Immigration detention is an arm of the for-profit prison industry sanctioned by our government and is incarcerating our immigrant friends and neighbors right here in our community. KWESI (Kern Welcoming and Extending Solidarity for Immigrants) is the social justice ministry of UU Fellowship of Kern County (UUFKC), where we live our UU values and principles by accompanying detained individuals and advocating for the abolition of detention. Jeannie Parent will share her journey with KWESI and offer ways you can become involved in this vital ministry.

Fifth Sunday Forum (after the Service) – Jeannie will
stay after the service to discuss the topic of immigration
and KWESI in greater detail.

Jeannie Parent is a retired professor of English for Multilingual Students at Bakersfield College, and is a long-time advocate of immigrant rights. She is currently serving as president of UUFKC, and she has been coordinator of KWESI, the social justice ministry of UUFKC, since its inception in 2015. KWESI volunteers accompany immigrants in detention at Mesa Verde in Bakersfield and Golden State Annex in McFarland.