Commending Sin Barreras.

Commending Sin Barreras.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 9, 2026
WHEREAS, Sin Barreras, a nonprofit organization in Charlottesville, has provided immigration support services, education, advocacy, and cultural events for Hispanic immigrants in Central Virginia for 14 years, building stronger, more resilient communities; and
WHEREAS, Sin Barreras, which translates to Without Barriers, was established in 2012 by Fanny Smedile, an Ecuadorean immigrant who relocated to Charlottesville from New Jersey and saw the need for vital services to support members of the Spanish-speaking community and recent immigrants in and around Charlottesville; and
WHEREAS, Sin Barreras was originally located in a small office at a local church and only operated a few hours every week, in addition to providing a monthly legal clinic; and
WHEREAS, Sin Barreras was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 2012 and hired its first staff member in 2016; since that time, it has greatly expanded its programs and services, providing a lifeline to community members seeking advice on interaction with governmental agencies, schools, and the health care system and on other adjustments to life in Central Virginia; and
WHEREAS, through accredited representatives, Sin Barreras assists individuals with applications and other immigration paperwork; as of 2025, the organization has helped 205 individuals achieve citizenship or acquire Green Cards, overseen 245 applications or renewals under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, and successfully supported 314 other immigration petitions; and
WHEREAS, Sin Barreras offers various educational courses, including general education toward qualifying for a GED, English and Spanish language courses, computer literacy courses, driver education, and instruction to pass the citizenship test; in 2025, these programs taught 156 students; and
WHEREAS, Sin Barreras promotes community leadership and grassroots organizing by empowering immigrants to advocate for their needs; in 2025, the organization held 12 advocacy events, including workshops on the electoral process, so that community members could better understand their voting rights; and
WHEREAS, Sin Barreras has sponsored the Cville Sabroso Festival for most of the organization's history; the festival, which welcomed between 4,500 and 4,700 attendees in 2025, celebrates Latino culture, unifies the immigrant community, and provides a bridge to the non-Latino community; and
WHEREAS, Sin Barreras has fulfilled its mission through generous support from community partners and the hard work of numerous volunteers; in 2025, 274 total volunteers contributed 6,114 hours of service to the organization's programs; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Sin Barreras hereby be commended for its legacy of service to the immigrant community in Charlottesville; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Sin Barreras as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for its life-changing programs and services.