DOT: Wind of the Spirit
As the first installment in the DOT (Dawn of Tomorrow) Series, I’m highlighting an organization that I’ve heard a little about for years, but never took the time to really get to know.
In my last entry, the first ACT Series, I detailed what I learned from a Know Your Rights workshop at the Morris County Democratic Committee HQ, facilitated by the Wind of the Spirit. Karol and Ashli ran a moving and informative session for about two dozen of us. You can read my key takeaways here. I was so impressed with the workshop that I donated to WotS as soon as I got home.
I explored their website and found a treasure trove of information, decades of effective activist work, and more opportunities to learn from them.
All intended text below are quotations from their website.
I hope you take the time to get to know this invaluable organization and support them, too!
Alt text: “About Us: We are people of faith who are directly impacted by the immigration experience. Working together, we advance humane immigration policy through education, grassroots organizing, and advocacy. Guided by a human rights framework, we recognize our intersectionality and celebrate our shared humanity.“
Who is WotS?
From their website:
Our Mission
Wind of the Spirit is a resource center for immigrants with 25 years of experience in New Jersey. Our mission is to educate, organize and mobilize the immigrant community and its allies for a just and dignified immigration policy within the framework of human rights. Our organization is composed of people of faith directly impacted by the phenomenon of migration, therefore, we promote solidarity and peace, recognizing our duties and rights.
Wind of the Spirit (WotS) was founded as a grassroots faith-based organization committed to advancing fair and humane immigration policies, using human rights as a framework and popular education as a political practice. After community consultations, we began to develop the driver’s license campaign.
What They’ve Done
To see a full list of their accomplishments, see their website. Here are a few highlights:
2003
We established the first community partnership with OSHA in the country, with the aim of promoting occupational health and safety education among immigrant workers.
2008
Despite racism and hostility, we organized the “In-County Tuition” campaign to guarantee access to County College of Morris (CCM) for undocumented students, allowing them—upon meeting certain requirements—to pay tuition as county residents.
2011
We won the campaign that guaranteed undocumented students admission to County College of Morris as state residents.
2019
• After a struggle marked by perseverance, we achieved the passage of the Driver’s License Act for undocumented individuals.
• We contributed to the increase of the minimum wage in New Jersey to $15 per hour and the passage of paid sick days through local resolutions.
2025
We supported the passage of Immigrant Trust Act (ITA) to pass 33 resolutions in 28 municipalities and 4 counties across New Jersey.
Further reading:
Project: Fragments of Absence: Stories of Life and Migration
What They’re Fighting For Now
Despite ongoing protests, ICE purchased a facility in Roxbury. As far as I know, the purchase closed and we can expect this concentration camp… I mean “detention center” to open soon. Fuck.
Also Learn About:
Workshops They Offer
Get Involved
Become a member
Joining WotS implies that you formally agree with Wind of the Spirit’s platform of fighting for fair and humane immigration policies within the framework of human rights, promoting equity and peace.
For more information, please send us an email:
communications@wotsnj.org
info@wotsnj.org
Volunteer
You can support our movement in many ways. Attending events, making posters for demonstrations, signing and sharing petitions, working for hours or shifts at our headquarters or joining a campaign or committee, and many other types of actions are welcome. Volunteer work is also a contribution to our struggle.
If you would like to contact us or are interested in volunteering, please send us an email:
info@wotsnj.org. (I emailed!)
Donate
Support the mission with me and donate here. (I donated!)
Related Resources:
Full news article here.
“A diverse group of speakers, singers, local officials, faith leaders, and musicians will be featured, said Amalia Duarte, grassroots chair of the Morris County Democratic Committee, another sponsor.
“The message is to speak out against many of the current Administration’s policies, in particular the proposal to open an ICE detention center in Roxbury and the raids targeting immigrants in Morris County towns,” Duarte said.”
Another article on NJ pushing back against the Roxbury ICE facility.
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New episode: Immigration Law in 2026: Fighting the Cruelty Machine
This week, Rhiannon and Michael talk to two immigration lawyers about what it’s like to practice under the second Trump administration, the unprecedented uncertainty their clients face, why habeas petitions are taking off, the freaks who become ICE lawyers and judges, and why there’s actually… reasons to hope??
