Francisco Olachea “Pancho” Martin is a street nurse in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico and works with Voices from the Border to support migrants waiting for their asylum hearings. “One of our goals is that they have human dignity. Not to let them lose their hope.” Migrants “We try to change the moment, we’re not trying to change their life just the moment. And we hope that … Continue reading Francisco Martin
As I watch the tragic events unfold in Afghanistan, and listen to the debate about who needs to get out of the country, and how and when, I am reminded of an interview I did in Dallas several years ago with Humam Taha. Humam graduated from the University of Mosul, where he studied to be a translator. After the United States invaded Iraq, Humam joined … Continue reading What now?
Sebastian Quinac immigrated from Guatemala in his 20s to flee the civil war and threats to his life. After time in California and New York, he settled in Tucson, Arizona where he has lived for the past two decades. He is now a U.S. citizen and works with the Guatemalan consulate to help migrant families navigate the American immigration system. “One of my friends is … Continue reading Sebastian Quinac
Juanita Molina is the Executive Director for Border Action Network in Tucson, Arizona. Throughout her career she has advocated for LGBTQ communities and offered support to people with HIV/AIDS, those with terminal cancer and others facing domestic abuse and sexual assault. Her current role allows her to work for the rights of immigrants and while she often is responsible for holding immigration enforcement agencies and … Continue reading Juanita Molina
We left before the sun came up to meet Alvaro. It had snowed the night before and the roads were slow and icy. “Meet us in Amado,” he said. “By the big cow horns…you’ll see.” Alvaro Enciso is a 75-year old Colombian immigrant. He is an artist. He builds crosses and installs them in the Sonoran Desert where migrants have died trying to make the … Continue reading Josseline
Teresa Reyes was born in El Salvador and came to the United States in 1999 when she was 17 years old, nine months pregnant and spoke only Spanish. As she established herself in her new home, she packed lettuce in farm fields, worked in slaughterhouses and taught herself English. She eventually put herself through college and now works as an environmental scientist. We talked about … Continue reading Teresa Reyes
Last week we set up a studio at a plaza in Nogales, Arizona, about a block away from the border wall. We asked people, “How has the wall impacted you?” The first person to stop by was Claudia. She was from Mexico, but had her U.S. residency and lived and worked in Nogales, Arizona. She had married Emanuel three years ago and his immigration process … Continue reading A simple question
Tony Sedgwick is the President of the Board for the Santa Fe Ranch Foundation, a working cattle ranch near Nogales, Arizona and just a few miles north of the U.S. border with Mexico. With a background in international business law, Tony offers a sweeping view of history and economics of the borderlands and sees a need to shift our international policies away from fear and … Continue reading Tony Sedgwick
“There’s a good chance you’re going to think I’m nuts,” I said to the Border Patrol agent as I walked up to his SUV, parked at the top of a hill, facing south toward the border wall on the edge of Nogales, Arizona. I’d been photographing along the wall, the rusted steel bollards thrust 20 feet toward the sky, cascading coils of concertina wire hanging … Continue reading Peace at the border
The day didn’t go quite the way we had planned. I was with India Aubry of Voices from the Border and we were crossing into Nogales, Sonora, Mexico to interview Pancho, a street nurse who cares for migrants waiting south of the border for asylum hearings. We had directions and our plan was to meet Pancho at one of the migrant shelters to see his … Continue reading Both sides
