Name: A Community Conversation on Immigration
Start: 2026-04-08T18:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-04-08T20:00:00-04:00
Location: Lyman Allyn Art Museum

Community members are invited to a forum to learn more about immigration justice as it relates to the residents of Eastern Connecticut. Featuring a panel discussion with a fairly recent immigrant, service providers and a legal expert, attendees will learn about the rights, struggles and successes of the region’s immigrants. It will be an opportunity to learn about the impact of ICE activity in Connecticut, services that are available to immigrants, and how to be an effective ally to immigrant communities.
Panelist Bio
Margaret Rodriguez is a Connecticut-based immigration attorney with JFS of Greenwich based out of the Norwich office. After law school, she was awarded the CT Bar Foundation’s Singer Fellowship for a project focused on addressing the low rates of representation in Immigration Courts; she worked for two years as a Singer Fellow for IRIS.
Sister Mary Jude Lazarus, Director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry, Catholic Diocese of Norwich.
Tabitha Sookdeo, CEO of CT Students for a Dream, the state’s leading youth-led organization advocating for the rights of undocumented students and their families.
Chris Vials, co-founder of The Neighbor Fund which is a nonprofit that supports the immigrant communities of Windham and Tolland counties, providing direct financial support to those facing detention and deportation.
Panelist Moderator: Julie Cagle, a retired Groton Public School teacher who is currently teaching in an ESOL class at the Norwich Regional Adult Education Program, will moderate the discussion.
Six-Part Lecture Series:
"Freedom: The Victories, Promises, and Potentials of 1776"
Dates: January 14-April 29, 2026 | every three weeks
Where: Lyman Allyn Art Museum
Schedule: Reception, 6-7pm | Lecture, 7-8pm
The speakers will explore the meaning of freedom in America, examining its historical implications for various segments of society, all from a local perspective. It will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Ticket purchase includes beverages and light bites during the hour reception prior to the lecture. Guests can also access museum galleries and visit exhibitions while they mingle!