By Steven Mayers and Jonathan Freedman Gabriel and Soledad, narrators in Solito, Solita, unfurl the Honduran flag in support of refugees. When we began interviewing youth refugees from Central America four and a half years ago, we never imagined that a caravan of Honduran refugees would arrive in Tijuana the same day [...]
It’s been one year since Hurricane María battered Puerto Rico, destroying thousands of homes, killing nearly 3,000 people, and leaving many across the island without electricity, access to clean drinking water, food, and medical care. In the past year, the current administration has disregarded facts, crafted its own narrative of the aftermath, and withheld crucial [...]
by Jon Earle Image courtesy of The New Sanctuary Coalition A bride and groom are married in chains. A mother prepares her daughters for life without her. Two prison friends sing, "Lord, give us a big heart to love, and a strong heart to fight." These are the stories of immigrants facing [...]
The topic of immigration has been a critical political issue since borders were built, yet immigrant voices continue to be excluded from this ongoing story within the United States. Recently, we've seen a surge of media coverage discussing an appalling scene at our border: refugees are being arrested and locked away in immigrant detention facilities, and [...]
by Steven Mayers Hundreds gather each morning at El Chaparral port of entry in Tijuana Crossing from San Ysidro into Mexico on foot, I don’t even need to show my passport. After walking down a hallway for a few [...]
A refugee's story does not end once they’ve reached a host country. In fact, that is often just the beginning of their journey. On World Refugee Day, join us in honoring the courage of refugees by amplifying their stories. Our new project, Resettled, explores the displacement, trauma, and community integration refugees face when resettling in rural Appalachia. By [...]
The New Americans Museum (NAM) in San Diego, CA has embraced a critical responsibility in American history and culture: promoting understanding and interaction between immigrants and native-born Americans. In the era of Trump, this is no easy feat. Shortly after the 2016 election, the museum was vandalized with anti-immigrant graffiti declaring, “Too much [...]
The human rights crisis occurring right now in Burma is nothing new. When we published Nowhere to be Home: Narratives from Survivors of Burma's Military Regime in 2011, one narrator, Fatima, recounted her experience as a Rohingya refugee living in Bangladesh, and the hardship she faced as a Muslim in Burma. We must continue to share the [...]
For over five decades, Colombia has been embroiled in internal armed conflict among guerrilla groups, paramilitary militias, and the country’s own military. Civilians in Colombia have faced a range of abuses from all sides, including killings, disappearances, and rape—and more than four million have been forced to flee their homes. As the crisis [...]
Maggie Lemere, left, and Zoë West, right, at the launch of the Burmese-language translation of the book Nowhere to Be Home, on Saturday, January 18, 2016 in Rangoon. (Photo: Hein Htet / The Irrawaddy) In light of Burma’s history of oppressive censorship, we couldn’t be more thrilled that the stories of former political prisoners and [...]
