Hillsboro Finds A Viral Hero Named Manny In Wake Of City Meeting. This may change the narrative on ICE arrests.

[Amaryllis]

https://hillsboroherald.com/hillsboro-finds-a-viral-hero-named-manny-in-wake-of-city-meeting/

Over 2.5 Million Viewers And National News Have Decended On Unlikely 16 Year Old

A very worked-up crowd descended at the Shirley Huffman Auditorium in Hillsboro, Oregon, this past Tuesday Night. They came fired up to talk, to speak their minds, and to ask for action and change in the wake of dozens of #ICE arrests and detentions in Hillsboro. After a 1-hour-long worksession covering the legal reasons that Hillsboro, and cities like it all over the US, cannot do anything to stop the arrests, people were fired up. One after the other, dozens of Hillsboro residents stepped to the microphone and laid out their feelings and demands on a bewildered City Council, Mayor, and Staff. Hillsboro, in recent days, has become the epicenter of the Oregon Ice raids. People are fed up, and they lit up the room with emotion.

As the City Council meeting entered its third hour of testimony, the air was thick with emotion —like a cold fog that only darkness and an ice-cold evening can bring. The last set of speakers included several younger residents of Hispanic/Latino heritage who got their turn. One of them was a Hillsboro soccer Coach named Juan Pedro Moreno Almeida. Coach Juan offered this to the Council.

“Today, I have 7 of my soccer players with me who attend Hillsboro High School, and I’d ask, I’d like to ask them to stand up right now if they can. We recently had one of our teammates lose their father and two of their uncles, and another teammate lost their older brother as well. They were taken by ICE. I want to continue to say is that, you know, as these, this, this children of immigrants, right, we always have this thought in the back of our head that someday we’re gonna have to be the financial pillar for our home. And, you know, for all the city council members and Mayor Pace as well, right, I want you to look at these kids and think about all the sacrifices that they would have to go through to become that financial pillar for their household, right? They would have to, maybe, stop going to school. They would have to give up on soccer for sure. They would have to find jobs to become that pillar for their household. Um, you know, we need to protect our community members and especially our youth, you know? It takes generations to overcome this trauma, you know? Um, and I think our, as, as our representatives, I really would like to see more action. Um, and part of the reason why I’m here today is because of an investment in leadership development, right. Please continue to invest in leadership development. If it wasn’t for leadership development programs, I wouldn’t have the confidence to be here today or to organize with my soccer kids. So, super important to, uh, invest in that,. Please help…”

snip

Then something happened that no one could predict. A third young man, 16-year-old Emmanuel “Manny” Chavez from Hillsboro High School, took his turn. I can say he spoke- he did all of that. But really, he emoted. He sent shockwaves of nervous energy, fear, and emotion through us – it was like being hit with a truth bomb and a cosmic blast that cleaved all of us to our souls. He began to cry as he pleaded for help and protection for his parents, who he fears may disappear. Parents who have been here for decades. He asked for the City Council and for everyone—the “Decision Makers” —to have his back and the backs of his soccer teammates, classmates, family, and friends. And the anguished stares and tears that surrounded him at the end were not enough to assure Manny or any of us that such a thing can happen in such a world we live in. City Councilor Olivia Alcaire, a champion for people of Hispanic/Latino heritage, came to his side as he cried and stood by him, serving as a witness and sentry. The scene was just too much.

I captured that moment and put it into a digestible and engaging format. That was 36 hours ago. And now Manny and his words have gone truly Viral. Hillsboro, Oregon, our struggles as a city made up of 25% Hispanic/Latino people (25,000 est) with aggressive #ICE arrests (30-100 in the last 10 days), and what is going on here has now been seen by almost 3,000,000 people. From all over the world, I’m hearing from people at our Instagram page. This is perhaps one of the most emotional 90 seconds you will ever see on camera.

Go to link for Manny's testimony. And if anyone knows how to post it, please do. I couldn't figure out how to do it. IF you scroll down the video is posted in the article but I'd like to have a direct link that I could put in the OP.

Edited to add: You can also access Manny's video here:
https://terrymoran.substack.com/p/america-the-ugly?
Article by Terry Moran: America the Ugly
The world sees us differently now

Upinarms found a you tube link:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Thanks for sharing this important story, my dear Amaryllis! It needs to be read widely!

[UpInArms]

2. I wish I could listen

But I will not sign up for instagram

[Amaryllis]

3. You don't have to. Just scroll down and there is a video you can just click on and watch.

[UpInArms]

5. None of those worked on my ipad

But I found this on YouTube

No audio, but it has words

[Amaryllis]

6. Thanks, put it in the op. I get audio.

[UpInArms]

7. Thank you

It is heartbreaking

[Amaryllis]

8. It is. But I am hoping that this may finally break through the narrative that they are only arresting bad guys.

[malaise]

4. K & R for visibility

A great moment

[sop]

9. Thanks for posting this important story.

[Lonestarblue]

10. The Miller-Trump Gestapo at work ripping people's lives apart.

Most, or perhaps all, of these kids are US citizens. They should have a right to parental support instead of ICE shipping their parents to any country being paid to take them. We need a path to citizenship for people who have worked in this country for decades snd been model citizens.

