The Annual Meeting of the Community of Friends in Action was held on December 4, 2014, at the Presbyterian Church in Leonia. A potluck dinner was followed by a brief business meeting, during which the following officers were elected for 2015: Carolyn Sobering, Chair; Roni Coloma, Co-Chair; Donna Maxwell, Treasurer; and Guillermo Calan and Betty DeMarco, Co-Secretaries. A financial report was presented, and the budget for 2015 was approved.
Joselino Chocoj and the Brothers Grimac, who had provided entertainment for the Fall Fiesta, returned with a musical program, including Joselino’s excellent song “12 Million,” in which he recounts the experiences of the many immigrants who are living here without documents. “You don’t want us, but you need us,” the song reminds us. (See the post on this web site for the full text of the song.) On a lighter note they closed the evening with a lively rendition of “Feliz Navidad,” joined by many of the participants.
Sally Pillay, Director of First Friends NJ and NY, gave the group information on the President’s recent Executive Resolution on immigration, which will make a path to legal residence in the U.S. possible for as many as 4 million who are currently undocumented. Many people in our communities will be affected by the Resolution, and CoFiA is planning to hold informational seminars in the coming months.