MIMS Cohort 6 Student Spotlight: Hope Border Institute Summer Experience

Jesús de la Torre, summer at Hope Border Institute.

Jesús de la Torre is in Cohort 6 of the Migration Studies program. This past summer he was able to work with Hope Border Institute, a faith-based strategy center located on the US Mexico Border.

This last week and a half I had the chance and privilege to be a humble learner at the US-Mexico borderlands with @HopeBorder. I learnt with admiration the work they do together with so many organizations and communities and how these communities thrive. Follow the thread.

1. What do you think when you hear the word border? You might think about the wall or the migration policies that prevent the access to asylum, separate families, and cause harm. And while that’s right, what about the resistance and desires of migrants and borderland communities?

2. Those at the borderlands, including migrant communities, are actively seeking to change these policies and transform the system. But, at the same time, they remind us something crucial: that these are also spaces to thrive, spaces for joy, companionship and solidarity.

3. During my days here I could get a glimpse of that reality as a little outsider to whom they opened their hearts and tables. We attended the celebrations for the retirement of Fr. Arturo Bañuelas, who has tirelessly worked for migrant communities in his 46 years of service.

4. We also held meetings with organizations and policymakers where I could see how my colleagues bring the unique perspective of the borderlands to the migration debate. The priorities: restoring asylum, dismantling harmful policies, and accompanying. “Personas al centro”.

5. In that spirit of hosting, we celebrated the end of this visit to El Paso with @HopeBorder with a farewell party. As a good @FullbrightSpain scholar, I prepared “el arroz de mi madre” (similar to a paella but not the same)! What a great time we had!

6. I end this thread with a deep sense of gratitude to the @Hope Border team, who welcomed me with open arms and keeps teaching me invaluable lessons. And forever grateful to @USFMIMS, @FullbrightSpain and @AndaluciaJunta for their unconditional support!

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