By Pam Albright and Tina Shelton, WILPF Greater Philadelphia Branch
Pam Albright, a member of WILPF’s Greater Philadelphia Branch, shares how her community has fought against ICE and the prejudice that has affected her neighborhood over the past year.
Soon after the last presidential election, residents of Cheltenham—a community just outside Philadelphia—channeled their dismay into collective action. Finding comfort and hope in shared values, neighbors formed a group to support each other and explore ways to resist threats to civil rights. One of the group’s first initiatives, under the banner of East Cheltenham C.A.R.E.S. (Community, Action, Resistance, Equity, Solidarity), was to create an immigration committee after children at the local bus stop expressed fears that their parents might be deported.
This past fall, East Cheltenham C.A.R.E.S. joined forces with other township residents to draft a Welcoming Township Policy for the commissioners. With consistent turnout—30 or more people attending each Board of Commissioners meeting for several months—the group successfully convinced the commissioners to unanimously adopt the policy, ensuring the township would not cooperate with ICE unless legally required.
On Jan. 3, 2026, East Cheltenham C.A.R.E.S. organized a protest outside a local Citizens Bank branch, partnering with the local Indivisible group, which also protested at two other Citizens Bank branches that day. Citizens Bank is a major financier of private corporations like the GEO Group, which owns and operates several immigration detention centers, including the Moshannon Valley Detention Center in Pennsylvania. The rally drew 20–25 protesters, including seven children.
On Feb. 7, the neighborhood group held its second protest at Citizens Bank. Despite 9-degree weather, 14 participants turned out, including a family with two children, ages 11 and 9. These remarkable kids designed a Citizens Bank flyer—far surpassing the group’s earlier attempt—and brought their own signs and chants. The children spoke with bank patrons, explaining why they should consider moving their money elsewhere. People responded positively; one woman, an immigrant, thanked the protesters for their presence. East Cheltenham C.A.R.E.S. plans to continue protesting at Citizens Bank on the first Saturday of every month.
Last week, a Democratic ward leader informed Pam that Cheltenham maintained an account at Citizens Bank. East Cheltenham C.A.R.E.S. brought this to the attention of one of their commissioners. A few days later, the commissioner emailed to say he had encouraged the township’s financial officer to close the account—a decision that was also under financial consideration—and that they had, in fact, done so. Several East Cheltenham C.A.R.E.S. members attended a recent Commissioners meeting to publicly thank them for closing the account. The most moving speech came from the 11-year-old boy who had attended a protest; he thanked the commissioners for their efforts to protect the community.
Following the horrific murder of Renée Good, Pam and her husband Randy joined thousands at a vigil and protest outside Philadelphia City Hall.
East Cheltenham C.A.R.E.S. also participates in rapid-response actions against ICE raids in the area. Protecting immigrants and other vulnerable community members remains a top priority. Building connections at the neighborhood level is a powerful antidote to despair. Pam notes that her involvement in WILPF’s Greater Philadelphia Branch has introduced her to lifelong activists committed to countering white supremacy and its effects.
By acting locally and fostering appreciation for the many cultures in our community, we help meet everyone’s needs. In turn, this strengthens our community and brings us closer to WILPF US’s vision: “a world where needs are met equitably, everyone participates in decisions that affect them, and human societies are designed for sustainable existence in harmony with the interconnected web of life.”
