Ujumbe Muhimu Kwa Wahamiaji Kutoka Afrika Massachusetts

Dear MM::MessageTweak,

The federal government under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) initiated a program called Secure Communities (SC) and in 2006 ICE started a pilot program of SC in Boston.

Secure Communities is a program that allows state and local police to check the fingerprints of an individual they arrest against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) immigration databases. The program, which is likely to be mandatory for all US States by 2013, is supposed to target the worst offenders and people who have committed national security crimes although current data indicates majority of those arrested have no criminal records or have minor offences.

The State is currently considering how SC will be implemented in MA and this has caused great concern among many communities, including the African community. In seeking to understand how the issue would affect our community and to voice the concerns we were receiving, members of T.A.C attended a community organizations, leaders & advocates meeting with State officials - Undersecretary of Forensic Science and Technology – John Grossman and Director of the Massachusetts Office of Refugees and Immigrants - Richard Chacon.

During the aforementioned meeting, we learned that Massachusetts is yet to enter any agreement with the Federal government regarding SC implementation and that they would review data, which they have invited community participation in, from the SC pilot program in January 2011 as they consider how to move forward on the issue.

It is in this regard we are inviting you to be part of one of the urgent action meetings on either January 15th, 16th or 29th (RSVP and see below for more info) that will seek to provide more information, lend our voice to this discussion and help us outline our position as a community on this matter. We have also invited other community advocates and state officials to this meeting so that we can have a comprehensive and informed discussion on the matter.

T.A.C came into being in order to strengthen the African voice in Massachusetts and ensure that our voice was heard on issues that mattered and affected our community - Secure Communities is definitely such an issue. Unless we are involved in having a say on how SC is, or even if it should be, implemented in MA, we will be bear the consequences of a matter that affects us but one that we did not have a say in.
Make sure our voice counts! RSVP here for one of our meetings which will be held in Boston, Worcester and Lowell.

Thank you and we look forward to you being a part of strengthening the African voice in MA.

Sincerely,
The African Council
Action Committee

Meetings Particulars
January 15th, 2:00pm - 4:30pm: Waltham Public Library, 735 Main St, Waltham MA. 02451
January 16th, 3:00pm - 5:00pm: Worcester, (Location TBA)
January 29th, 3:00pm - 5:00pm: Lowell, (Location TBA)

Gavana Mweusi wa Massachusetts Ashinda Uchaguzi!

Gavana wetu, Mh. Deval Patrick, ameshinda katika uchaguzi wa jana. Ataongoza mkoa wa Massachusetts miaka minne zaidi. Gavana Patrick ni mweusi wa kwanza kushika wadhifa huu na kuwa kachaguliwa tena inasema mengi. Yuko katika chama cha Democrats. Kwa kweli watu wengi hawakutarajia kama atashinda. Aliwaudhi sana baadhi ya wazungu hapa na siasa zake za eti kupendelea maskini na wahamiaji. Lakini ukweli Gavana Patrick amejitahidi sana kunyanyua Massachusetts katika uchumi mbaya. Haya kapata miaka minne mingine ya kuongoza Massachusetts. Wazungu kibao wametangaza kuwa wataondoka Massachusetts na kuhamia mikoa mingine. Na sisi tunasema, "GOOD-BYE!" Lakini mbona alivyoshinda kwa mara ya kwanza mwaka 2006 walisema hivyo hivyo na bado wapo! Chekeni!

Come Meet First Lady of Massachusetts - Diane Patrick

Pichani: Governor Deval Patrick and wife First Lady Diane Patrick

~SPREAD THE WORD~

African Women for Deval

are honored to host*

First Lady Diane Patrick
at a
Deval Patrick Fundraising Celebration

of African

Food. Dance. Fashion. Music.

on
Sunday, August 22nd
2:30pm - 6:00pm

at
Memorial Hall
590 Main St.
Melrose, MA 02176

Come dressed in your traditional dress as we celebrate:
"The African Woman - Who She Is and What She Can Do"
in support of Governor Patrick.

