Community Access Fund Recipient: Migrant Support Collective

“We dream of a world where care is collective, borders are abolished, and our people are safe, housed, and celebrated.”

That vision guides Migrant Support Collective (MSC), a recipient of Rainbow Railroad’s new Community Access Fund, which funds grassroots initiatives meeting the needs of LGBTQI+ asylum seekers and refugees in the U.S. and Canada. Based in the U.S., MSC supports migrants in immigration detention. 

“We’re building towards work that we know will have lasting impact,” said Michelle Velazquez, Advocacy Director. “The Community Access Fund is helping us grow programs that LGBTQI+ migrants need: initiatives like access to affirming reading materials, mental health support inside detention, and opportunities for creative expression through art and storytelling.”

Originally launched as Books for Migrants, the project grew from the power of books to combat isolation behind bars. “We take a dual approach to solving the issues that detained migrants face through a combination of direct services and advocacy.” 

The CAF is helping them to expand multiple initiatives, including trauma-informed, multilingual mental health resource library for LGBTQI+ migrants in detention; Pen Pal and Library Programs providing educational materials and connection; Art as Advocacy, a storytelling project to amplify detained voices; and a new Data Transparency Initiative, gathering and sharing evidence about detention conditions.“This funding makes a meaningful difference by enabling us to expand based on the needs and feedback from detained migrants,” shared Mimi Christikawa, Design & Digital Communications Director, estimating that at least 50 LGBTQI+ migrants will benefit directly from this phase.

A Deeper Kind of Impact

Receiving this grant provided validation for their work.“This is our first grant as a newly fiscally sponsored organization,” Mimi shared. “At a time when funding can be difficult to access, and as detention expands and migrant rights remain under attack, this support is critical.” 

The trust-based, low-barrier approach was especially meaningful. “Rainbow Railroad made this grant accessible to small organizations like ours by making the application and reporting processes so easy and intuitive!” explained Beck Sroczynski, Community Engagement & Program Director. 

“It’s easy to underestimate how difficult it is for small organizations to apply for grants,” they said. “Rainbow Railroad is living out its values by ensuring that it is distributing money in an equitable way.”

Local Support and Systemic Change

For those looking to support LGBTQI+ migrants in their own communities, they offer clear advice: “Start by listening to the needs that migrants in your community are naming,” Michelle urged. They also stress the importance of challenging systems: “Ask yourself: Is your city or state funding detention or deportation? Where are the immigrant voices in the spaces you are a part of?”

MSC’s work is a reminder that even within systems designed to dehumanize, creativity and connection can thrive. With Rainbow Railroad’s support, they’re building the foundation for change. Their hope is simple, but radical: that one day, this work will no longer be necessary. Until then, they remain committed to showing up for LGBTQI+ migrants with care, consistency, and a call for justice.