Today, over 100 high profile artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers, comedians, directors, producers, and performers are joining the growing movement for immigration reform, and calling on President Obama and Congress to pass legislation with a pathway to citizenship.
Members of the creative community who are speaking out for humane reform include Russell Banks, W. Kamau Bell, Ross Bleckner, Margaret Cho, Teju Cole, Chuck D, Rosario Dawson, Zack De La Rocha, Junot Díaz, Abigail E. Disney, Dave Eggers, Shepard Fairey, Eric Fischl, John Leguizamo, Yo-Yo Ma, Mira Nair, Robert Redford, R.E.M., The Roots, Sarah Silverman, Jose Antonio Vargas, Colson Whitehead, and many others. (Click here for a full list of signers).
Published on www.MigrationIsBeautiful.com, the Artists’ Statement on Immigration Reform says:
Creating a just and humane immigration process is a moral and cultural imperative that secures the future of a vibrant nation. Immigration reform should reflect our shared belief in fairness and inclusion.
Jeff Chang, Executive Director of Stanford University’s Institute for Diversity in the Arts and founding member of The Culture Group and CultureStrike, made it clear how much immigrants have to contribute to our nation:
Audrey Hepburn, Igor Stravinsky, Claude McKay, Gertrude Stein, Bruce Lee, and Celia Cruz are among the innumerable immigrants who have helped to shape our vibrant nation. We are all stronger when we celebrate our diversity and welcome those who are seeking the American dream of inclusion and opportunity.
Added Shepard Fairey:
Almost any American can trace their family roots to immigrants. Often our ancestors migrated to escape prejudices in their homeland and to find a better life. Current immigration laws do not reflect our shared values, nor do they reflect the realities of our modern world. They all too often separate parents from their children and criminalize those seeking a better way of life.
As Congress marks up the immigration bill this week, these artists want to remind lawmakers of the positive cultural and economic impacts of immigration, and to call on elected officials to pass legislation that:
• Ends the detentions and deportations that cause separation and suffering for families;
• Preserves families by expediting the visa process and retaining long standing policies that reunite and stabilize families;
• Ensures all immigrants have basic workers’ rights;
• Provides equal immigration rights to LGBTQ individuals and families; and
• Creates a clear roadmap to citizenship that includes all 11 million undocumented immigrants.
The artists are joining a broad movement in support of immigration reform that includes conservative elected officials, faith leaders, civil rights groups, business and labor interests, tech companies, law enforcement officials, state and local leaders, and many more.
For more information, visit MigrationIsBeautiful.com and follow #migrationisbeautiful on twitter.
