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GRIP Will Host Its 2020 Immigration Summit in March

By Greater Reading Immigration Project

Mar 12, 2020

Editor’s Note: This event has been postponed, further information will be updated here as available.

The Greater Reading Immigration Project will hold its 2020 Immigration Summit on Monday, March 23, 2020 starting at 8:00 AM and ending at 1 PM. The Summit will be held at Alvernia University, 400 Bernardine Street in Reading.

The Summit is an opportunity for educators, legal and medical professionals and interested members of the Berks County community to learn about issues people face in their daily lives here in Berks County.

The keynote speaker for the event is Gisele Fetterman, Pennsylvania’s Second Lady. Ms. Fetterman came to the United States with her mother and brother in 1990 from Brazil and lived as an undocumented immigrant for ten years. She became a legal resident in 2000, and then a citizen. Ms. Fetterman will talk about her experiences growing up as an “invisible” who has found her voice and uses it now to advocate for the undocumented.

In addition to Ms. Fetterman, State Senator Judy Schwank will provide updates on state legislation. The summit will also address changes to laws and policies that affect immigrants; obstacles to higher education for students who do not have DACA status or whose parents are undocumented, and how migrants, refugee and asylum seekers can become citizens. Two panels are scheduled to address these topics:

Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Panelists: Judith Berstein-Baker, Esq. Visited Migrant children at the border

Sarah Patschke, Executive Director of Bethany Children’s Home.

Educational Challenges for Undocumented Students

Panelists: Noe Ortega, Deputy Secretary Pennsylvania Department of Education, Postsecondary and Higher Education,

Brenna Heintz Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions, Director of Access, Swarthmore College  Yeny Romero, Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition (PICC).
According to their website,  https://www.readinggrip.org/  the Greater Reading Immigration Project (GRIP) is ” a coalition of community volunteers working to raise awareness about immigration issues in Berks County through education, communication, and advocacy. Our primary focus is to educate the community on the issues facing local youth and their families as they seek to continue their education, research possible paths to citizenship and safely become productive, contributing members of the community.”
The cost to attend the 2020 Summit is $30 for adults and includes lunch. Students are free but must pre-register. To register, visit the  GRIP 2020 Immigration Summit page on Eventbrite. The deadline for registration is Friday, March 13th.

Cont   [email protected]/610-301-9986

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