IMMIGRATION
Immigration Justice has been a major issue in Michigan for many years, given its use of migrant labor, largely from Mexico, as an agricultural worker base. With deepening crises at the southern border of the United States as well, the ACSJL collaborated with activists, scholars and statewide organizations focused on this issue. Moreover, the majority of Kalamazoo College’s student body of color is Latinx, some of whom are undocumented themselves or come from families with undocumented parents.
These students were agents of change for the College, bringing programmatic ideas and campaigns to the ACSJL. In addition, we supported the hire of three Latinx faculty members who became collaborators on many immigrant justice projects at the ACSJL; they also introduced courses on coloniality and immigration justice issues. As you will see below, the ACSJL has been a locus for work in this area, helping shape a more just immigration policy in the county of Kalamazoo.
BANNER IMAGE: HOSTILE TERRAIN 94
The Kalamazoo County ID was established in 2018 and was the direct result of a study conducted by K College’s Professor of Anthropology, Dr. Francisco Villegas, and his student research group, along with the collaboration of ACSJL regional fellow, Nelly Fuentes.
This work was funded by the ACSJL and K's Center for Civic Engagement. The report “The Kalamazoo County ID: Needs, Barriers, and Possibilities“ addressed the impact of the lack of identification for undocumented members of the community. They also performed an evaluation of the program “1,500 and Counting: The Kalamazoo County ID Implementation, Access, and Evaluation Report”. Here, ACSJL staff gets the ID. The IDs are open to all residents and in solidarity, it’s important that as many people get them as possible.
For 10 years, the ACSJL worked very closely with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC). MIRC held meetings in the ACSJL building as well as programs and events.
In 2013, Welcoming Michigan was the winner of the Regional Prize for Collaborative Social Justice Leadership.
Welcoming Michigan has for years served as the face of inclusion for immigrants in Michigan. Over the years they have held meetings, programs and events at the ACSJL. In the photo are Eisheva Wolff and two of the finalists from the Global Prize, 2013.
The work of the national organization, Movimiento Cosecha was expanded and deepened in the Kalamazoo area. This effort was led by the work of Nelly Fuentes-Donnachello who used her ACSJL regional fellowship to organize a chapter in our community.
Movimiento Cosecha is a decentralized, undocumented migrant-led movement that seeks to gain permanent protection, dignity, and respect for all out-of-status migrants by exercising collective labor and consumer power.
Seydi Sarr Says ACSJL Impacted Her in Profound Ways
“Coming to the With/out ¿Borders conference in 2014, as an African immigrant living in Detroit, reaffirmed in me that there was room to create a society where passports and visas were obsolete. I was moved and inspired and encouraged to continue building and working for my fellow black immigrants. This conference cemented in me the need to pursue social justice, and it is part of why I applied to the Master of Social Justice program from Marygrove College. I graduated in May 2016 and have remained engaged and active in the trenches; tirelessly centering the narratives of black immigrants and highlighting our plight at the intersections of discrimination, xenophobia, race, religion, culture, and class“
—Seydi Sarr ABISA - Founder
In 2019, the ACSJL became the first global Sponsor of the Hostile Terrain 94 installation and one of 150 global sites installing the exhibit. Because of our global sponsorship, the Undocumented Migration Project was able to support additional installations by people directly impacted, including those in Mexico and Central America.
Why Host Hostile Terrain? Students Speak
Hostile Terrain: A Moment of Resistance.
ACSJL hosted a screening of the PBS Indie Lens film Dolores about Dolores Huerta for more than 70 community members.
“Loved the film—having grown up in the Central Valley of California, this film hits close to home and helped me appreciate Dolores so much more. Thanks so much for bringing this film and elevating this important history and example of leadership/organizing! “
“Knowledge—had minimal knowledge of her and now I can teach about her and introduce her to my students.”
“As a migrant/seasonal farmworker advocate, this film reminded me of identifying self-worth within ourselves—I plan to remind everyone of their value as a human.”
In 2015, the Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement, which works on issues of immigrants at the southern border of the United States was the winner of the Global Prize for Transformative Social Justice Leadership. In 2018, three members of Justicia for Migrant Workers traveled from Canada to participate in Toward a Futureland, a With/Out -¿Borders? Convening.
