Geneva Unitarian Church hosts presentation on immigration from Central, South America
The public is invited to a special “Friday Features” presentation on “Recent Immigration from Central and South America” at 7 p.m. Friday, April 26, at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, 110 S. Second St. It also will be streamed online via Zoom.
Presented by Dianha Ortega-Ehreth, executive director of Centro de Informacion in Elgin, the program will explore how new migrants from Central and South America differ from other Spanish-speaking immigrants who have been coming to the Chicago area for years.
The factors prompting people from these areas to leave their home countries and the journey they endure to come to the United States also will be discussed.
Other topics include current data on the number of migrants crossing the border illegally vs. those who enter seeking asylum, the process and time frame for seeking asylum, and how Ortega-Ehreth’s organization helps migrants adapt to their new environment once they arrive in the Chicago area.
A native of Mexico, Ortega-Ehreth has been the executive director of Centro since 2022, and has served on a number of boards and in other leadership roles in the Chicago area.
“I attended one of Dianha’s presentations recently and found her description of how Centro has organized a coalition of service providers to help immigrants who come to the Fox Valley very informative,” said Llona Steele of the church’s Social Justice Team, which is hosting the event. “She helped dispel certain misinformation about migrants and gave a great overview of what’s happening right here in our own neighborhoods.”
About the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva
Founded in 1842, the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva is the oldest church in town, part of a centuries-old liberal religious tradition that values reason and free thought over dogma and creed. Led by the Rev. Scot Hull, the worship and religious education programs draw on diverse spiritual traditions, and the church participates in outreach initiatives that advance social justice causes locally and around the world. Learn more at www.uusg.org.