Hillsboro Finds A Viral Hero Named Manny In Wake Of City Meeting. This may change the narrative on ICE arrests. [View all]

https://hillsboroherald.com/hillsboro-finds-a-viral-hero-named-manny-in-wake-of-city-meeting/

Over 2.5 Million Viewers And National News Have Decended On Unlikely 16 Year Old

A very worked-up crowd descended at the Shirley Huffman Auditorium in Hillsboro, Oregon, this past Tuesday Night. They came fired up to talk, to speak their minds, and to ask for action and change in the wake of dozens of #ICE arrests and detentions in Hillsboro. After a 1-hour-long worksession covering the legal reasons that Hillsboro, and cities like it all over the US, cannot do anything to stop the arrests, people were fired up. One after the other, dozens of Hillsboro residents stepped to the microphone and laid out their feelings and demands on a bewildered City Council, Mayor, and Staff. Hillsboro, in recent days, has become the epicenter of the Oregon Ice raids. People are fed up, and they lit up the room with emotion.

As the City Council meeting entered its third hour of testimony, the air was thick with emotion —like a cold fog that only darkness and an ice-cold evening can bring. The last set of speakers included several younger residents of Hispanic/Latino heritage who got their turn. One of them was a Hillsboro soccer Coach named Juan Pedro Moreno Almeida. Coach Juan offered this to the Council.

“Today, I have 7 of my soccer players with me who attend Hillsboro High School, and I’d ask, I’d like to ask them to stand up right now if they can. We recently had one of our teammates lose their father and two of their uncles, and another teammate lost their older brother as well. They were taken by ICE. I want to continue to say is that, you know, as these, this, this children of immigrants, right, we always have this thought in the back of our head that someday we’re gonna have to be the financial pillar for our home. And, you know, for all the city council members and Mayor Pace as well, right, I want you to look at these kids and think about all the sacrifices that they would have to go through to become that financial pillar for their household, right? They would have to, maybe, stop going to school. They would have to give up on soccer for sure. They would have to find jobs to become that pillar for their household. Um, you know, we need to protect our community members and especially our youth, you know? It takes generations to overcome this trauma, you know? Um, and I think our, as, as our representatives, I really would like to see more action. Um, and part of the reason why I’m here today is because of an investment in leadership development, right. Please continue to invest in leadership development. If it wasn’t for leadership development programs, I wouldn’t have the confidence to be here today or to organize with my soccer kids. So, super important to, uh, invest in that,. Please help…”

snip

Then something happened that no one could predict. A third young man, 16-year-old Emmanuel “Manny” Chavez from Hillsboro High School, took his turn. I can say he spoke- he did all of that. But really, he emoted. He sent shockwaves of nervous energy, fear, and emotion through us – it was like being hit with a truth bomb and a cosmic blast that cleaved all of us to our souls. He began to cry as he pleaded for help and protection for his parents, who he fears may disappear. Parents who have been here for decades. He asked for the City Council and for everyone—the “Decision Makers” —to have his back and the backs of his soccer teammates, classmates, family, and friends. And the anguished stares and tears that surrounded him at the end were not enough to assure Manny or any of us that such a thing can happen in such a world we live in. City Councilor Olivia Alcaire, a champion for people of Hispanic/Latino heritage, came to his side as he cried and stood by him, serving as a witness and sentry. The scene was just too much.

I captured that moment and put it into a digestible and engaging format. That was 36 hours ago. And now Manny and his words have gone truly Viral. Hillsboro, Oregon, our struggles as a city made up of 25% Hispanic/Latino people (25,000 est) with aggressive #ICE arrests (30-100 in the last 10 days), and what is going on here has now been seen by almost 3,000,000 people. From all over the world, I’m hearing from people at our Instagram page. This is perhaps one of the most emotional 90 seconds you will ever see on camera.

Go to link for Manny's testimony. And if anyone knows how to post it, please do. I couldn't figure out how to do it. IF you scroll down the video is posted in the article but I'd like to have a direct link that I could put in the OP.

Edited to add: You can also access Manny's video here:
https://terrymoran.substack.com/p/america-the-ugly?
Article by Terry Moran: America the Ugly
The world sees us differently now

Upinarms found a you tube link: