Taking the message to the streets

Conversations matter! My recent Hiring Line tour started in Chicago with a debate style panel. It included Theo Wilson and Dr. Pete Lorins. We discussed immigration and the Black community on June 20th, 2024 on Theo Wilson’s ShopTalkLive program format. June 20th was also World Refugee Day. I purposely planned to have this discussion on this day to bring attention to the immigration debate. Many times you have politicians, influencers, and media pundits suggesting that every migrant is a refugee seeking asylum. This is just flat out wrong. 

Theo Wilson  and Dr. Lorins style of discussion tackles hard issues in a respectful manner. Dr. Lorin stated, ”I am coming at this from the angle of educating the immigrants coming in to assimilate to society with a clear image of the whole society”. Theo Wilson expressed concerns he is hearing from Black Americans about immigration. Theo said, “Because of immigration I’m hearing Foxnewisms I usually don’t hear Black people say”. “Taking our jobs”…However if it is true what can we do?” “How can we avoid the culture war?” I brought these two gentlemen together because I wanted Americans to hear  the facts from both sides without the mudslinging and yelling that many of you will recall as all too common in a Jerry Springer Show. If our Congress or our presidential candidates will not have honest conversations about immigration, it’s all the more important that voters keep demanding they do better! 

The Hiring Line tour immediately continued on June 27th, 2024! I hopped on a plane to the beautiful campus of Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, just off the banks of beautiful Lake Michigan, to attend the Braver Angels National Convention.

The  goal of Braver Angels  is to depolarize politics and turn down the vitriol, using a parliamentary style debate structure. They purposely bring Republicans, Democrats, and independents together to discuss potentially divisive topics with the goal to arrive at a consensus on policy proposals that each side can agree on. I would encourage you to check them out to learn more here. During the conference we were having conversations with attendees, and NumbersUSA VP of Alliances and Activism, Jim Robb, was a panelist for “Can We Really Do Nothing About Immigration”, a discussion about whether it is possible to fix immigration policy in America. We even had a watch party during the presidential debate while discussing it with other convention attendees in real time! 

After three days of wonderful weather and healthy debate in Wisconsin, I landed in Virginia on June 30th, 2024 to begin the HBCU Philanthropy Symposium. Joining a bit late due to my previous and packed full itinerary, I nonetheless arrived on Monday, July 1st, in Maryland  to continue the important work of networking with administrators, politicians, and professors from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. My goal was to introduce myself and NumbersUSA, and to build relationships with those who may align with NumbersUSA on immigration. In between sessions, I took press calls and answered media questions about the 1924 Immigration Act. 

Press Calls Below:

The Schilling Show (1:06:20-end)

WFEA Morning with Jeff Chichester

It doesn’t stop! We keep going. We fight the good fight any way that we can. And we are so grateful to our NumbersUSA Community members who are in this fight with us too! Whether you are also out there as I am face to face with your representatives or electoral hopefuls, or simply taking the opportunity to talk about this tough issue with a neighbor or friend, it makes a difference! 

I was naturally tired after these whirlwind back-to-back events. But I am never weary. You simply can’t grow weary in doing good. Do what you can! Help educate others. And NumbersUSA is here to support you in that. Find ways to keep constructive conversations about immigration going and I will keep pushing back against mass immigration policy that fails to serve our most vulnerable citizens and the national interest everywhere and anywhere it happens across the country. Let’s encourage one another and keep pushing toward sensible immigration policy together!