Did you know that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 & Civil Rights Movement-- led by Black people in the US -- opened the door for immigrants of color who had been limited or banned in the US "to preserve the idea of American homogeneity..."? [A thread on #StudentBan & #BLM (1/n)]

Immigrants of color were not only treated horribly & faced quotas on how many could exist in the US, they also were not all treated equally. Some immigrants of color -- especially those from African countries -- were denied full citizenship rights, the right to vote, etc. (2/n)

When the Civil Rights Movement led to the destruction of legal racism (Jim Crow laws and others which existed nationwide), it also led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965 AND the Immigration & Nationality Act of 1965. (3/n)

The Immigration & Nationality Act abolished the race based quotas and was meant to prioritize refugees and immigrants of color. (However, we know that our immigration system is still extremely racist & classist.) #immigration #studentban (4/n)

Black people in the US have been at the forefront of social justice efforts for so long, including LGBTQ+ & Immigration rights. However I don't always see the same allyship and consideration from these communities. In many cases, Black contributions are erased or forgotten. (5/n)

We often don't feel the same level of care; in the recent #studentban, I saw our community take swift action, I saw international & domestic students advocate tirelessly followed by schools' legal actions. I was happy to see this & also sad this energy is missing for BLM. (6/n)

What more could we achieve if this energy was sustained for the safety of all? What more would be possible if our international & domestic colleagues also fought for Black lives to matter and educated themselves about the history of racism in the United States? (7/n) #StudentBan

I am relieved for my international colleagues & proud of the legal action taken, but I am not satisfied. Our work is not done. Black & Indigenous people have been fighting for our lives & safety for decades. We've felt othered from birth. We need everyone to keep fighting. (8/8)