Meeting the Mexico/US Border for the First Time

“You can tell me about the politics of Latin America,but you don't know what's happening at your own border.”– Activist from Colombia

The School of the Americas Protest has become my activist family reunion. For the last five years, I’ve marched with many of the same people from organizations I trust and love. This year we converged on the Mexico/US border in Nogales. This choice, in my opinion, was politically necessary. With the fascist rhetoric of anti-immigration, mostly about those from the global South, it seems only appropriate at this time to show our solidarity. And it's true, overall, I don't know much about the border, so when the Colombian activist spoke the words above, it struck me. One weekend in Arizona is not going to give me the full story about the militarization at the Border or the use of drones or the great work of solidarity by churches to those crossing the desert. I have much more to read, experience, and stories to listen to.Throughout the weekend, as usual, much creativity was on display: from the puppetistas to the Peace Poets to the noise demostration outside the ICE Dentention Center. I decided then I didn't want to only write a reflection, but a song. You can watch me sing it here.

"Meeting the Border for the first time"

I went to Arizona not knowing what to expectNo, me and the Southwest, we've never met

I heard stories of torturein Detention CentersWhere people are cagedand the law is dismemberedMake some noise, Eloy*Make some noise, EloyI went to Arizona not knowing what to expectNo, me and the Southwest, we've never metI heard a boy was shotafter throwing some rocksHe was killed through the fence,16 years oldPresente, Jose Antonio**Presente, JosePresente, desert hopefulsPresente, refugeeI went to Arizona not knowing what to expectNo, me and the Southwest, we've never metI witnessed a wall in NogalesIt was tall, strong, and rustedWhy do we separate people?Was this part of God's plan?Tear the wall down, Oh GodEnd the babel, Holy OneOpen our homes, Holy RefugeeGive us courage to loveI went to Arizona not knowing what to expectNo, me and the Southwest, we've never metBut I'll be back.*Eloy was the town where we went to the Dentention Center.**Remembering Jose Antonio