from Jane Everham
The Share the Plate for July was RMIAN: Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network. During the month of July, we donated $3,000 to RMIAN. As you will see below, RMIAN’s mission and values are very aligned with our own UU values.
“RMIAN is incredibly grateful for the recent $3,000 donation from the Foothills Unitarian Church community. Your donation will support RMIAN’s work to provide free immigration legal services to individuals in civil immigration detention, as well as free immigration legal services to children throughout the state. Simply put, without RMIAN’s work, thousands of individuals in Colorado would be forced to confront a hostile and complex immigration system without having had the opportunity to talk to an attorney about their rights, and without an attorney to represent them and protect their best interests. Thank you for standing up for justice for all!”
Mekela Goehring – Executive Director
The Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN) provides free immigration legal services to immigrant children and to adults in immigration detention.
Our Mission
RMIAN is a nonprofit organization that serves low-income adults and children in immigration proceedings. RMIAN promotes knowledge of legal rights, provides effective representation to ensure due process, works to improve detention conditions, and promotes a more humane immigration system, including alternatives to detention.
Our Values
We believe that justice for immigrants means justice for all. We respect the needs and celebrate the contributions of the individuals and communities that we serve. We believe our clients are equal partners in accessing justice. We value respect for all human beings, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or legal status. How many of our 7 UU Principles do you see here?
RMIAN is grateful for our support and donation. The money will assist any of the following services offered.
- Detention Program
- Children’s Program
- Volunteer Lawyer Training
- Advocacy & Education
- Human Trafficking Project
- Social Service Project
- DACA Project
Donating money is one huge way to help RMIAN and there are others. If when worship ends you are looking for a way for your service to continue, read on.
RMIAN’s continued success relies on the commitment and generosity of its dedicated volunteers. RMIAN welcomes volunteers of all backgrounds and interests, including pro bono attorneys, interns, interpreters, researchers, medical professionals, expert witnesses, and others.
RMIAN’s primary volunteer needs consist of:
- Pro Bono Attorneys
- Mental Health & Medical Professionals
- Student Interns
- Volunteer Interpreters/ Translators
More detailed information is available at their website: https://www.rmian.org/
Katie believes the best things in life are the result of collaboration and diverse perspectives coming together to produce something greater than any individual could. She is passionate about systems, efficiency and collaboration for better community outcomes. She loves dreaming up the big picture and drafting the roadmap to make it happen. She has a background in operations, fundraising, communications and program development, as well as over a decade of nonprofit management experience in Northern Colorado.
Her greatest joy in life comes from her family. Her husband, Steven, a principal at Wellington Middle School, and daughters Emmaline and Esmae are the lights of her life. Together they love mountains, music and all kinds of food. She is passionate about women supporting other women in all stages of life and especially through the critical moments that make or break us. She believes that one of the most important things in life is to be kind.
Being outdoors makes her soul come alive. It always roots her in gratitude and is one of the reasons she loves living in Fort Collins.