Maricela Gutiérrez | Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund "Voices from the Field"

With anti-immigrant sentiment on the rise following the 2016 elections, Bay Area immigrants began to look for safe havens where they could find solidarity and support. Many ended up contacting SIREN (Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network), a longtime local provider of legal services, advocacy and more.

“Our communities feel under attack. They feel a target on their back,” said SIREN Executive Director Maricela Gutiérrez. As a result, she said SIREN has been working to expand its services and support for immigrant communities. “We need to do more to protect them. This moment calls for us to step up as immigrant rights advocates.”

In this video, Gutiérrez reflects on her family’s journey to the United States from Mexico, and on the role of groups like SIREN in advancing the cause of immigrant rights at a challenging time.