Our Mission Statement
By offering a welcoming place to land and a wide network of accompaniment support, we help asylum-seekers navigate their asylum processes with increased safety and well-being.
By offering a welcoming place to land and a wide network of accompaniment support, we help asylum-seekers navigate their asylum processes with increased safety and well-being.
Our History
WMASN was founded in January 2019, with the start of the "migrant caravan" at the U.S.-Mexico border, in which the executive branch manufactured a constitutional and human rights crisis targeting Central and South American asylum seekers. Recognizing that welcoming and supporting our new neighbors is part of combating xenophobia and white nationalism, we began to build a network of support in Western Massachusetts for asylum-seeking individuals who settle here.
We’re a group of friends - including asylum seekers themselves - who have come together to support our neighbors as best we can. We work with a wide array of groups in Western Massachusetts to provide various resources, including (but not limited to) legal advice, rides, language services, and financial and logistical support.
WMASN was founded in January 2019, with the start of the "migrant caravan" at the U.S.-Mexico border, in which the executive branch manufactured a constitutional and human rights crisis targeting Central and South American asylum seekers. Recognizing that welcoming and supporting our new neighbors is part of combating xenophobia and white nationalism, we began to build a network of support in Western Massachusetts for asylum-seeking individuals who settle here.
We’re a group of friends - including asylum seekers themselves - who have come together to support our neighbors as best we can. We work with a wide array of groups in Western Massachusetts to provide various resources, including (but not limited to) legal advice, rides, language services, and financial and logistical support.
Our Current Context
Since 2019, we have supported more than 150 individuals negotiating asylum cases. Our members have come from over 20 different countries on 5 continents, and speak over 15 languages. Many asylum seekers spend months in immigration detention centers - despite having committed no crime - before resettling in Massachusetts.
Moving to a new place is complicated and difficult. There are appointments, errands, and check-ins. There’s loneliness and isolation. There may be a new language to learn. But despite the corrupt systems that control this process, there’s still relationships to build and beauty to discover. We continuously grow our network to meet the needs of our newest neighbors and the families who are taking them in. You could help us make our community a truly welcoming place.
Since 2019, we have supported more than 150 individuals negotiating asylum cases. Our members have come from over 20 different countries on 5 continents, and speak over 15 languages. Many asylum seekers spend months in immigration detention centers - despite having committed no crime - before resettling in Massachusetts.
Moving to a new place is complicated and difficult. There are appointments, errands, and check-ins. There’s loneliness and isolation. There may be a new language to learn. But despite the corrupt systems that control this process, there’s still relationships to build and beauty to discover. We continuously grow our network to meet the needs of our newest neighbors and the families who are taking them in. You could help us make our community a truly welcoming place.
Our Structure
We are a group of volunteers who work to meet the needs of asylum seekers on a case-by-case basis. It's crucial to us that our goals and decision-making are led and centered by asylum seekers themselves. As such, asylum seekers have dedicated spots on all of our committees, including our central coordinating committee. If you’d like to get involved as a volunteer or sponsor, we discuss our structure and modes of operation at length in our orientation meetings.
We are a group of volunteers who work to meet the needs of asylum seekers on a case-by-case basis. It's crucial to us that our goals and decision-making are led and centered by asylum seekers themselves. As such, asylum seekers have dedicated spots on all of our committees, including our central coordinating committee. If you’d like to get involved as a volunteer or sponsor, we discuss our structure and modes of operation at length in our orientation meetings.
Our network is a fiscally sponsored project of the Peace Development Fund, through whom donations to us can be made.
Contact Us
For fundraising connections and offers — [email protected]
For community partners (Know Your Rights trainings, workshops, etc) — [email protected]
For inquiries about the Pro Se Project — [email protected]
For asylum seekers and all other questions — [email protected]
The Western Massachusetts Asylum Support Network is a fiscally sponsored project of the Peace Development Fund