Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia to Host “Sanctuary Now, Sanctuary When?”

Join us for "Sanctuary Now, Sanctuary When?", hosted by the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, on April 23.

Join us for “Sanctuary Now, Sanctuary When?”, hosted by the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, on April 23.

Learn how the idea of “sanctuary” became part of immigration justice lexicon in the United States and what we can all learn from the experiences of refugees and activists, past and present.

Featuring talks by Blanca Pacheco, Co-Director of the New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia and Domenic Vitiello, Associate Professor, City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania.

Throughout American history, people have come to the Philadelphia region seeking opportunity, while others have been fleeing persecution, and still others have been forced here in chains. When have these migrants been granted the right to feel safe, and when have they been denied safety? How do we come to grips with our country’s contradictory history of celebrating the diversity these many migrations produced, while denying rights to many?

This spring, join friends and neighbors for “Sanctuaries: Past Into Present,” a series of free public seminars offered by The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. Learn from local experts about Philadelphia’s immigration and migration history, hear from activists working in the region now, and grapple with how our complicated histories shape today’s social and political landscape.