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As a business owner or operator, it's critical to understand your rights—and those of your employees—when faced with immigration enforcement actions.
In today’s challenging immigration climate, your leadership is especially important to your immigrant employees, on the issues in immigrant law in today’s anti-immigrant policies of the Federal government. This seminar will provide business leadership with tools to help you gain the confidence in the hearts and minds of all your employees that you have taken steps as an informed business leader in understanding and protecting their constitutional rights and rights to due process, as written into our Constitution.
The goal of this seminar is to educate informed business leadership on steps you can take at the workplace to teach staff, what to say or not say and what actions can be taken when ICE appears at your business.
Program
- Local Business Owner's Perspective - Kirk Lok, Lok Group of Companies CEO, an Asian American hospitality company
- Know Your Rights: Understanding Your Constitutional Protections - Speaker Jose Arturo Ibarra
- Protecting Your Immigrant Workers - Speaker Nicole Gorney, Immigration Attorney, VIDAS (Vital Immigrant Defense Advocacy)
- North Bay Rapid Response Network - What it is, how it works, and how you can participate in protecting our fellow community members when confronted by ICE.
- Petaluma Law Enforcement's Perspective - Lieutenant Zilverio Rivera, Petaluma Police Department
- Q&A
More Information
- Presentation will be in English.
- Program starts promptly at 2:30 pm. (Doors open at 2:00 pm).
- Free admission - registration required. Registration closes on June 13.
- Email us at info@aapicnorthbay.org for any questions.
Presented by
Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition of North Bay (AAPIC)
Supported by
The City of Petaluma, Petaluma Downtown Association, and Petaluma Visitors Program.
Speakers' Bios
Kirk Lok
Kirk Lok is CEO of Lok Group of Companies, an immigrant family business rooted in Sonoma County since 1954, when his parents opened a wash-and-fold laundry. They later bought their first motel in Santa Rosa in 1970. Kirk and his brother Alec went on to build and open the Quality Inn Petaluma (1985) and the Holiday Inn Express Sebastopol (1998), now a Fairfield by Marriott. Their family continues to operate both hotels, proudly serving the local community.
Deeply involved in local and national hospitality efforts, Kirk serves on the boards of Sonoma County Tourism, Sonoma County Hospitality Association, and the national Choice Hotels Owners Association. As a founding member of the Petaluma Lodging Association, he helped establish the Petaluma Tourism Improvement District, promoting sustainable economic development. His lifelong ties to the immigrant experience and the North Bay business community give him a unique perspective on supporting immigrant workers today.
Kirk is an active member of Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition of North Bay.
Jose A. Ibarra
Jose was born in Mexico, became a U.S. citizen in the 1980s. A former seminarian, he earned a degree in Clinical Psychology with minors in Theology and Philosophy from Our Lady of the Lake University. Jose spent over 40 years as an international flight attendant, engaging in labor negotiations and cultural outreach, supported by his fluency in Spanish, English, and some French and Japanese. Deeply committed to human activism, his English and Spanish Know Your Rights presentations reflect his lifelong passion for justice and empowering others through knowledge and action.
Nicole Gorney
Nicole Gorney, is a bilingual California State Bar-licensed immigration attorney with VIDAS Legal in Sonoma County. Nicole is the Supervising Attorney of the removal defense and farmworker rights programs at VIDAS. Nicole attended University of San Francisco School of Law, where she specialized in immigration law and made several advocacy trips to the U.S.-Mexico border. Previously, she worked for the Bar Association of San Francisco, as well as USF School of Law's Removal Defense clinic.
North Bay Rapid Response Network (NBRRN)
The North Bay Rapid Response Network is a community-led first responder network for Sonoma, Solano, and Napa counties that allows our immigrant communities and allies to respond to fear and anxiety with power and action in the face of threats of ICE raids or attacks against our communities.
The NBRRN serves as witnesses to immigration enforcement actions, uphold the rights and dignity of immigrants and our allies, and connect communities to networks of care.
Lieutenant Zilverio Rivera
Lieutenant Zilverio “Zeus” Rivera is a seasoned law enforcement professional with over 18 years of service committed to public safety, community engagement, and professional excellence. He began his career with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Detention Division before joining the Petaluma Police Department in 2007.
During his tenure, Lieutenant Rivera has held diverse roles, including Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Gang Officer, Hostage Negotiator, D.A.R.E. Officer, Detective, and Homeless Outreach Services Officer. His wide-ranging assignments reflect a deep dedication to both public service and professional development.
Promoted to Sergeant in 2022, he supervised patrol operations and the Gang Enforcement Team, while also serving as a liaison to a juvenile restorative justice diversion program. He was nominated for Supervisor of the Year for his leadership and mentorship.
In 2024, he was promoted to Lieutenant. He holds a B.A. in Sociology from Sonoma State University and an M.A. in Criminology from American Military University. Lieutenant Rivera is known for his integrity, operational expertise, and collaborative leadership.
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