HIP Leads Emergency Border Delegation to El Paso and Ciudad Juarez
El Paso, TX, July 31, 2019—This week Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP), a transnational network that works to increase impactful philanthropic investment in Latino communities, led a three-day delegation visit in collaboration with the YWCA El Paso del Norte to learn from local officials, migrant-serving organizations, and migrant processing centers in El Paso, TX, Sunland Park, NM and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.
This emergency border delegation was organized as a response to the reports of deplorable treatment and worsening conditions for migrants and asylum-seekers arriving in the United States. “Promoting immigrants’ rights is in HIP’s DNA. For the past two years we have responded to this urgent call by expanding our programming which includes a transnational rapid re-granting response and by developing long-term strategies addressing the root causes of forced migration,” said Ana Marie Argilagos, HIP’s President and CEO. “We have organized this delegation with the purpose of shedding light on the humanitarian crisis taking place in our southern border and hearing from those on the frontlines about how we, as funders, advocates and philanthropists, must lead the impetus for change.”
“YWCA El Paso’s leadership in providing care, compassion, and humanitarian relief to the El Paso community as well as migrants and asylum-seekers is a direct reflection of YWCA USA’s long-standing commitment to service, social justice and impact. We are here to elevate and protect the humanity and dignity of all individuals,” said Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO, YWCA USA. “By bringing representatives from our national network to participate in this important delegation, we hope to strengthen the conversation and find solutions that will directly improve the lives of the communities we serve while maintaining our commitment to help families and stand up for social justice.”
The delegation tour gave participants the opportunity to witness the current crisis and speak with migrant-serving organization leaders, elected officials, academics, and local journalists on both sides of the border to get first-hand accounts of what is needed to not only support their work in offering basic necessities to migrants and asylum-seekers but also the important role philanthropy should play. HIP will be hosting a post-delegation briefing Friday, August 2 at 11:30AM MT to share learnings and discuss what additional resources are needed in the area. Registration is open here.
This is HIP’s third delegation to the U.S.-Mexico border. In December 2018, HIP visited San Diego & Tijuana to assess how to best support migrant-serving organizations in the area. Last summer, during the beginning of the family separation crisis, HIP took a 50-member delegation of the country’s most important philanthropic organizations to San Diego to better understand the process migrants undergo when they reach the U.S.-Mexico border. This fall, HIP is hosting a Summit in San Diego and Tijuana and will also visit Mexico’s southern border to meet with partners and grantees.
For more information, contact HIP’s senior manager for media, policy, and advocacy, Sonia Melendez Reyes, at sonia at hiponline.org or 626-274-4877.
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