34th Family Reunited on US Soil
“Thank you so much Riya, Lydia, Yana, Mayra, Kuya Alfred at sa lahat ng Damayan staff, ng dahil sa tulong at suporta ninyo, makakasama ko na ang bunso kong anak” (Thank you so much Riya, Lydia, Yana, Mayra, Kuya Alfred and all the Damayan staff, because of your help and support, I can now be with my youngest child)
After nine years of enduring labor trafficking in the hands of different employers in Georgia, Missouri, and New Jersey, Grace Aranjuez finally got her T Visa approved in 2017, with the help of Damayan and her lawyer, Juliana Zhu. In early February, after years being away from her family, Grace is finally reunited with daughter, Gennie, whom she left at 10 years old in order to provide a better future for her. Mother and daughter stand in each other’s arms at the JFK International Airport, Queens after 14 long years of family separation. Damayan celebrates this 34th family reunification since its founding. Every family reunited is a triumphant victory for our community. #forcedmigration #familyseparation #labortrafficking #moderndayslavery #baklas #baklasnational #Damayan #DamayanMigrants #DamayanMigrantWorkers