Dear Riverside Community,
It is difficult to find words for the atrocity of this week's ICE shooting in the Bronx. An immigration operation that ends with seven shots fired at a vehicle carrying a five-year-old child should anger every New Yorker. What happened in the Bronx is not an isolated event. It is the predictable consequence of a policy environment that has steadily expanded ICE's authority, armed its operations more heavily, and loosened its restraints. We cannot allow this violence against our communities to become normalized.
At Riverside, we feel the weight of this moment in every classroom. The people we work with are navigating real fear while continuing to pursue the futures they came here to build. We must continue to speak out against these injustices and demand accountability. And at the same time, the growing threats facing immigrant communities make it more critical than ever to lift up their voices, recognize their contributions, and create pathways to opportunity and economic mobility. This month's newsletter reflects these challenges while highlighting the trusted community leadership, strong partnerships, and tremendous skills and determination of immigrant New Yorkers.
I hope you will join us on October 28 for our State of the Field discussion, where we will share what we are hearing from our community and partners and consider how we can respond together.
Thank you for standing with immigrant New Yorkers, and for standing with Riverside.
In solidarity,
Berta Colón