A very worked-up crowd descended at the Shirley Huffman Auditorium in Hillsboro, Oregon, this past Tuesday Night. They came fired up to talk, to speak their minds, and to ask for action and change in the wake of dozens of #ICE arrests and detentions in Hillsboro. After a 1-hour-long worksession covering the legal reasons that Hillsboro, and cities like it all over the US, cannot do anything to stop the arrests, people were fired up. One after the other, dozens of Hillsboro residents stepped to the microphone and laid out their feelings and demands on a bewildered City Council, Mayor, and Staff. Hillsboro, in recent days, has become the epicenter of the Oregon Ice raids. People are fed up, and they lit up the room with emotion.
As the City Council meeting entered its third hour of testimony, the air was thick with emotion —like a cold fog that only darkness and an ice-cold evening can bring. The last set of speakers included several younger residents of Hispanic/Latino heritage who got their turn. One of them was a Hillsboro soccer Coach named Juan Pedro Moreno Almeida. Coach Juan offered this to the Council.
“Today, I have 7 of my soccer players with me who attend Hillsboro High School, and I’d ask, I’d like to ask them to stand up right now if they can. We recently had one of our teammates lose their father and two of their uncles, and another teammate lost their older brother as well. They were taken by ICE. I want to continue to say is that, you know, as these, this, this children of immigrants, right, we always have this thought in the back of our head that someday we’re gonna have to be the financial pillar for our home. And, you know, for all the city council members and Mayor Pace as well, right, I want you to look at these kids and think about all the sacrifices that they would have to go through to become that financial pillar for their household, right? They would have to, maybe, stop going to school. They would have to give up on soccer for sure. They would have to find jobs to become that pillar for their household. Um, you know, we need to protect our community members and especially our youth, you know? It takes generations to overcome this trauma, you know? Um, and I think our, as, as our representatives, I really would like to see more action. Um, and part of the reason why I’m here today is because of an investment in leadership development, right. Please continue to invest in leadership development. If it wasn’t for leadership development programs, I wouldn’t have the confidence to be here today or to organize with my soccer kids. So, super important to, uh, invest in that,. Please help…”
After he spoke, a very somber young man approached. His name is Ignacio- He spoke clearly and with a strong, low tone. His name is Ignacio.
On October 26th, my father and my 2 uncles were taken by ICE on their way to work. When my f– dad was taken away, it felt like the whole world– my whole world changed. He left not because he wanted to, but because the system decided he didn’t belong here. I’m sharing this today not to ask for sympathy, but to ask for a change. Families shouldn’t have to, should not have to live in fear of being separated. I am normally not a big fan of public speaking, but for my dad, I would do anything, because I know that he would do the same.
One amazing young man and a great coach both left an impression. Here is Ignacio as we presented on our Instagram feed..
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Then something happened that no one could predict. A third young man, 16-year-old Emmanuel “Manny” Chavez from Hillsboro High School, took his turn. I can say he spoke- he did all of that. But really, he emoted. He sent shockwaves of nervous energy, fear, and emotion through us – it was like being hit with a truth bomb and a cosmic blast that cleaved all of us to our souls. He began to cry as he pleaded for help and protection for his parents, who he fears may disappear. Parents who have been here for decades. He asked for the City Council and for everyone—the “Decision Makers” —to have his back and the backs of his soccer teammates, classmates, family, and friends. And the anguished stares and tears that surrounded him at the end were not enough to assure Manny or any of us that such a thing can happen in such a world we live in. City Councilor Olivia Alcaire, a champion for people of Hispanic/Latino heritage, came to his side as he cried and stood by him, serving as a witness and sentry. The scene was just too much.
I captured that moment and put it into a digestible and engaging format. That was 36 hours ago. And now Manny and his words have gone truly Viral. Hillsboro, Oregon, our struggles as a city made up of 25% Hispanic/Latino people (25,000 est) with aggressive #ICE arrests (30-100 in the last 10 days), and what is going on here has now been seen by almost 3,000,000 people. From all over the world, I’m hearing from people at our Instagram page. This is perhaps one of the most emotional 90 seconds you will ever see on camera.
