Queremos Justicia – How We Shut Down Berks
Curated by Jasmine Rivera
Opening Reception: Friday, May 5, 2023 | 6-9pm | Free-To-Attend
Friday, May 5, 2023 – Sunday, June 11, 2023
Presented in Gallery Two at Vox Populi
About the Exhibition
For eight years the Shut Down Berks Coalition fought to close the Pennsylvania immigrant prison for families, then later adult women. On January 31st, 2023, the coalition of immigrant leaders, organizers, grassroots groups, interfaith leaders, lawyers, and activists, WON.
In “Queremos Justicia: How We Shut Down Berks’, learn about how the coalition won this victory through the art made for the campaign and how it played an invaluable role in education, mobilization, and community building. Learn about the artists who supported the campaign with their talent and most importantly, view the art and messages of those most directly impacted, the families held at the Berks County Detention Center themselves.
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Durante ocho años, la Coalición de Shut Down Berks luchó para cerrar la prisión de inmigrantes de Pensilvania para familias, y luego para mujeres adultas. El 31 de enero de 2023, la coalición de líderes inmigrantes, organizadores, grupos de base, líderes interreligiosos, abogados y activistas, GANÓ.
En “Queremos Justicia: Cómo Cerramos A Berks”, aprenda cómo la coalición ganó esta victoria a través del arte hecho para la campaña y cómo desempeñó un papel invaluable en la educación, la movilización y la construcción de la comunidad. Conozca a los artistas que apoyaron la campaña con su talento y, lo que es más importante, vea el arte y los mensajes de los más directamente afectados, las familias detenidas en el centro de detención del condado de Berks.
About the Curator
Jasmine Rivera has been community organizing and campaign coordinating in the Philadelphia area for nearly 15 years, working on campaigns such as the passage of the Philadelphia Paid Sick Leave bill & ending police/ICE collaboration in both Philadelphia and Norristown, a policy commonly referred to as “sanctuary city”. Most recently she celebrated the closure of the Berks County Detention Center, an immigrant prison that incarcerated families then adult women, as one of the co-founders and coordinators of the Shut Down Berks Coalition. She is currently the Civic Engagement Director at Pennsylvania Voice, where she has coordinated the nation’s largest Census Get Out the Count field program and multiple statewide coordinated voter registration, voter education and electoral turnout programs in every election cycle since 2016. She is a two time Leeway Foundation Art & Change Grantee, Board President of Free Migration project and mother of a beautiful child and three adorable cats.
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Jasmine Rivera ha sido organizadora comunitaria y coordinadora de campañas en el área de Filadelfia durante casi 15 años, trabajando en campañas como la aprobación del ley de días pagados de enfermedad en Filadelfia y el fin de la colaboración entre la policía y el ICE tanto en Filadelfia como en Norristown, una políza comúnmente conocida como “ciudad santuario”. Más recientemente, celebró el cierre del Centro de Detención del Condado de Berks, una prisión para inmigrantes que encarcelaba a familias y luego a mujeres adultas, como una de las cofundadoras y coordinadoras de la Coalición Shut Down Berks. Actualmente es directora de participación cívica en Pennsylvania Voice, donde ha coordinado el programa de campo sobre el Census más grande del país y múltiples programas coordinados de registro de votantes, educación de votantes y participación electoral en todo el estado en cada ciclo electoral desde 2016. Ella es dos veces Beneficiaria de Arte y Cambio de la Fundación Leeway, presidenta de la junta del proyecto Free Migration Project y madre de una hermosa niña y tres gatos adorables.
Featured Artists
Annie M. Avilez-Gonzalez | @unixorn_707_
Candy Gonzalez | @Candy_Alexandra1
Chela Ixcopal | @Chelitasdesign
Ezra Keno Feliciano | @ninetails_ezra
Jasmine Rivera | @jazzygurl55
Jeanne D’Angelo | @everlastingfaint
Joe Piette
Jose Mazariegos | @jmaz79
Julia Katz Terry | @juliakterry
Kati Discoll | @cloverhunter
Lexi Eveleth
Manuella Guillion | @LazyBeamArte
Meg Lemieur | @megstampede
Michelle Angela Ortiz | @michelleangelaortiz
Sarah Kodish-Eskind | @kesarahke
Rommy Torrico | @rommyyy123
Tim Gibbon
TK Dinh
ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT
Please note that Vox Populi is located on the third floor of a historic warehouse building at 319 N. 11th Street and that there are five steps leading from the street-level to the first-floor landing where the passenger elevator picks-up/drops-off. The entry into/out of the elevator is 29-inches wide, so may not accommodate all wheelchairs or motorized chairs. Any individual requiring a ramp to navigate this entryway is encouraged to get in touch with Vox Populi ahead of time to coordinate ramp-access and discuss accessibility details. Our ramps may not be suitable for all wheelchairs or motorized chairs, so we strongly encourage anyone requiring a ramp to be in touch at: events@voxpopuligallery.org or 215.238.1236