Final Thoughts

Now it is the end of the semester, and we are presenting our work to the Just Neighbors community on Monday. I am so excited to show them all that we've done, and I hope they can tell how much we have gotten out of our semester with them.

Working with a real organization, as compared to the traditional make up of PR Portfolio with a fictional organization, has made all the difference. There are real reasons for us to do our best, because we can see the direct results of our work and know we really are making a difference. On the flip side, there are real consequences if we do not, so I am proud to say that we have worked really hard this semester.

Getting to meet actual clients from Just Neighbors was also a great reward for this semester. It was great to see all that JN does for its clients. I will definitely miss working with them, and this semester has only furthered my interest in doing public relations work for non-profits.

Just Neighbors on WUSA

Just Neighbors' Executive Director, Rob Rutland-Brown discusses immigration issues with Andrea Roane of WUSA.

Events Group Panel Discussion

Last week the events group with the help of the rest of the class was able to put together an excellent panel discussion. The panel was moderated by Robert Rutland-Brown, Director of Just Neighbors, to discuss issues of Immigration in the New Administration. Panelists included Elenor Pelta, Vice President of the Immigration Lawyer Association, Esteban Garces of Rapid Response Tenants and Workers United, and Profesor Daniel Kanstroom Director of International Human Rights Program at Boston University.

The panelists discussed issues of deportation, the harsh realities of living as an undocumented citizen, and how we as students can raise awareness on the issues of immigration. Each of the panelists shared their individual experiences in their work places; the courtroom, classroom , or one-on-one with families and friends of those who have been deported.

The event was a great success for both the class and Just Neighbors. We were very pleased with the turnout of audience members and the vast array of expertise that our panelist shared with us.

Coming up next for the events group is a stuffed animal drive in the beginning of March with local schools and churches. We are also working on a meet and greet later this semester.

Thoughts from an Outreach Member

Our Public Relations Portfolio class has started working with Just Neighbors and both sides are very excited. I am apart of the Outreach group and we have lots of good ideas to how we can help them this semester. Just Neighbors reaches out to ESL classes, faith-based groups, government agencies, law schools, newspaper and television reporters, non-profit organizations, public school employees and social workers and shelter staff. One major issue of immigrants is their lack of knowledge of the English language. Check out this website to see the literacy rates within immigrants http://www.migrationinformation.org/datahub/comparative.cfm Besides the help Just Neighbors’ volunteers will be providing, we thought it would be a good idea to make more English literature accessible to their clients. We will be asking schools to donate books to our organization.

I think this is an especially interesting time to be working for an organization that deals with immigration laws because our nation has a new president in office. President Obama believes we must fix the dysfunctional immigration bureaucracy and increase the number of legal immigrants to keep families together and meet the demand for jobs that employers cannot fill. To learn more about Obama and Biden’s plan go to http://www.barackobama.com/issues/immigration/

Monay's Panel

I am looking forward to the panel on Monday. I think we have a good line-up with several different perspectives represented. I think it's important to keep in mind that regardless of how much the panel event does to raise awareness of Just Neighbors itself, hopefully the conversation will inform the attendees about some important immigration issues and perhaps get people thinking in new ways. If the panel achieves this, I will consider it a success because one of Just Neighbors' goals is to raise the consciousness of the community about immigration issues and the challenges immigrants face in working within our system. In the long run, this will make our country a more welcoming place for immigrants.

Outreach

I am in the Outreach group for our class, and I am excited about it because I am familiar with the methods we need to use to contact our target demographics. Since I am in my second semester of an internship, I have been utilizing the same kinds of skills there that I am using here – whether it is making a contact list, doing e-mail research or just figuring out which communities are best suited for JN outreach, I am comfortable doing what I have to do. I also feel like our group has a good grasp on what we are doing as a whole, and we are very relaxed and good at dividing up work without any complaints. This is going to be a great learning experience for the whole class, and I look forward to what we will accomplish together.

Barack Obama stands strong on immigration policy

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It’s safe to say Barack Obama is the talk of the town, even the nation, but what will his new presidency usher in? Just Neighbors’ primary concern with the new administration is how immigration policy will be altered.

“I really think we can pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill,” said Obama repeatedly on the campaign trail. But what exactly is comprehensive immigration reform?

President Obama describes his plan in two folds.

First, the country needs to prevent more undocumented immigrants from coming across the borders. More vital to Just Neighbors and their cause is the second half of his plan. Obama is confident that decreasing the bureaucratic process associated with naturalization and helping current undocumented immigrants are both plausible goals.

Obama hopes to ‘bring people out of the shadows’, offering undocumented immigrants in good standing the opportunity to become citizens in a fair manner.

President Bush says one of his biggest regrets while in office was his inability to pass comprehensive immigration reform. If the Obama administration succeeds where Bush failed, Just Neighbors could become a driving force in Northern Virginia helping to create such reform.

Why we should be Just Neighbors...

Imagine one day you need to leave your country, not because you want to go but because you have to go. Where would you go? What would you do? Where would you live? Do you know anyone there? Are you even allowed to live there? Many people, especially from underdeveloped nations are forced to leave their countries because if they don't, they and their family might die. Many people talk about undocumented people in the United States and how they came here because they wanted to, but the reality is that they do not have a choice, they come here to work and send their money back home, they come here because they are mistreated at home, because they need food, shelter, they come because they need a life. How would you feel if you or a family member was in this situation? Where the only way to have a decent life is to leave the only place you know and face a completely different world? Many people face their fears and does this every day, not knowing where they will end up or how they will survive, but they know they have to do it for their families and for themselves.

The American tradition we see in movies from decades ago show us that the American people would greet their new neighbors and welcome them to the community by baking a pie and presenting it to them at their door…How about if this tradition of welcoming people to the neighborhood continues, no questions asked, but instead of bringing in a pie, you can bring help.

"Just Neighbors" is an organization which was created to help people in the situation described at the top, they provide help in a friendly, neighborly manner to people who are alone in this country and do know understand or they fear what they do not know. The organization helps families in a number of different ways; even by giving each child they receive a stuffed animal. With simple help such as volunteer work or donations (such as a stuffed animal), you could be not only helping the organization and its clients, but you will be helping the community and your neighbors.

In the end, we are all neighbors and we all need a little help from time to time, even if it is just borrowing some sugar…

Thank you

Class,

Thank you for all the ideas you've already brought to me. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with you all this semester and I apologize for not always responding more promptly. This has been a crazy week and I think things should calm down a bit. I look forward to keeping in touch.

Best,
Rob

A Message from Professor Puglisi

Dear Readers:

I'm very proud to introduce the Spring PR Portfolio class and their work this semester.

"Just Neighbors" is a wonderful project and I know the students will make enormous contributions in helping the organization.

As you read this blog, you will see their comments, the work they are creating, and their passion for helping the organization.

Thanks for being a part of it.

Just Neighbors Blog Begins

Welcome to Professor Puglisi's Public Relations Portfolio Class Blog!

This semester American University seniors from the School of Communication will be helping Just Neighbors, a non-profit determined to help provide immigration legal services to low-income immigrants and refugees in Northern Virginia.

The class will be assisting Executive Director Rob Rutland-Brown with communication strategies and tactics aimed at increasing Just Neighbors' awareness.

This blog will provide a bi-weekly update of our successes, failures and anything in between.