Free Families

Free Families is coming to SAFE Alliance on Thursday, September 10, from 6 to 8 PM. It's an advocacy evening run by the Immigrant Services Network of Austin (ISNA) and presented by AFSSA (Asian Family Support Services of Austin), with Children's Defense Fund-Texas also named as an organizer. The night mixes informative presentations and first-hand stories with community connection and art-as-resistance, all centered on the impact of immigration raids, detention, and deportations on Austin's immigrant community—and on children in particular.

The program is built around those two things: the facts and the people. You'll hear presentations that lay out the current situation, and you'll hear stories from people who've lived through it. The art part isn't just for show, either—it's framed as a way of resisting, a way to keep these stories visible when it's easy to look away. The whole thing is meant to help you understand what's happening to immigrant families in this city, especially the kids who get caught in the middle.

Beyond the presentations, there's a strong community element. You're invited to stand alongside your immigrant neighbors as allies and to connect with local organizations that work directly with the immigrant community. The organizers frame volunteering, advocacy, donations, and mutual aid as concrete ways to take action, so if you've been wondering how to actually help, this is a place to find out where to start.

It's free to attend and includes a dinner buffet, though you'll need to register ahead of time. The event runs from 6 to 8 PM on Thursday, September 10, at SAFE Alliance, 4800 Manor Rd, Bldg. K, Austin, TX 78723.