[justaprogressive]

11. K'n'R!

The truth.

[orangecrush]

12. Kick

[LittleGirl]

13. I saw this video on my FB feed the other day

Thank you for sharing it here. It moved me to tears as well.

[Martin Eden]

14. Multiply Manny's emotions times millions

America is in a humanitarian crisis perpetrated by a cruel administration that is engaged in racial profiling, abduction, detention, and deportation without the constitutional due process that applies to ALL persons.

Their intent is not fighting crime;
It is ethnic cleansing.

[Amaryllis]

15. It sure is. Haven't seen it referred to as that before but that is exactly what it is and should be called out as such.

[littlemissmartypants]

16. 💧❤️

[democrank]

17. Gut-wrenching, government-sponsored cruelty.

It’s sickening and HAS TO STOP !

[JT45242]

18. Wow -- such honest courage and fear at the same time

I taught HS kids for 20 years. I taught some kids who were illegal immigrants. Some who were legal immigrants, Some who were US citizens.
That kid is amazing -- true courage is when you do the right thing even when you are scared.

I have rarely seen a more courageous HS kid ever.

I hope the council listened.

That these warrantless raids are illegal and that they can stop them. They can stand up for the residents of their community. No warrant means no entry. No identification on these ICE thugs and the local law enforcement could arrest them for kidnapping or unlawful detainment. The council could pass a law requiring badges and identifications.

So powerful...

[Solly Mack]

19. ...

[chowder66]

20. This makes me even more angry and heartbroken than I thought I could get. This country needs to stop this

terror campaign NOW!

[70sEraVet]

21. Thank you for posting this, Amaryllis

All of the videos being posted exposing the cruel brutalities employed by these ICE agents, and the effects that those tactics have on vulnerable kids, are resulting in a groundswell of anger in all corners of America.
This is similar to what happened to the national consciousness with the brutality of the Jim Crow laws. The Post-Civil War Jim Crow laws were in effect for nearly 100 years, but it wasn't until white America saw IN THEIR OWN LIVING ROOMS young black faces, bloodied from police nightsticks and dogs.
It takes fire to melt ice, and those videos are exactly the fire we need right now!

[Cha]

22. Ohh... 💔I was crying before I heard

Manny speak.. and now

I Hope Something Can Be Done to Help Manny and his Familia and All Those who are being Disappeared by #FuckICE.

Mahalo Amaryllis 💙 💙

[oasis]

23. This will never be forgotten by any caring people

[IcyPeas]

24. They are terrorizing kids. Multiply this kid by the thousands.

USA
USA
USA?????

[mommymarine2003]

25. I live in Gresham, OR. My 16-year-old grandson lives with us. He is a soccer player, both in club and high school.

He plays varsity soccer at his school. 15 of the 22 players are Hispanic. Most of the JV kids are also Hispanic. The coaches are Hispanic. They are wonderful kids. I have worried all season for their safety and what we would do if ICE showed up at their games. We would see their parents/families at the home games but very few at the away games. Their team made the state playoffs and last Saturday they played the game at a high school in Portland in a well-to-do area of Portland but only a few blocks from the ICE facility. I didn't see their families at the game. I can only speculate that they did not show up because of ICE. On our way home, GPS took us right by the ICE facility. We saw the infamous green frog along with some other inflatables and a handful of people. All was peaceful.

My heart breaks for these people. Most of my grandson's friends are Hispanic. I am happy to hear that the judge has ordered a permanent injunction against the National Guard.

[calimary]

26. Just absolutely heartbreaking!

This is a kid who could be crying tears of joy that his favorite team just won. Instead he's just bereft, worrying about the Mom and Dad he might never see again.

Are we really THAT cruel, America? We know the donald certainly is. Makes me wonder what kind of personal agony would make the donald cry (if he's even reachable on something like this). Is that even possible?

[tblue37]

27. That made me cry.

[SunSeeker]

28. Heartbreaking. Damn.

[orleans]

29. omg -- this is so sad. i'm crying along with him.

what a horrible, wicked place america has become (because of so many horrible, wicked people) (no -- they're more like monsters)

[Joinfortmill]

30. Fuck Trump & his ICE Gestapo! A reckoning is coming!

[JMCKUSICK]

31. How can this be in America, in my America?

Thank you Amaryllis.

[Farmer-Rick]

32. Pedo Trump and his Nazi enablers get their rocks off

On terrorizing these kids, their families and their communities. It's shear exhilaration when they see and hear their victim's pain and suffering.

But their pain has to be documented and told. Because only 1% of Americans approve of this abuse and terrorism. Only psychos want this.

The psychos are in power now, but they won't always be. Keep documenting all the psychos actions, results and identities. We will need it for the trials.