Day 6  of the USAME brought the group of Presbyterian Women to Oakland.  The first stop was the Alameda Country Family Justice Center.  The concept of having multiple services for victims of domestic violence under one roof began 15 years ago in San Diego.  The Oakland area quickly developed a center using funds made available by President Bush.  The center houses the police, district attorney as well as counseling and safe spaces for women, teens and children.  They provide safe inviting spaces encourage reading and skills that encourage women to transform from a survivor to a thriver.  One of the program's teaches computer coding to women leading to a good job with pay of $20-$40 an hour.  Bay Area Women Against Rape, BAWAR, is also housed in this complex.  It is a  24 hour rape crisis hotline.  We were urged to locate a family justice center in our area.

In the afternoon we visited Primeria Iglesias Presbyteriana Hispana which began in 1999 with 20 members. Now they have 150 members.  They have ESL classes three evenings a week of 2 hours each.  Oakland Consolidated school district cut their adult ESL classes due to budget restraints.  The church has been trying to fill the gap.  They have 50 people on their waiting list.  Immigrants into the area had been around 15,000 but have tripled to 60,000.

We heard from Reverend Deborah Lee the senior director of Immigration with Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity.  She works with faith communities to advocate for the fair treatment and dignity of immigrants.  She explained that Refugees have been accepted through official channels and are given $250. A month and a monthly bus pass.  However the process takes years to complete.  Illegal border crossers are refugees who risk everything to come to our country.  The US government spends $18 million a year on immigration enforcement.  The U.S. Is also giving Mexico $80 million annually to deport Central Americans before they reach our border.  She told us that Central Americans are driven to immigrate because their land is being given away to Canada, USA and China for mining, hydroelectric, bananas and palm oil.  The profits enrich a few and take away from the many.