A week of solidarity with migrants

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) student ambassadors at St. Joe’s coordinate an Immigration Week every fall, focused on the stories of migrants around the world and ways to advocate for reform. You may be familiar with our border fence, covered in statistics and images regarding refugees and migrants, which is placed in front of the chapel during Immigration Week. Ambassadors  put on an event every day of the week to raise awareness about the U.S. immigration system and the struggles of migrants.

As a CRS student ambassador and member of the executive board, I felt that Immigration Week was a huge success this year. This is my second year involved in CRS and I feel a special connection to our Immigration Week events because one of the events was the reason I decided to become a student ambassador. My freshman year, I participated in the Immigration Simulation, an interactive activity where students and faculty take on the persona of someone who is attempting to migrate to the United States.

When I first participated in the simulation, I learned so much and I remember being overwhelmed by all the information I had just received. And now, I play the role of “judge” in this event and I rattle off facts about immigration. I find myself paying attention to the facial expressions of the participants who are hearing this information for the first time. That, in itself, is a motivating factor for me to continue on with the mission of CRS. When I see my fellow classmates’ shock when they learn  about it, I know that it is something that needs to continue to be taught and talked about.

This year, we accomplished our goal of having an immigration event scheduled every day of the week. We invited students to sign an advocacy letter to their local representatives, expressing their support for DACA and pushing Congress to find a permanent solution for the Dreamers on Monday.

We held our Immigration Simulation on Tuesday and Thursday. Students and faculty could go from station to station as though they were migrating from countries such as Syria, South Sudan, Kenya and France, among others. At the end of the simulation, they found out whether they were accepted or denied citizenship to the U.S. Participants then had the chance to sign advocacy letters and sign up for a raffle to win a CRS t-shirt.

Then, we hosted a documentary screening on Wednesday of “Fire at Sea,” which showcased migrants who stopped at the island of Lampedusa on their journey to Europe. We had a Migration Conversation on Thursday night with Martina, a migrant from the island of Dominica. We ended Immigration Week on Friday with a Mass for Migrants in the chapel. Daniel Ruff, S.J., presided and selected readings specific to immigration and migrants. It was a great way to pull the week’s events together and reflect on everything we had learned.

Whether people migrated to the U.S. for better job opportunities, for better education, or to seek asylum because they are in danger in their home countries, the system is incredibly complicated. Even with all the research I have done and coordinating numerous events that are revolved around the immigration system, I know that I still have so much to learn.

I grew up in a city that has been named the most diverse city in the country and as such, most of my close friends are immigrants. They have migrated from places such as Colombia, Cuba, Ukraine, Nepal, Trinidad, England and Sri Lanka. While I grew up in such a diverse community, I had no idea of the struggles they faced getting into this country, until I got involved with CRS at St. Joe’s.

I am very thankful for all that I have learned from being involved in CRS Immigration Week. I feel a stronger sense of understanding for my friends and their families who have gone through the immigration process. It has made me a much more open-minded and empathetic person.