Evergreen Hosts Immigration Conference

author : Bernard Roddy topic : TESC

by Bernard Roddy

The Immigration and Border Dialogues Conference took place at Evergreen State College May 15 – 18. Organizers brought together central figures in the struggle to frame border issues in terms of migration patterns and individual rights rather than criminal activity and joined the hard work of border activism with the pleasures of Latino culture.

The opening panel on Friday, facilitated by co-organizer and Evergreen media faculty Beatriz Flores Gutierrez, introduced independent scholar Ani Goodenberger, Delle McCormick of Borderlinks, Jennifer Allen of Border Action Network, Robin Hoover of Humane Borders, and John Fife, a founder of the Sanctuary Movement, all based in Tucson, AZ. U.S. economic and border enforcement policies over the past fifteen years have forced Latin American migration into extremely hazardous desert regions bordering with Arizona. Speakers addressed attempts to respond to the resulting rise in migrant deaths, increased military presence in border communities, and growing human rights abuses perpetrated by vigilante groups and border agents.

Saturday’s keynote panel brought together community organizers working with Latin American neighborhoods facing the increasing violence of detention and terror perpetrated by the likes of the Minutemen and Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE). Whereas Friday’s panel emphasized faith-based responses by Anglo communities, Saturday’s highlighted local Latino organization efforts. Rosalinda Guillen of Community to Community, based in Bellingham, WA, joined Maru Villalpando of Washington Community Action Network and Pedro Sosa of American Friends Service Committee in Portland to address the challenges facing families and workers. Valary James’ installation and talk reflected on the humanity and love imbued in clothing and other objects left by migrants in the Arizona desert; her work reflected on the natural transformation of materials through time, and her reworking of found objects to build her sculptures and shrines.

The conference successfully combined, artful entertainment and good food with discussion and analysis. The kick-off event Thursday evening was an inspiring performance of Las Mamalogues, giving voice to Latino women’s stories about their mothers. On Saturday evening Correo Aereo, an exceedingly gifted duet, performed traditional and original music from Venezuela, Mexico, and Argentina on the harp, violin and maracas. And following the music Evergreen guest artist Rodrigo Duarte Clark, prominent in the Chicano theater movement, led Teatro de la Esperanza, a drama featuring Evergreen student performers.

The conference also sought to establish connections between the domestic crisis of the war in Iraq and the harassment of immigrant communities in the States. On Friday Rita Zawaideh of the Arab-American Community Coalition introduced the daughter of a Muslim detainee at Sea-Tac Federal Detention Center, and on Saturday Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejia, a conscientious objector and member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, discussed war resistance.

Characteristic of Evergreen’s mission, marquee keynote panels were alternated with smaller workshops designed to engage critical thought and personal initiative. By putting an intelligent and creative face on targeted immigrant communities, organizers have challenged local communities to accept the responsibilities of peaceful coexistence.