Building Power Together: What We Decided at CATA’s 2025 Annual Assembly

On October 19, 2025, CATA members gathered on a beautiful day beside the Delaware River to reflect on the work we’ve accomplished over the past year and the challenges ahead during the coming years of the Trump Administration.

This gathering, our Annual Assembly, marked the culmination of a six-month community needs assessment. Throughout this process, we engaged community members in conversations about the issues most affecting them, and we considered our role as a community-based, justice-oriented organization.

During the assembly, members approved our strategic plan for the next few years. While much work remains to define how we will implement these priorities, we now have a clear roadmap to guide our efforts through the Trump years.

Key Priorities in Our Strategic Plan

1. Prioritizing the Response to the Immigration Crisis

Providing Know Your Rights education and strengthening our capacity to support individuals and families impacted by detention and deportation.

2. Maintaining and Expanding Outreach to Farms and Immigrant Communities

Continuing workers’ rights and health and safety trainings, while growing our ability to serve both Latino and Haitian immigrant community members.

3. Increasing Our Ability to Grow Food for the Community

Expanding the physical footprint and production of our community garden.

4. Ensuring Strong Collaboration with Partner Organizations

Building partnerships that allow us to connect community members directly to trusted allies, ensure a warm handoff, leverage outside expertise, and expand program reach.

5. Deepening Engagement with Youth and Volunteers

Increasing youth involvement and volunteer participation to strengthen community support and leadership development.

How You Can Support This Work

We know that the support of allies and friends will be critical to achieving success in all of these areas. If you’d like to collaborate, we invite you to donate—but also to engage beyond financial contributions.

Here are a few ways to get involved:

• Volunteer in our community gardens.

• Train as a Workers’ Rights Ambassador.

• Join canvassing efforts in Bridgeton to inform immigrant families about their rights.

• Support organizing in Maryland to prevent local law enforcement from entering formal agreements with ICE.

• Participate in rallies and advocacy for protections like heat safety and paid sick leave—and to stop ICE collaboration.

  
  

As we move into a new chapter of uncertainty and opportunity, one thing is clear: our power comes from our people. The decisions made at this year’s Assembly reflect not only our shared values but our shared commitment to building a future where immigrant workers and their families can live with dignity, safety, and belonging.

Together, we will continue to show up, resist injustice, and create lasting change—one community at a time.