Celebration Event Ticket ~ $25
Exclusive Pre-Reception with First Lady Diane Patrick ~$125

http://www.actblue.com/page/africanwomencelebration

This will be a very memorable event and we want you to be a part of it! RSVP Required. Please RSVP to gaccampaign@gmail.com or 617-5447-GAC (422)~~~~~~~~*

The host committee is still forming and if you are interested in being a part of it please contact us (gaccampaign@gmail.com or 617 544- 7422) right away for more information

Gavana Deval Patrick Akutana na Waafrika wa Massachusetts

Leo, Gavana wa Massachusetts, Bwana Deval Patrick, aliongea na waafrika waishio Massachusetts. Mkutano huo uliitwa African Town Hall. Ilifanyika Tobin Comunity Center mjini Boston.

Waafrika walitokea kutoka nchi nyingi za Afrika, hasa waafrika kutoka Magharibi walikuwa wengi. Wakutoka Afrika Mashariki tulikuwa wengi pia, hasa waGanda. Lakini kama nilivyotabiri, hao wa Magharibi walijaribu sana kuiteka mkutano. Ila nashangaa watu wengine hawaelewi kuwa kuna tofauti kubwa sana kati ya serikali ya Mkoa (State Government), na serikali kuu ya nchi (Federal Government) ambayo inaongozwa na Rais Obama. Wengine hawakuewelewa kuwa mambo mengine yanahusu serikali ya mji wanaokaa na si mkoa.

Masuala makuu yaliongolewa, ni elimu kwa wahamiaji, bima ya afya, na umuhimu wa census hasa. Kuna waafrika walisema kuna wana majina ya kiislamu na walihofia kuwa wakijaza fomu watanyanyaswa. Wengine walisema kuwa hawana makatarasi na walihofia kukamatwa wakirudisha fomu. Wasaidizi wa Gavana pia walijaribu kuelimisha watu kuhusu umuhimu wa fomu hizo na kuwa haziendi uhamiaji. Kwenye bima ya afya alisema kuwa baada ya mwezi Agosti itakuwa rahisi zaidi kuipata. Pia alisema kuwa wanajitahidi kuruhusu wanafunzi wasio na makaratasi wanaokaa Massachusetts waweze kulipa ada ya 'In State' kama wakisoma katika State Colleges.

Gavana Patrick aliwaomba waafrika wampigie kura katika uchaguzi ujao na waombe ndugu na marafiki wampigie pia.

****************************************************************************


Wasichana wa KiGanda wakicheza ngoma ya asili kumwingiza Gavana kwenye Ukumbi. Gavana yuko nyyuma yao anasalimiana na watu.
Gavana Patrick akielezea hatua alizochukua kama Gavana ilikusaidia wahamiaji wanaokaa Massachusetts.

Gavana Patrick aliwahimiza waafrika wajaze fomu za Census. Aliwaambia watu wasijali kama wana makaratasi au hawana, maana si fomu ya uhamiaji bali fomu ya kujua kuna watu wangapi katika eneo fulani serikali iweze kuwapa huduma ya kutosha, kama shule, hospitali,polisi.

Hao waGanda walipiga ngoma wakati Gavana anaiingia ukumbini. Gavana alifurahi sana.

Huyo MKameroon, alichekesha watu pamoja na Gavana alipoomba waafrika wasinyangywe chakula chao cha asili wakitua katika uwanja wa ndege (Logan Airport) Boston. Gavana alimjibu kuwa ana imani kuwa chakula hicho ni kizuri, lakini hizo ni sheria za serikali kuu ya nchi (Federal) na yeye mwenyewe hawezi kuvunja sheria.

Viongozi wa kidini wa waafrika Massachusetts wakipiga picha na Gavana baada ya shughuli. Huyo mama Mngieria aliyeshika simu alikuwa alijaribu kuleta fujo wakati wa maswali na majibu. Dume MNigeria mwenzake kamkalisha chini!

Shughuli iliisha kwa fujo! Ilibidi walinzi wa Gavana wamzunguke na kumtoa kwenye mlango wa pembeni. Kisa, kila mtu alitaka kupiga picha naye. Jamani, Gavana alisukumwa!!!!! Ila lazima niseme sisi waTanzania ni wastaarabu sana. Sikumwona MTanzania akifanya fujo mle wala kushiri katika kundi la waliomsukuma na kumsakama ili apige picha naye. Shughuli ilianza vizuri, lakini iliisha vibaya!