30am – 12:30pm

Healing circles based on shared experiences give people a chance to be listened to about feelings connected to climate change. Having the chance to share feelings of grief, fear, anger, discouragement, and hope in a mutually supportive group can refresh us and give us new ideas for action.