Welcome To CIMA
Please follow us on our website www.cimawnc.org
Compañer@s,
We would like to thank the support that COLA-Coalicion de Organizaciones Latino-Americanas has received over the past 13 years. Since its beginning in 2002, the organization has been helping to initiate dialogue, facilitate meeting for organizations and engage community members from Western North Carolina about the Immigrant realities being faced by community members. As well to empower those who are disfranchised and discriminated against by racist laws; stand up for justice and dignity that we all deserve.
As of this Friday November 20th, COLA’s legacy will continue to be alive in the work of CIMA- Compañeros Inmigrantes de las Montañas en Acción.
Throughout the years, the focus of the organization has shifted from helping organizations facilitate how to better improve their services to immigrant communities whom they serve to connecting, strengthening and organizing communities by taking action for immigrant rights in WNC!! Thus, the idea of CIMA came about, empowering immigrant compañer@s at the grassroots level to stand up for their human dignity and rights which are granted to all, and have a feeling of being en cima– top of the mountain.
As CIMA, we will continue to fight for immigrant rights in Western North Carolina by standing on the values that were founded by the organization. These values being:
- That grassroots communities have the wisdom and experience to direct their future
- That the organization is best guided by full participation of it’s members
- That all people should be treated with respect and dignity
- CIMA believes in equal opportunities, equal rights and in fair and just laws
- CIMA believes in the strength of diversity and multi-lingual spaces
That is why we encourage you to keep supporting the organization and if you are new to the organization’s work, than for you to interact with us.
Thank you,
Bruno Y Hinojosa Ruiz
CIMA-Compañeros Inmigrantes de las Montañas en Acción
Co-Director
(828) 713-5124
www.cimawnc.org
Si se Puede!!
The Compañeros Inmigrantes de las Montañas en Accion (CIMA) connects, strengthens and organizes communities to take action for immigrants rights in Western North Carolina.
CIMA strives for inclusive communities with justice, freedom, and equality for all.
Values
- CIMA believes grassroots communities have the wisdom and experience to direct their future
- CIMA believes that the coalition is best guided by full participation of it’s members
- CIMA believes that all people should be treated with respect and dignity
- CIMA believes in equal opportunities, equal rights and in fair and just laws
- CIMA believes in the strength of diversity and multi-lingual spaces
Objectives
- Stop anti-immigrant laws and policies, including state-wide hate bills and police-ICE collaboration.
- Obtain equal access to drivers¿ licenses in North Carolina.
- Stop workplace abuse and mobilize for workplace justice.
History
Based in Asheville, COLA (Coalición de Organizaciones Latino-Americanas) formed out of a need for Latino-led organizations in rural Western North Carolina mountain counties to connect, learn from each other, and work together. The Center for Participatory Change, an organization that supports grassroots organizations in the region, realized that although they were working with several Latino organizations, it seemed these groups were not working with one another. In some cases, these groups did not even know that other regional Latino organizations existed.
In October 2002, these groups came together for the first Encuentro, or gathering. Today, COLA is a regional network connecting and strengthening organizations that empower Latino communities in Western North Carolina. To date, about 25 organizations actively participate in the coalition.
In November 2015, the organization changed its name to CIMA- Compañeros Inmigrantes de las Montañas en Accion to reflect the community we work with.