Advisory: #RightToARoof Campaign Launch Today

PANA and Justice Overcoming Boundaries to Hold Rally Launching #RightToARoof Campaign in San Diego Today

Grassroots groups protesting San Diego’s housing crisis and its effect on refugee and immigrant communities on Human Rights Day 2016

WHAT: Today the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA), Justice Overcoming Boundaries (JOB, pronounced jōb), Councilmember-elect Georgette Gomez and other partners and organizations are holding a Human Rights Day 2016 rally in the Mt. Hope neighborhood to call for more serious conversation and urgent action around housing standards and affordability for immigrants and refugees in San Diego.

The rally, which is expected to draw hundreds - as it did last year - will be symbolically held at the future site of a housing development project that will offer affordable options for San Diegans.

Refugees and immigrants in San Diego are at the forefront of the regional housing crisis, often forced to live in substandard conditions, fighting slumlords and living as ‘hidden homeless,’ crowding homes to ensure families and friends have a place to stay. The #RightToARoof campaign will focus on improving housing for all, especially our most vulnerable.

WHEN: Today December 10 from 10:00 a.m. - noon (PST)
WHERE: 464 47th Street, San Diego, CA 92102 - View Map
WHO: Set to speak at the rally are:

• San Diego District 9 Councilmember-elect Georgette Gomez

• Ken Herman of Justice Overcoming Boundaries

• Ramla Sahid and Ismahan Abdullahi of the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans

• Mariam Ali, community member impacted by lack of housing

• Cesar Loya, community member impacted by lack of housing

Other #RightToARoof community partner organizations in attendance will include:

• Karen Organization of San Diego

• Muslim American Society - San Diego Chapter

• The Global ARC

• Somali Bantu Community of San Diego

• The AjA Project

• Southern Sudanese Community Center San Diego

• Humankind San Diego

• United Women of East Africa Support Team

VISUALS: Hundreds of diverse community members from all walks of life, ethnic, religious and economic backgrounds all rallying for a #RightToARoof in San Diego, supporting refugees and immigrant rights to fair housing.

Here are examples of some coverage from last year’s Human Rights Day Rally on December 10, 2015:

• CBS 8 San Diego: Hundreds Rally to Support Refugees and Immigrants

• KPBS: On Human Rights Day, San Diegans Rally for Refugee Rights

• NBC 7 San Diego: San Diego Demonstrators Speak Against Refugee Discrimination, Islamophobia

• San Diego Union Tribune: San Diegans Support Refugees on Human Rights Day

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The Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) promotes the fair treatment and equitable inclusion of refugee communities using organizing to achieve collective impact and policy change.  Founded in 2014, has been a powerful voice for refugees in San Diego, including leading efforts to create a powerful refugee voter participation block, educating and advocating against recent anti-refugee legislation in congress, and supporting the City of Encinitas in joining  the White House Building Welcoming Communities Campaign. Learn more at PANASD.org

Justice Overcoming Boundaries (J.O.B.) supports and develops grassroots community leadership by empowering lower income and other marginalized, often immigrant and people of color in San Diego, with the tools, skills, and resources to shape the public policies that directly impact them, their families, and communities. JOB works with community institutions and faith based organizations, engaging and building leaders across race, class and geographic barriers in our region. Learn more at JusticeSanDiego.org