To the rhythm of the batucada and the drums of the school band, Hugo Mejía was welcomed, who was arrested by agents of ICE in May of this year. 
Community leaders, families and government representatives met on December 15 at the Venetia Valley School in San Rafael to celebrate and show their support for the Mejía family.
But what does it mean for our community that Hugo Mejía is there that night?
“A victory, because that means that the community is with us helping us that we are not alone. For me it is a joy as a Hispanic that this support exists and that also many American people support us. I am Guatemalan, I have 20 years of living in San Rafael, my children were born here and they study in this school, our lives are made in this country, we are hardworking people, “says a father of an attending family.
“A time of pride because the family Mejía decided not to be a victim, they decided to fight this case and we behind that motivation as a community we supported them together with the teachers, schoolmates and families we could achieve something special”, emphasizes Juan Rodríguez Director of the Venetia Valley School, “For me Hugo represents the best of our community, represents the struggle of all families, of all immigrants” continues.
For Olivia Beltran, Co-Director of Canal Welcome Center, “It means a great victory for the people, not just for Hugo and his family but also the representation that if you can, that he was in prison for the immigration department and if people do good things in their community, persevere and seek support, then unthinkable things can be achieved. ”
“A great blessing for his family that he is in his home with his children, I think the family is the most important thing for us. His children without his father must be very sad that’s why we are here to support and thank God that he is out of jail “expresses a Guatemalan mother with 15 years of living in the United States, her children study in the 7th and 1st grades of the Venetia Valley. “I work as a housekeeper,” she concludes.
Molly O’Donohue, staff member of the Venetia Valley School, comments, “It means that the community works together, that people came together to represent people, human rights and love. And when people work together and are local and care about each other, that’s great to make sure it’s right for everyone. “
“It is a reminder of the importance of the family, of the social struggle that we all have to make to ensure that families always have opportunities and have access to resources that help them fulfill the dreams and goals that we all have. The pain that Hugo and his family had during all these months is an unfair pain from many points of view, and I believe that his presence here emphasizes the fact that we are so vulnerable, but at the same time that we are strong as a community, united. His presence here is an example of resistance, an example of community and we all have to learn from them. Omar Carrera, Executive Director of Canal Alliance, points out.
“I’m 16 years old, I study at San Rafael High School and my parents are from Acapulco Mexico they came here 20 years ago, my little brother and I were born here but my big sister was born in Mexico. For me it is something that makes me happy because her family has had a very difficult time with all this that has happened and as a friend of Mirna that also affects me because it makes me very sad to see her concern, she was not happy, but now she is!” Explain.
Lynn Seinermman, Marin County resident, comments “For me it is a triumph over bigotry, a triumph against hatred. If the community comes together from all backgrounds when everyone comes together and simply decides that this family is not going to be separated and that they are not going to lose each other, it’s amazing! All this means many things intellectually but the feelings, the emotions that it generates are very strong. I was there supporting when the family went to court for the hearing they were so anxious when they came in that it just made me cry, but when they came out after the verdict they were so happy that it is indescribable, these things should not continue to happen to anyone. “
“That he is here means that tranquility and calmness returns to our community because we are a united community. He is part of our families, we are neighbors we have known each other for many years and we saw how family disunity effects when things happen that way. It was not necessary, he is a hard worker always has been, is honest and good father and it is not fair what has happened, it is not fair for anything or for anyone; this is causing more disunity and more instability in society and we think that this has to change, it should not be like that, “says a mother of a family originally from Baja California Mexico.
Hugo Mejía
“After going through the worst seven months of my life today I have a deep conviction and that is in us, we have the power to generate changes and we must be the ones who generate these changes. I am Hugo Mejía but I represent many people from our community and from our countries who have also been unjustly detained and deported whose families were separated and broken. Together it is incredible what we can do and I am a living sample of that. “
Familia Mejía with Supervisor Damon Connolly, Anna Pletcher candidate for Marin County District Attorney, friends and community.
Congressman Jared Huffman, expressing his support for the Mejía family at the Hugo welcome ceremony.
