From one immigrant to another, I know many people will say you could've done "it" differently. We are judged, demonized, and under constant attack. The broken US immigration system, meanwhile, tries to intimidate us into believing we have no choices left, that we must accept whatever fate a judge decides for us. But remember that your migration to this country meant choosing … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Support Undocumented Folks
As a nation, we are living through a very scary time. And while that may be the understatement of the century, there are particular demographics under attack right now. As a person who works in educating students of color, whose parents may or may not be undocumented, as well as educating undocumented students, I have noticed a shift in their attitudes. I’ve seem some … [Read more...]
6 Formas de quererte cuando sos indocumentado en los EE. UU.
1 Recordá que tu existencia es valida Cuando sos constantemente objeto de leyes, enmiendas y especulación mediática, es fácil olvidarse que sos más que un número. Tu existencia es válida, sin importar cómo cruzaste la frontera, de donde sos o donde estas hoy. Los seres humanos no pueden ser “ilegales”, especialmente en un país cuyas leyes se construyeron sobre la esclavitud … [Read more...]
Art as Resistance: 7 Undocumented Artists You’ll Want to Follow
When I wake up in the morning, I always reach for my phone. The best mornings start with cumbias in the background. I put on my favorite mix, and throw on a shirt, made by the homies from the IYC. I text my friend Paula, and we chat about upcoming shows and concerts, we talk about ideas for our community, and as my eyes travel across the art on my walls, I sigh. My mornings and … [Read more...]
Kidnapping, Jailing, and Abusing Immigrant Children Is Body Terrorism
I live in a country where millions of people avert their gaze from or even celebrate the jailing of children, torn from their parents and often trafficked across state lines. Apparently it’s acceptable to commit human rights abuses against a population if you’ve already dehumanized them to your supporters, made an exception because as “illegal aliens”, they’re not quite the … [Read more...]
5 Ways We Can Stop Erasing Undocumented Black Folks from Conversations on Immigration
“Stay away from Bobby’s department store over in Brooklyn. There are ICE agents over there rounding Caribbean people up.” Messages like this began circulating in my social media sphere around February of 2018. Legislators and police disproved those specific reports. However, the fear and anxiety that enabled these Facebook rumors to spread are very real. As the daughter of … [Read more...]
