“Bienvenida”
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the We Will Resist Summit held in the beautiful borderlands of El Paso. As my Uber driver dropped me off at my destination, we chatted in Spanglish, and I eventually disclosed it was my first time in El Paso. He was quick to warmly say, “bienvenida” (“welcome”) and wished me a good stay. It felt good to be welcomed and this interaction gave me a first-hand taste of how the community in El Paso treats their newcomers.
At the summit, I was in good company with various organizations from all over the state, all working in different capacities to uphold the rights of their communities as policies like SB4 and Operation Lone Star (OLS) continue to pose a profound and chilling effect on the fabric of communities througout Texas. This convening served multiple purposes as we delved deeper into how to move forward together as a unified voice and strategy.
Intersectionalities
One key takeaway for me that was made evident from the diverse voices in this summit, was the intersectionality of immigration and reproductive rights, and immigration and climate/environmental rights. Reproductive rights and climate justice are already essential issues that are the focus of many people of faith and central to our work. Recently, award-winning journalist Paola Ramos, spoke to women waiting in Mexico who were subjected to sexual violence as they journeyed to the US and were unaware of the changes in reproductive laws and their rights in Texas. Displacement and migration caused by climate change will continue to rise but “climate change is not grounds for international protection”.
On another intersectionality based on faith, the day before the summit began, Texas’ attorney general filed an injunction to stop Annunciation House from operating during the pendency of ongoing litigation. Annunciation House, a catholic non profit has served communities of newcomers for almost 50 years. In a press conference held outside of Annunciation House, its director stated, “a place that has been holy and made sacred by the refugees was referred to as a stash house…that has been the most hurtful thing to hear.” The legal action against Annunciation House has a chilling effect on many other organizations who provide religious and humanitarian services to newcomers in their communities.
La Unión Hace La Fuerza
La unión hace la fuerza (unity makes strength). This thought kept emerging for me at the summit that left me filled with hope. We can use the interconnectedness of our struggles, shared identities as Texans, and people of faith who care for each other and for our environment to propel our work forward –stronger– together.
Take action and join Texas Impact’s Issue Champion groups working on reproductive justice, and climate change, or join me in the Rio Grande Valley on a Courts & Ports border immersion learning program to get a big picture understanding of our fast paced ever changing immigration system.