Preview: Keep Families Together Demonstration
National organization MoveOn has declared June 30 to be the nation-wide day for protests against the separation of children and their parents at the border. Hundreds of cities in the U.S. are participating in this demonstration, titled "Keep Families Together."
Texas has over 30 cities rallying together, and Denton is among them.
Saja Davis, the main coordinator of the Denton event, signed up to host the rally through the MoveOn website due to her desire to help what she has seen on the news recently.
“I thought what they were doing was inhumane and against the idea of what America is: a melting pot,” Davis said. “I signed up to be a host of an event because I didn't see one for Denton and I was worried no one else would make one.”
Once Davis signed up to host the march in Denton, many locals stepped in to help the cause.
Cristina Garrido is one of the coordinators who took this opportunity to help Davis. She stated that their mission is to achieve “non-partisan, constitutionally-based, humane immigration reform.”
“Our call to action is for President Trump, Congress, and our representatives to work towards ending family separation, ending family detention, and ending zero-tolerance immigration policies and practices,” Garrido said.
Davis stressed that the main message the rally is supposed to bring is that it is more than a political issue.
“This issue isn't a bipartisan, Republicans versus Democrat, issue,” Davis said. “This is an American issue. What has happened is inhumane. And to the immigrants, that we are with you, and you are welcome here. We want you to know that you can be a part of America as well.”
The rally will begin Saturday at 10 a.m. on the Elm street side of the Square. The march will take place around the courthouse and ends at 12 p.m.
Davis said there will be voter registration booths at the event that participators are encouraged to use.
The event is family-friendly and Garrido encourages participators to bring plenty of water and signs with them (graphics can be found at FamiliesBelongTogether.org).
Header design by Tori Falcon.