Immigrant Women Sharing Their Migration Stories in Solidarity

FRESNO, Calif.  – A local organization is commemorating International Women’s Day by encouraging immigrant women to share their stories.

Pan-Valley Institute is the organization behind “Immigrant Women Voices of Solidarity,” an event aimed at challenging the narrative of fear from the Trump administration and showing solidarity.

One of the women who will be speaking at the forum is Jameela Khan. As a mother of three and a volunteer at Masjid in Fresno, Khan remembers how she realized she came from Kenya.

“It was very early. I would say before I was a teenager. I realized—OK, we are not from this country, but this is where we call home,” Khan said.

At the Pan-Valley Institute office, we also found people with different stories of how they came to the United States.

Minerva Mendoza is the program associate and helps coordinate the fellowship program at the institute. Mendoza remembers when she came to the United States when she was just 10 years old.

“Eventually, my father come into the United States to work by seasons. But then it just became harder to be separated,” Mendoza said.

Pan Valley Institute Executive Director Myrna Martinez says people sharing their experiences about how they came to the United States is one way they hope to challenge fear.

 “Even if the mayor of Fresno hasn’t declared Fresno as a sanctuary city, we want the community of Fresno to offer this support to immigrants,” Martinez said.

The forum is planned for Wednesday, March 8 at 3 p.m. at Fresno City Hall. The forum will be followed by a rally at Fresno City Hall Plaza.