Immigration Is a Civil Rights and Human Rights Issue
Immigration is not just a policy debate. It is a civil rights and human rights issue.
The February episode of the “Youth Community Journalism” show looked at immigration and how we can create fair, just, and humane solutions for the millions of immigrants facing challenges in the United States.
Youth Community Journalism — Episode 8: Why Immigrants Matter
Our guests for this show on immigration:
Michelle Rivero, director, Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, City of Minneapolis
Dr. Miguel Fiol, Frente de Acción de Latinos en Minnesota (FALM)
Viviana Salazar, Minneapolis community leader, Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights commissioner
Dana Alcalá, Risen Christ Catholic School, director of community engagement
While the challenges are immense, the message is clear: organize, empower youth, and build resilience.
“[Young people] are starting to realize what they can do to make things better so I’m really hopeful that the younger generations will be the ones to make that difference,” said Salazar on the show.
“Seeing how the community has come together, I feel like more than ever, everyone has come out and shown their support to immigrants,” said Alcalá. “Imagine that in a few years when all the young kids are in roles in the federal government or in their city, I just can’t Imagine how far it’ll go. That’s what gives me hope.”
“I feel like the older I get the more I realize that we see the same thing but a different day, and what keeps me hopeful is understanding that the more we experience, the more we’re prepared for the next challenges, for what’s to come,” said Rivero. “The other thing that keeps me hopeful is the incredible human potential that I see in people every single day and how exciting it is when you have a connection with someone who’s a stranger. First, they see you as a stranger. But then something happens, and you get to know each other. And that’s so incredible. And we can all have that every single day. And it’s really such a gift.”
“What I get out of all of this is the warmth and appreciation, and to make it simple, the love you get from people when you get together with them,” said Dr. Fiol. “You get down to basics and you feel that connection that people feel you care for them and they care for you. There’s nothing more beautiful than that transmission of love from caring about each other and … the solidarity. Solidarity is a huge word for me, and I think that this kind of historical traumas that countries go through, there is a little bit of a light in the sense that people come together to be people and to support each other and to give each other, and that’s what keeps me going, from meeting to meeting, and doing this kind of thing, is you get more love back than you give.”
“Youth Community Journalism” is a monthly public access television show produced by youth (ages 10-16) from the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation‘s Youth Community Journalism Institute.
The show was produced live Friday, Feb. 7, 6-7 p.m. CT at SPEAK MPLS, a community media center in Minneapolis.
This show, and all youth community journalism programming at the Youth Community Journalism Institute, was produced in partnership with Conversaciones de Salud, a monthly digital and print magazine published by Carmen Robles and the premier media partner of the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation.
Support the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation’s Youth Community Journalism Institute. The Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) private foundation. All donations are tax-deductible. Any donation, big or small, is appreciated. You can make a donation here.
