2008 Woodie Awards
Illini Media
WPGU
buzz
Illio
TechnographLocal advocate for migrant workers retires
By Mary Rickard
Posted: 8/23/05 Section: News
When a snow storm prevented Hugh Phillips from leaving Champaign-Urbana 10 years ago, he never imagined the difference he would make in so many people's lives.
At a reception held Thursday at Dos Reales Mexican Restaurant, 1106 W. University Ave., 200 University graduates and friends bid farewell to Phillips, founder of El Centro por los Trabajadores, serving the needs of Latino migrant workers.
Several University graduates and former El Centro volunteers drove from Chicago for the occasion, and one flew from San Jose, Calif., to send Phillips off on his next great adventure. He leaves Monday for San Andres Cholula, two hours south of Mexico City, where more friends await.
"Most of the people who were here today, I may never see again in my life," Phillips said.
Phillips, 72, is retiring from the 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week job he did without pay, easing migrant workers' adjustment to life in America. More than 5,000 Latino immigrants work year-round in factories, hotels and restaurants throughout Champaign County. Most are undocumented -- without tourist, student, or work visas.
Phillips came to Champaign-Urbana 10 years ago and established El Centro, a nonprofit organization that has affected hundreds of lives of volunteers and immigrants.
During his time in Champaign-Urbana, Phillips became aware of hundreds of local Latino migrant workers' needs. He opened El Centro in a small campus office provided by St. John the Divine Episcopal Church. A few years later, the center was moved off-campus to provide services around the clock.
Guadalupe Abreu, who works at the East Central Illinois Refugee Mutual Assistance Center, said obtaining visas is very difficult. An immigrant must prove that he performs a special type of work no one else can do and must be sponsored by an employer, she said. To renew a 6-month visa, he must return to his home country and reapply.
"Hugh never asked if they were legal or not," said Abigail Salyers, president of the El Centro Board. "He just served people with needs."
At a reception held Thursday at Dos Reales Mexican Restaurant, 1106 W. University Ave., 200 University graduates and friends bid farewell to Phillips, founder of El Centro por los Trabajadores, serving the needs of Latino migrant workers.
Several University graduates and former El Centro volunteers drove from Chicago for the occasion, and one flew from San Jose, Calif., to send Phillips off on his next great adventure. He leaves Monday for San Andres Cholula, two hours south of Mexico City, where more friends await.
"Most of the people who were here today, I may never see again in my life," Phillips said.
Phillips, 72, is retiring from the 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week job he did without pay, easing migrant workers' adjustment to life in America. More than 5,000 Latino immigrants work year-round in factories, hotels and restaurants throughout Champaign County. Most are undocumented -- without tourist, student, or work visas.
Phillips came to Champaign-Urbana 10 years ago and established El Centro, a nonprofit organization that has affected hundreds of lives of volunteers and immigrants.
During his time in Champaign-Urbana, Phillips became aware of hundreds of local Latino migrant workers' needs. He opened El Centro in a small campus office provided by St. John the Divine Episcopal Church. A few years later, the center was moved off-campus to provide services around the clock.
Guadalupe Abreu, who works at the East Central Illinois Refugee Mutual Assistance Center, said obtaining visas is very difficult. An immigrant must prove that he performs a special type of work no one else can do and must be sponsored by an employer, she said. To renew a 6-month visa, he must return to his home country and reapply.
"Hugh never asked if they were legal or not," said Abigail Salyers, president of the El Centro Board. "He just served people with needs."
The Daily Illini encourages on-topic discussion through article commenting on its articles and blogs. It is our policy not to delete any comments based upon political or ideological point of view. However, we reserve the right to remove comments that are abusive, off-topic or use excessive foul language.
The posting of copyrighted material, including any and all content for which you are not the author, is illegal under Federal intellectual property laws. Such activity will not be tolerated. Comments containing copyrighted material will be removed, and continued violation of copyright law is grounds for being banned completely from commenting on DailyIllini.com.
If you feel any post meets these conditions or merits review, please e-mail our editors at meonline@dailyillini.com.