Imagine you grew up in the United States, served “your” country valiantly in Iraq and Afghanistan and earned yourself the right to permanent legal resident status as a result of that service. And then it happened. It was bad enough when you got pulled over for speeding. Then it got worse. The cop saw the edge of a little ziplock bag sticking out of the crack in the passenger seat. When he pulls it out there’s some pot in it. Sure, it wasn’t your pot and it wasn’t your bag. But it was in your car and you could tell it to the judge. That’s when it got a lot worse. Now you could try to tell it to the Immigration Judge. You don’t remember anywhere but the United States and the places its military took you but now you have to go “home.”
On Wednesday, March 9 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Border X Brewing (281 Logan Avenue, San Diego, CA 92113. (619) 501-0503 www.borderxbrewing.com) in Barrio Logan join reigning MasterChef champion Claudia Sandoval and 4th place winner Nick Nappi for RESTORING VALOR, a dinner and silent auction to raise funds for the Deported Veterans Support House of Tijuana. Taste the food of Chefs Sandoval and Nappi in the six-course tasting dinner, enjoy the four beer sampler from Border X Brewing and help festival organizers Friends of DVSH Partnership and The Veterans for Peace raise money for the Deported Veterans Support House of Tijuana.
The Mission of the Deported Veterans Support House is to advocate on behalf of and provides support and resources to veterans deported from the United States to Mexico–soldiers who served in our wars from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan–but lost their right to permanent legal resident status because of as little as a single mistake (even one that was no fault of their own).
The Deported Veterans Support House operates under the direction of founder Hector Barajas who served with the 82nd airborne and was deported in 2004. The house operates as a shelter and resource center for veterans who need assistance, as well as office DVSH’s political advocacy efforts in the realm of immigration reform. DVSH also raises awareness about the deported veteran cause through social media, public outreach, and community events.
The event will feature many silent auction opportunities. Among those items up for auction culinary opportunities such as dinner for two at Javier Plascencia’s Baja restaurants, a Tijuana taco crawl with Tony T. from Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations Baja episode, two nights in an Ensenada ocean view home also featuring a daytime culinary excursions, a private paella dinner prepare by Chef Carlos Cervantes and a private four-course dinner prepared in your home by famed Mexican TV Chef Martin San Roman.
Artwork up for bid at the silent auction will include pieces from famed photographer Josue Castro, an original mono silkscreen print from Phoenix-based artist Gennaro Garcia, a handcrafted table from artisan Erika Santana and much more. Perhaps most remarkably, some of the artwork exhibited will be by the residents of The Deported Veterans Support House and their US resident children.
Enjoy the dinner. Enjoy the beer and wine. Enjoy the silent auctions. And enjoy the fact the cost of your doing so is aid to those who worked hard and bravely to protect your right to do so. Tickets for the event are $75 per person and can be purchased at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2491772. Donations to this event will be deductible on Federal filings under the Veterans for Peace’s 501(c)3 designation.
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