WIN Annual Reports April 2019 Midyear Report | Page 14

13 WAS H I N G T O N I N T E RF AI T H N E T WO RK $2.5 MILLION VICTORY TO FUND IMMIGRANT LEGAL SERVICES WINNING COMMITMENTS On April 26, 2018, WIN held a 300+ person action with Ward 1 councilmember candidates. WIN leaders called for $2.5 million to expand legal funding for immigrants, to build affordable housing on a piece of public land owned by the National Parks Service, and to take on a slum landlord in the neighborhood. After winning commitments from the Ward 1 Councilmember, WIN kept organizing to ensure that commitment became a reality. DEEPENING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PUBLIC OFFICIALS DC Attorney General Karl Racine met with 120 WIN leaders on December 2, 2018, to listen to community members share their stories on immigration and hardships in the court system. He committed to protecting families against separation, to fighting against the threat to TPS, and to working with WIN as we organize for immigrants' rights in DC. TURNING COMMITMENTS INTO VICTORIES At budget forums throughout February 2019, WIN organized with immigrants, allies, and legal service providers to turn out nearly 200 people to support the funding. In her State of the District address, Mayor Bowser announced, "At budget forums last month, I was moved by the residents who came out consistently and asked us to do more for our neighbors. So in this budget, we will increase funding for the [immigrants' legal services] program from $900,000 to $2.5 million."