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In the past 36 hours, I have watched in utter amazement as his words gained 10s of thousands of viewers. And comments were coming in by the hundreds- so many that we had to throttle them down to only those in the immediate area. They have been 90% love and support, and 10% utter hate – not bad, really, and hopefully a sign of things to come in our country.
Then came the media players. Messages were coming in from Miami, New York, Boston (NBC), the Washington Post, and beyond. Telemundo National-Miami called and talked to him after Manny and I connected through family. Celebrities also leaned in, commented, and reposted. And the interactions graph shows a bell curve at 2.7 million, which is not close to peaking. Before this is done, Manny’s words will have reached tens of millions that we know of- and people from Australia, Scotland, Sweden, and beyond sent their love and support.
Hillsboro is now on the international scene because he spoke, and those words were sent into the human consciousness wherever people are still free and caring.
Other media that picked up the story include:
MSN NEWS: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/teen-s-emotional-testimony-goes-viral-sharing-fears-he-won-t-be-able-to-say-goodbye-if-ice-snatches-parents/ar-AA1PXEgr
PEOPLE Magazine: https://people.com/oregon-teen-speaks-out-about-never-seeing-parents-if-in-ice-immigration-custody-11845416#comments
https://www.aol.com/articles/teens-emotional-testimony-goes-viral-001654013.html
Making Sure Manny Is Ok
It was not lost on me that a 16-year-old kid with this sort of attention needed to be checked on. Early this AM, through our networks and friends, I was able to get his Mother on the phone. We had a nice chat about the best protocols for handling this viral moment safely and proper communication methods for those looking to get in touch with Manny. She gave me two thumbs and was bursting with pride for her youngest’s bravery. I exchanged texts with Manny. By Noon, the Principal at his school checked on him to discuss an interview from Telemundo. Later in the day, Manny and I met to discuss what he wanted to see come out of this Viral moment. He clarified that he was only trying to support Ignacio and his players and coaches who were in attendance at the meeting:
“I have been trying to help my teammate after his dad was wrongfully detained by immigration. Some of the team and I went door to door trying to get whatever donations we could (to help). I came to the meeting to support Ignacio. He asked us for help, and I stepped up to the challenge. When the opportunity came for us to make a change, I saw my chance and took it.” Manny on speaking before the City Council
Like every story, this one has many sides and nuances, and I now know them all. It isn’t the right time to tell everything, but someday I promise I will.
For Manny and his teammates and friends, this moment called for the boldness to try to gain some support for Ignacio’s family, and families like theirs all over Hillsboro. So tonight, after the first 2 million viewers have come and gone from Instagram, Manny launched a GoFundMe with the support of his family, and a promise from me that I would help get the word out.
GoFundMe Link Is Here- https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-hillsboro-families-in-immigration-crisis
Hello everyone, this is Manny. I appreciate everybody who supported the video of me in the auditorium here in Hillsboro, Oregon. I created this GoFundMe page in collaboration with my family and other community members as a way to raise funds. Everything is happening super quickly. I want to give you all a chance to help if you can. Any money we raise will go to help people in our community who are being wrongfully affected by this immigration crisis we are in. Hillsboro, Oregon is the most diverse in the State of Oregon. With some help we have outlined the terms of our campaign and how all will be used. this money is not for me its goes out to all the money goes out to the people suffering.Thank you, all of you guys, for the support!!!Manny Issai Chavez
I’m from Indiana, but have lived in Thailand for the last 25 years. Traveling across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Human rights work. What is happening in my home is inconceivable. I just shake my head and ask, ‘Is anyone home? Please turn the lights on!’ Please give my love and blessings to Manny and his classmates. And thank you for your work! Blessings to you!!!