The director and lead organizer of the Pioneer Valley Project, which created the Springfield Interfaith Sanctuary Coalition. Springfield’s South Congregational Church offered sanctuary to Peruvian immigrant Gisella Collazo and her two children for over two months while she fought for a stay of deportation. The mayor publicly opposed the sanctuary, threatening to strip South Congregational of its tax-exempt status and sending inspectors and fire marshals to try to find reasons to shut it down. Parrish led the effort to mobilize the community to support Collazo and work with the City Council to oppose the mayor. The Council ultimately passed a resolution to ban city officials from interfering with the church, preventing the mayor or other political bodies from shutting down the sanctuary.

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