An Evening of Irish Theatre and Music
On December 12 and 13, the Here Comes Everybody Players and the Irish International Immigrant Center (IIIC) will present their third annual collaboration celebrating Irish culture, with proceeds benefitting IIIC's legal, wellness, and education services for immigrants from Ireland and around the world. Through drama and music, Out of Bounds will delve into Irish history, exploring the internal struggles between the constraints of society and the desire to break free of those conventions.
In addition to musical arrangements, Out of Bounds will include two theatrical pieces by Irish authors. In A Christmas Dinner, adapted from A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce, we see the effect of a toxic mix of sex, religion, and politics through the eyes of a boy at his first family holiday celebration as a young man. The Rising of the Moon, by Augusta Gregory, one of the founders of Dublin’s Abbey Theatre, portrays the conflict of divided loyalties at the time of Ireland’s struggle for independence from Britain through the tale of a two men who share an unexpected history.
The Here Comes Everybody Players is a Boston-based theater group focusing on dramatizing the work of James Joyce and other Irish authors. Over the past five years, the group has performed in several Boston-area venues including Boston College, Framingham State University and the Davis Square Theater and was recently sponsored by the Dublin’s James Joyce Centre to travel to Ireland for the 2014 Bloomsday Festival, celebrating Joyce’s work.
Out of Bounds will be held at 8:00 pm on Friday, December 12 and Saturday, December 13, 2014 at the Irish International Immigrant Center. A $25.00 donation is suggested. A Reception will follow the performances. Reservations may be made online at iiicenter.org. For details as well as reservations, please contact Johanne Meleance at 617-542-7654 ext. 13 or [email protected]Immigration Reform: A Word of Caution
Q. I watched President Obama announce immigration reforms last week. I think I might be eligible for deferred action. What should I know?
A. We were all very excited to hear about the President’s new plan for immigration reform. The program that caught most people’s attention was for deferred action for people living in the U.S. for the last 5 years. This plan is for people who were brought to the US before they were 16 and for the parents of a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident. Deferred action is a temporary status which will be valid for three years and provides employment authorization. In addition to this program, the President also announced an expansion of the provisional waiver program, a transformation of some immigration enforcement tools, and a few other new programs.
While all of this is very exciting, it is important to understand that no one can apply for the president’s new deferred action program yet. It takes the government time to put together an application process and to work out some of the ambiguities in the program. The government has announced that in this case, it will take 90 days to implement the program for immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. It will take 180 days before parents are able to apply for deferred action. The government will make another announcement, with a lot more details, when it is ready to accept applications.
There could be other hurdles along the way. For example, it is possible that Congress will try to take action to stop the program. Moreover, it is important to understand that these programs are all temporary and could be reversed at any time, especially by the next president. There is always some risk in applying for immigration benefits, and there are risks involved in applying for the new deferred action program. When applying for immigration relief, immigrants always have to weigh the benefits with the possible risks.
According to the American Immigration Lawyers Association, unauthorized practitioners of immigration law may try to take advantage of applicants by charging a fee to submit forms to USCIS on an their behalf, or by claiming to provide other special access or expedited services which do not exist. Applicants for immigration relief should speak with a licensed immigration attorney before proceeding with any application.
For more information, please come to one of the IIIC’s informational sessions, as advertised here, where the IIIC’s attorneys will be available to answer general questions about these new programs. Remember – it is very important that you speak with a licensed immigration attorney before proceeding with any application. For any immigration question you might have, you can always visit one of IIIC’s weekly legal clinics for a free, confidential consultation with an experienced immigration lawyer.
Disclaimer: These articles are published to inform generally, not to advise in individual cases. U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of State frequently amend regulations and alter processing and filing procedures. For legal advice seek the assistance of the IIIC immigration legal staff.
Matters of Substance: You Don’t Have to Hit to Hurt!
October was Domestic Violence Awareness month and we thought it would be helpful to share some key facts and dispel some of the myths that surround this topic, also known as intimate partner violence (IPV). Sometimes IPV does not involve actually hitting but can include various levels of controlling or emotionally abusive or neglectful behavior. Are you with someone who…
• is jealous, possessive or distrustful toward you,
• tries to control you by giving orders, making all of the decisions,
• puts you down, is critical of whatever you do, and undermines what you say?
• threatens you; uses or owns weapons?
• pressures you for sex, is forceful or scary with regard to sex?
• attempts to manipulate or suggests guilt by saying “If you really loved me you would…”
• has hit, pushed, choked, restrained, kicked, or physically abused you?
Often, drug and alcohol users fear people will not believe them if they say they are being abuses emotionally or physically. Recovery is very difficult if you are in constant fear of being emotionally abused. You don't have to hit to hurt someone that you love.
JANE DOE INC. offers wonderful programs for people living with physical and emotional violence and reminds us that abuse can happen to anyone.
• If you are a lesbian/gay/transgendered person, you may be afraid of having people know about your sexual orientation.
• If you are physically or mentally challenged or elderly, you may depend on your abuser to care for you. You may not have other people to help you.
• If you are a male victim of abuse, you may be ashamed and scared that no one will believe you
• If you are from another country, you may be afraid of being deported.
If you recognize any of the symptoms described above, please know you are not alone and there is help, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call Jane Doe at 1-877-521-2601. If you have questions, please call Danielle at the IIIC, in complete confidence and without judgment: 617-542-7654 ext. 14.
IIIC’s Danielle Owen Receives Award from Maria Droste in Quincy
On November 20 longtime Director of Wellness at the Irish International Immigrant Center (IIIC), Danielle Owen, received the Sister Lorraine Bernier Award from the Maria Droste Counseling Services agency located in Quincy, Massachusetts.
In making the presentation, Executive Director of Droste, Michael Shanahan, said, "Danielle's dedication to her work mirrors the zeal and passion of Sister Lorraine."
The award to Danielle is given in memory of Lorraine Bernier, a sister of the Good Shepard for 45 years and Director of Maria Droste Services who passed away suddenly last year. Danielle, who has been partnering with Maria Droste Services since 2008 is extremely graceful to be so honored and we at the IIIC are very proud of her.
Quote of the Week
“There is no sincerer love than the love of food.” - George Bernard Shaw
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