Undocumented but Unstoppable: The Undocumented Filmmakers Collective

Latino churches like Iglesia Misionera Cristo Vive are acting as social service hubs for parishioners and members of the community, providing food, shelter, English language classes, trauma recovery and immigration advocacy.

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers developed a framework called the worker-driven social responsibility paradigm, which is designed to help protect migrant employees who often don't have the right to unionize but are vulnerable to workplace manipulation and abuse due to their immigration status. The paradigm targets the supply chain, using legal agreements to require that migrant workers have a direct say in designing and enforcing workplace protections, and the model has been implemented in initiatives such as the Fair Food Program and the Milk With Dignity Program.

Millions of Americans, particularly the working class, LGBQT, minorities, and immigrants, feel left behind by the system, and in light of the revival of violence from white supremacists and the tumultuous debate on gun control, many feel that the only solution is to take the defense of their rights and needs into their own hands. The Redneck Revolt is an anti-racist, pro-gun organization that works to represent the working class - across race, sexual identity, and creed - and to protect their communities and interests from white supremacists and economic disparity alike.

Hundreds of immigrants in Houston often have no access to any social aid. One community, East Aldine, exemplifies this. It lacks sewers, water, or trash collection. But, with the help of one nonprofit residents are bypassing the city, and getting the help they need.

CAMINA ATX, a grassroots initiative founded by immigrants, hosts “Know Your Rights” forums that draw hundreds of people. Their approach to prioritizing cultural competency, accessibility and community ownership has emerged as an effective community-based response that provides critical information, resources and support networks for immigrants, mixed-status families, concerned citizens and anyone seeking to better understand constitutional protections in the current enforcement climate.

In response to an influx of Haitian immigrants in the area, several Indianapolis community groups joined forces to support them. These groups connect them to English language services, job opportunities, advocacy support, and assistance in registering their children for school or getting a driver’s license, all while fostering a sense of community and connection.

Although many mutual aid networks have formed to serve a need during the coronavirus pandemic, the concept has been in practice for centuries and has "deep roots in communities of color." While these grassroots community efforts aren't always referred to as mutual aid, they have nonetheless come into existence to provide economic stability for communities and individuals when governmental structures have failed to do so.

What started as an informal support group in Texas for undocumented workers who had been injured while working, has morphed into a mutual aid organization that helps connect immigrants and those who are uninsured with health necessities and resources. The group is unique in the U.S., as it advocates for both disability rights and immigrant rights, while also providing support for disaster relief efforts.

The Industrial Areas Foundation, the country’s oldest community organizing group, adapted to coronavirus restrictions by using technology to win relief for immigrants without legal documentation in California. Organizing a diverse coalition over zoom had many challenges, but they successfully won the expansion of the California Earned Income Tax Credit to include people who file taxes using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN, rather than a Social Security number. This applies to about one-tenth of California’s workforce who mainly work in hard-hit service and agriculture industries.

The Fair Food Program, which educates and empowers farmworkers to report on-the-job sexual harassment, has all but eliminated sexual assaults at participating farms in an industry that otherwise is known for vast power imbalances between migrant labor and labor contractors. By giving employers key business incentives to participate and by cracking the code of silence among workers, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers-run FFP has protected employees by educating tens of thousands of them while enforcing standards through a rigorous investigation and hearings process.