Minka Kelly, Jack Falahee, Matt McGorry Celebrate Fourth Annual Immigrant Heritage Month in Los Angeles

Minka Kelly, Jack Falahee, Matt McGorry Celebrate Fourth Annual Immigrant Heritage Month in Los Angeles

New “I Stand With Immigrants” campaign celebrated heritage, culture, and diversity with local organizations, artists, and individuals across Los Angeles

WASHINGTON, DC — This past weekend, “I Am An Immigrant” hosted a pop-up experience in Los Angeles to celebrate June as Immigrant Heritage Month, a month-long celebration highlighting the incredible contributions that immigrants have made and continue to make to our nation.

The events brought together artists and entertainers, elected officials and community leaders for a weekend of comedy, film screenings, celebrity interviews, spoken word readings and other interactive events. Highlights included an interview with actor Paul Wesley, Refinery29 film screenings of Free like the Birds and American Haze and an art gallery featuring the works of immigrant artists including the Los Angeles-based Jess X Snow, Marco Zamora, Rommy Sobrado-Torrico, Angelica Becerra Garcia, and Ernesto Yerena Montejano, among others. Saturday night featured an hour of comedy from Disoriented Comedy – the first-ever mostly Asian-American standup tour – as well as a special guest appearance from Cristela Alonzo, the first Latina to voice a “car” in Pixar’s Cars franchise.

Several famous faces — including Minka Kelly (Friday Night Lights, Charlie’s Angels), Matt McGorry (Orange Is The New Black), Paul Wesley (actor), Bruce Langley (American Gods), Bellamy Young (Scandal), Aja Naomi King (How To Get Away With Murder) and Jack Falahee (How To Get Away With Murder) — participated in the events to show their support of immigrants across the country. Congresswoman Judy Chu, California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, and Dr. Linda Lopez, Chief of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, also delivered remarks on the importance of immigrants to the social and economic fabric of Los Angeles. Community partners in attendance included Chirla, NALEO, Interfaith Refugee and Immigrant Services, International Rescue Committee, Mexican American Opportunity Foundation, United Farm Workers, Le Mondo, and LGBTCenterOC.

The Immigrant Heritage Month hashtags (#IAmAnImmigrant, #IStandWithImmigrants, #IHM2017 and #ImmigrantHeritageMonth) reached 10.6 million people on Twitter this weekend, and 2.3 million people on Facebook during the week of the event.

“I Am An Immigrant” will next make its way to San Francisco to host a pop-up experience on Thursday, June 29th. To learn more about other Immigrant Heritage Month events taking place in your community, visit www.IAmAnImmigrant.com.

Watch Videos:

Join America Ferrera, George Takei, and More to say #IStandWithImmigrants

I Am An Immigrant: NYC Pop Up (15 sec)

I Am An Immigrant NYC Pop Up (6 sec)

See Photos from the LA Pop-Up Events:

“Scandal” actress Bellamy Young and her dog Bean add to the community art mural at the “I Am An Immigrant” pop-up event in Los Angeles on June 16. (Photo courtesy of Maira Rios)

The “I Am An Immigrant” pop-up event featured celebrity photo shoots, a night of comedy, film screenings and community art projects, including this mural. (Photo courtesy of Maira Rios)

Actor Paul Wesley discusses his family’s Polish heritage at a panel event in honor of Immigrant Heritage Month on Saturday, June 17, in Los Angeles. (Photo courtesy of Andrew Moriarty)

“American Gods” actress Yetide Badaki poses with co-star Bruce Langley at the “I Am An Immigrant” pop-up experience in Los Angeles on June 16. (Photo courtesy of Maira Rios)

In the News:

E! News Online – How Jason Sudeikis Is Supporting Immigrant Heritage Month

ABC 7 – Pop-up event celebrates immigrants in Los Angeles

Huffington Post – Uzo Aduba: Amplifying The Black Immigrant Experience In America Is ‘Crucial’

 Huffington Post – I Am An Immigrant: Second Language, First Graduate

Aurora Sentinel – ‘Stand with Immigrants’ event in Aurora part of Immigrant Heritage Month celebration

On Social Media:

Senate President pro Tem Kevin de Leon – 42.2K Followers (Twitter)

Great LA popup by @FWD_us for #ImmigrantHeritageMonth. Here in CA, we celebrate our diversity, we don’t wall it off.
#IStandWithImmigrants

Representative Stephanie Murphy – 8K Followers (Twitter)

As an immigrant, I’m proud to celebrate #IHM2017. Immigrants have made countless contributions to our nation & are essential to its future.

Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman – 8K Followers (Twitter)

Immigrant Heritage Month reminds us that we are made great because of the exaltation of our differences and the spirit of our diversity.

Mayor Robert Garcia – 15.2K Followers (Twitter)

#IAmAnImmigrant and became a U.S. Citizen at 21 while in college. 15 yrs later I got elected LBC Mayor. Let’s give all kids the same chance.

National Association of Latino Elected & Appointed Officials / NALEO – 24K Followers (Twitter)

Our California Civic Engagement team celebrating Immigrant Heritage Month at @iamanimmigrant @kdeleon #IAmAnImmigrant #IStandWithImmigrants

Paul Wesley – 4.24M Followers (Twitter)

RT: @a_moriarty .@paulwesley and @TheToddSchulte discussing immigrant heritage and how it connects us all – powerful!

Bellamy Young – 381K Followers (Twitter)

My honor &my joy. Everybody come down 2the #PopUp &join the movement &the fun. Free hugs from @guillermodiazyo     ❤ #IStandWithImmigrants

Matt McGorry – 499K Followers (Twitter)

LA, check out the @IAmAnImmigrant pop-up today through Sunday!!! Follow them for more details. #IStandWithImmigrants #IAmAnImmigrant

Jack Falahee – 370K Followers (Twitter)

Stop by the #IAmAnImmigrant pop up in LA this weekend at 2270 Venice Blvd. #IStandWithImmigrants https://www.instagram.com/p/BVbDgVcghoO/

Tara Strong – 306K Followers (Twitter)

Without me none of you would have childhoods!! @IAmAnImmigrant #IAmAnImmigrant  #IStandWithImmigrants

AirbnbCitizen – 22.6K Followers (Twitter)

In honor of Immigrant Heritage Month, we’re partnering w. @IAmAnImmigrant. Get to know Kenix, an Airbnb host in SF: http://abnb.co/kenix

ABOUT “I AM AN IMMIGRANT”

“I Am An Immigrant” is part of Welcome.us, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that coordinates Immigrant Heritage Month every June. Started in 2014, Immigrant Heritage Month honors the countless contributions made by immigrants to our communities, our economy, our culture, and our collective American identity. “I Am An Immigrant” is an ongoing public awareness campaign to encourage Americans to share stories of their families’ immigrant heritage, and what it means to be an immigrant in America. Learn more about “I Am An Immigrant” and Immigrant Heritage Month by visiting IAmAnImmigrant.com.


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#CELEBRATE IMMIGRANTS

We all know someone with an immigration experience or have an immigrant heritage story of our own. Join us in sharing your story for a chance to be featured on our official channels!