Civic Engagement
How Storytelling During the COVID-19 Crisis Can Help Defeat Nativism
We are in the midst of a crisis unlike any we’ve experienced in our lifetimes. We are scared and scrambling to protect ourselves and the ones that we love. This is normal and understandable. However, if we’re not mindful, the spread of the coronavirus and the accompanying fear could create… Read More
Undocumented, Black, and Unseen
I am one of approximately 619,000 undocumented, Black immigrants living in the United States. My immigration story began at seven years old, when I came to the United States from Belize without my mother, father, or siblings. The latter is a common narrative for DACA recipients like me. But the… Read More
Demographic Change Is Hard, Especially When Our Leaders Stoke Our Worst Fears
After more than 20 years in the immigrant justice movement, I confess that I missed the mark. In my drive to improve the lives of immigrants and refugees, I was blind to some key realities taking root in America. I failed to see the surge of cultural anxiety driven by… Read More
Talking Turkey About America’s Most Pressing Issues
Each year, we gather around dinner tables at Thanksgiving with people we love—but don’t necessarily agree with—when it comes to politics and the direction of the country. The political discourse of the past several years has left many people feeling that their values are under attack. They disagree with or… Read More
Immigration “Restrictionists” Hitting Their Stride Under Trump, But We Can Stop Them
Short-term thinking is inferior to long-term thinking, some argue, because it does a disservice to the future and those who will live it. Two long-term thinkers who have profoundly impacted U.S. immigration policy were recently in the headlines: John Tanton and Cordelia Scaife May. Both helped give rise to… Read More
Community Support Flows Into El Paso After Mass Shooting
El Paso, Texas suffered a horrific tragedy on Saturday when a gunman entered a local Walmart and opened fire. The gunman—who was emboldened by racist rhetoric to specifically target immigrants and Latinos—ultimately murdered 22 people and wounded 26. In the wake of this anguish, people are… Read More
86 Conversations Across US Show Public Opinion on Immigration Is Complex Yet Changeable
The American public can still deliberate civilly with one another about issues of national importance. The most recent example comes from The Kettering Foundation who hosted 86 conversations across America on the topic of immigration through their National Issues Forums (NIF). The resulting report from these… Read More
America's story is an immigrant story.
