The call came in a moment of crisis. T.Y.’s brother had been detained after seeking asylum, caught in an immigration system that has made release increasingly rare. His family in Oakland had little information and even fewer options. Having previously attended a community rights workshop, T.Y. knew where to turn. Within days after reaching out to SFF grantee Priority Africa Network, a recipient of the Stand Together Bay Area Fund, the family was connected to legal support and interpreters that helped secure his brother’s release and brought him back home.
“You guys have saved his life,” T.Y. said, underscoring how quickly detainment can separate families and how rapid response can change the outcome.
As immigration enforcement intensifies, Black immigrants are uniquely impacted, often rendered invisible by anti-Black discrimination within the immigration system. Black immigrants from Africa, Central and South America, and the Caribbean face language barriers, cultural differences, and systemic neglect that limit access to legal aid, asylum assistance, or even basic service navigation. In the Bay Area, where Nigerians make up the largest Black immigrant population, followed closely by Ethiopians, these challenges are especially acute.
With the ability to respond quickly, Priority Africa Network serves as a trusted connector for Black immigrants, linking individuals and families to critical resources through a coordinated network of community associations, mental health organizations, and legal service providers. As a hub organization, they leverage these partnerships to ensure timely, culturally responsive support, making it a reliable access point for families navigating both crisis and stability.
Expanding Access Through Trusted Partnerships
Priority Africa Network partners with Africa Advocacy Network,which provides direct legal advocacy and representation for Black immigrants. Through this partnership, individuals like T.Y. and his brother have access to immigration clinics, asylum support and resources, and pathways to citizenship grounded in the lived realities of the Black immigrants they serve:
- Immigration Clinics – This program provides hands-on support with the process of filing for asylum in the U.S. without an attorney, where the applicant represents themselves in immigration court. They also provide support with filing green cards, work permits, and travel document applications, along with interpretation and translation of immigration documents. The clinics connect individuals to community-based service providers across the Bay Area and surrounding counties with significant Black immigrant populations and share emergency preparedness strategies to help families respond quickly in moments of crisis.
- Asylum Support – Through sharing the latest updates on immigration policy and law practices, including up-to-date information on federal actions and California’s key protections in state law and recent policy actions, Black immigrants seeking asylum are better informed and prepared. This support also provides clarity on how local county agencies, including health, social services, public defenders, and boards of supervisors, are responding to immigration policies, helping community members understand the protections and resources available to them.
- Pathways to Citizenship – Staff provide individuals with resources, information, and support with filling out citizenship applications, filing for citizenship, and preparing for citizenship interviews. Local, small businesses also receive guidance on best practices and protocols to help protect their clients and staff amid ongoing immigration enforcement, supporting long-term stability.
“This is an incredibly difficult time for Black immigrant communities who are facing the full wrath of state-sponsored violence and rampant xenophobia simultaneously. The fear and uncertainty weighing on families is unimaginable,” says Michael Gebreslassie, co-director at Priority Africa Network. “SFF’s Stand Together Bay Area funding has been critical to sustaining and strengthening our work during this pivotal moment. Their timely support allows us to leverage our partnerships and resources effectively and maximally, expand our impact, and continue guiding and uplifting Black immigrant communities at a time when sustained, community-centered support is needed most.”
Building Community and Long-Term Stability
Priority Africa Network’s support for Black immigrants isn’t limited to navigating immigration-related legal hurdles. They also focus on building community; supporting individuals and families as they move from crisis to stability and from isolation to belonging. Through its targeted programming, the organization meets Black immigrant families where joy and connection already exist. That sense of belonging is reinforced through soccer tournaments and family‑centered events that go beyond recreation, serving as intentional entry points for sharing resources, educating families about their rights, and strengthening community bonds.
At a moment when immigration policies are causing heightened harm and exclusion for Black immigrants, this kind of wraparound support is essential. It enables Priority Africa Network to respond immediately to families in crisis while continuing to sustain trust, visibility, and community connection. By providing access to direct legal services, immigration support, and culturally responsive programs designed to meet the specific needs of Black immigrants, Priority Africa Network ensures Black immigrant communities are not only protected but positioned to shape a more just and inclusive future.
SFF is proud to support Priority Africa Network and other organizations that provide critical support to immigrant communities through the Stand Together Bay Area Fund. The Stand Together Bay Area Fund works with donors and community nonprofits to distribute urgent financial assistance and wraparound support to immigrant families at risk of eviction, hunger, and family separation due to increased threats of detentions and deportations.
