Community forum on immigration reform set

A community forum on immigration is set for 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 2 with guest speaker Rachel Heuman. The forum will be at Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren, 783 W. Highland Ave., Elgin.

Heuman is a retired English teacher, who became involved with the immigrant population back in the 1970s through her work with the United Farm Workers' Grape and Lettuce Boycott as immigrant workers strove to secure the right to unionize to protect themselves in their workplace.

More recently, she became active in response to proposals in some Illinois cities to introduce repressive anti-immigrant legislation. She worked with many others in her city, Evanston, to pass a city resolution in favor of immigration reform. She has continued to work on behalf of just and humane immigration reform via her local Immigrant Advocacy Project as well as through organizations such as the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

Heuman's appearance is sponsored by Fox Valley Citizens for Peace and Justice. It is free and open to the public and light refreshments will be served.

For information, call Mary Shesgreen at (847) 742-6602. A backup date will be arranged in case of bad weather driving conditions.