This year, Make the Road New York’s (MRNY) 20th anniversary year, we didn’t just defend ourselves against hate from Washington: We dug in to secure our future. We finalized plans to open a new office in Westchester, New York in 2018, and helped launch our fourth sister organization, in Nevada. We prepared to break ground on a new center in Queens: a place where our communities can gather—to heal, grow, celebrate, and plan—for generations to come.

We responded rapidly to attacks on our communities— building neighborhood networks to ensure impacted families have access to attorneys and organizing support in case of ICE raids, reaching tens of thousands with Know Your Rights trainings and information via robocalls, texts and meetings, and providing legal services to over 1,000 immigrants. When the administration termin ated DACA, we worked around the clock to file renewal applications for hundreds of DACAmented youth before the inhumane and arbitrary deadline.

MRNY was built for moments like this one. Every step of the way, we found ourselves standing shoulder to shoulder with fellow New Yorkers. Our members led the way, leading marches through the streets of Manhattan and insisting on their own humanity against tremendous odds. From our first major action against Trump— a march in Queens against the executive order on immigration—to our march to save DACA, we sent a clear message: We are here to stay.