Seven detained immigrants share their artwork to raise funds for those in need during the holidays
Pam Shearman, a volunteer at Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants (ICDI) in Chicago, describes how this holiday fundraiser came to be:
So many of the people we visit have tremendous talent and express themselves beautifully through art. ICDI developed a program this fall to invite the people in immigration detention to create a holiday drawing and submit it to ICDI. We selected 7 of the drawings to create holiday greeting cards as a fundraiser. The artists were compensated for their art. Some of the artists requested that the money be sent to their families to support them even though they are far from each other. One artist requested that the compensation for his art be donated back to ICDI so that we can help others in detention. The money from the sale of the cards is dedicated to the ICDI’s commissary budget for need-based deposits for those who are detained. All the artists also agreed to have their art submitted to IMM Print to give hope and encouragement to others impacted by detention.
May your holidays be joyous and may the New Year bring renewal to those who work for peace and justice.
These seven artworks used to create holiday greeting cards were drawn by people detained at the McHenry County Jail in Woodstock, Illinois, the Kenosha County Detention Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and the Dodge County Detention Facility in Wisconsin.
“The Lincolns” by Allan:
“Untitled” by Carlos:
“Tierna y Dulca Infancia / Tender and Sweet Childhood” by Miel:
“Untitled” by Ferdinard Sadrack:
“Untitled” by Arrazabal:
“December 25” by Luis Quintero:
“Christmas Blessings” by Anonymous:
Dignity. Service. Spirituality. Justice.
The Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants (ICDI) is a CIVIC-affiliated immigration detention visitation program based in Chicago, Illinois. Their mission states:
The Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants is a non-profit, faith-based organization of staff and volunteers called to respond actively and publicly to the suffering of all individuals and communities affected by immigration detention, deportation, and post-detention through pastoral care, advocacy, public witness and other activities.
To learn more about immigration detention and to join CIVIC’s nation-wide movement to close immigrant prisons, visit endisolation.org.
**View more Artwork from immigration detention in IMM Print • **Subscribe