An Inspiration, an Activist and a Beautiful Person!

Meet Jan Meslin

Tell me a little bit about yourself?

My name is Jan Meslin. I have always been an activist for women’s rights, antiwar, single-payer healthcare, immigrant rights, and so much more.

Did you learn activism from your parents or was it something that just came as you grew older?

Both my parents were teachers. They were good examples for me, especially my mother who was always there for people that were going through difficult times.

How did you get involved in immigration-related activism?

I first got involved with an organization called CREER, and I started to meet some undocumented folks and became friends with them. The reason I became passionate about helping my friends in CREER is that lots of hate was being spewed against them.

I also got involved with OCCCO, which is an interfaith organizing group that empowers community members, and I started to go to City Council meetings to speak up for them.

What made you do that?