Show Notes
Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition is a statewide, membership-based coalition founded in 2002. It encompasses all types of organizations from immigrant to business and faith to labor, basically any organization that wants to ally itself with their mission. Their goal is to improve the lives of immigrants and refugees by making Colorado a more welcoming, immigrant-friendly state. Thank you CIRC! They actively achieve this mission through non-partisan civic engagement, public education, as well as working as advocates for fair and humane immigration policies. Josh is personally engaged in ending ICE notifications, informing immigrants of their rights, increasing access to legal and community resources, and empowering movement leaders. He is a gentle, wise, old soul, in the body of a young man. But don't let that fool you...his passion for his job and for helping the immigrant community is non-stop as you are about to learn during our conversation.
I'm always intrigued how people come to do the work they end up devoting their lives to. Josh's story is so compelling. I love how random, chance relationships and encounters in his young adult life gradually built his understanding and awareness of immigration and the hardships it entails. I appreciate how he chose to channel that newfound awareness into dedicating his life to the cause of empowering and advocating for immigrants.
If you would like to take a deeper dive into learning more about some of the CO state laws that CIRC has helped pass and repeal, please check out their website at
ColoradoImmigrant.org. I love it when people come together to help each other. CIRC is a beautiful example of what can happen when people of like minds join together to promote the dignity of all human beings. That of course reminds me of something Nelson Mandela once said, "Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future." When we work towards a common cause, we help ease one another's burdens, show love across the divide, and accomplish more than we can alone. Thank you CIRC, may you have many more years and many more hands helping you achieve your beautiful vision
Josh's quote:
CIRC’s Vision
CIRC believes in the inherent dignity and human rights of every person, regardless of immigration status. CIRC envisions a society in which all people are treated with dignity and respect and have equal access to fair and just work, housing, health care, and education and the opportunity to live united with family members.
CIRC’s Goals
- Advocate for the rights of all immigrants and refugees and their families.
- Empower the immigrant community by supporting the formation of grassroots organizations.
- Promote leadership development within all immigrant communities.
- Increase public awareness about the social/economic contributions of immigrants.
- Educate the general community on the issues and realities of immigration.
- Strengthen collaboration among the diverse immigrant organizations and with groups that are discriminated against and marginalized in the broader community.
- Expand collaboration and coordination among immigrant organizations and allies.