San Francisco, Justice: A Few Poetic Thoughts...

San Francisco, Justice: A Few Poetic Thoughts...

Between Two Worlds:
We are from two different worlds and places
Yet essentially the same,
with the utmost respect in
Trying to understand where and how you came
As your story of all the miles will stay with me
From two worlds of a scholar and home
Moving the same direction in two different places
From here and where I from
A privilege to some
But at least all the while
I give you my heart and a smile
Serving in Solidarity

BorderLinks, Justice: Monday

BorderLinks, Justice: Monday

This morning we woke up early to make our trek down to Nogales, AZ, a town that is bisected by the US-Mexico border.  We were able to see much of the Southern Arizona landscape on our trip, illustrating the truly inhospitable environment that immigrants must cross on limited food, water, and topographical knowledge.
Our first stop was the Kino Border Initiative, an organization that helps migrants on both sides of the border.  They have a kitchen, shelter, and clinic in Nogales, Mexico for deported migrants, as well as an educational mission on the American side.  The organization was founded in part by the Jesuit Order making us very proud and appreciative to be educated by such an active and compassionate tradition.  A man named West presented a wide range of information pertaining to the border and undocumented immigration, including the economic roots, the obstacles of legal immigration, and the relationship between drug violence in Mexico and US drug consumption.  We were all very surprised to learn the actual law that migrants break when illegally crossing the border: a misdemeanor known as "Entry without inspection".  The violation seemed relatively minor given the human costs of immigration that have been repeatedly demonstrated on our trip.  West asked us if anyone had ever broken a law.  After everyone in the room raised their hands, he asked, "Doesn't that make us all 'illegals' then, and not just those who cross the border without inspection?"

After this very informative and enlightening presentation, we had lunch in a park.  Shortly after, a woman named Jeanette came to talk to us about her work with an organization Home for Hope and Peace (HEPAC) which helps people in Nogales, Mexico by providing education, a positive environment and community, and shelter.  It is the sister organization to Borderlinks.  She shared with us her perspective as a lifelong resident of Nogales, Mexico and how the border has shaped her town.  She discussed how her work targeted the divisive, invisible walls that are formed in the mind and are a more dangerous byproduct of the physical wall that divides the two Nogales's.
We then went to see the actual wall, an extremely imposing structure.  It resembles prison bars or a giant metal picket fence.  It is clear to all that see it that the wall is meant to divide, not just to demarcate the boundary.  We were able to stand in the spot where, just months ago, a Border Patrol agent shot a Mexican teenager eight times for throwing rocks.  The description of the incident was a clear example of the invisible walls that Jeanette told us about.

The drive back was a much needed time to relax from the emotional toll of the day's events.  Nearly everyone fell asleep on the shoulders of our fast friends.  Upon return, we had but a few minutes to pack for a big surprise: We were going to have homestays that night. We split into 3 groups, by various levels of Spanish (especially since one of the hosts didn't speak any English). One commonality between all groups was that the food was great, the company enjoyable, and the sleep, deep man. Deep.

Our groups stayed with the couple Tony and Rosalina. They'd recently married a year before, and they eagerly welcomed us all in with pasta and conversation. Tony had been everywhere and was currently working in a biochemistry lab. Rosalina was an immigrant from mexico who raised her daughters on her own after she fled her abusive husband in Mexico. She currently spent her days working a nonprofit called Darnos meant to educate people on how to avoid violent abuse. One thing that she shared with us was that although the problem of immigration is big, there are so many organizations working to make things better. That is a cause for hope.

Anyhow, it's getting late. Better turn in for the night.

Eric Wu and Patrick McDonell

San Francisco, Community & Justice: Day 2: The Other Side/Between the Lines

San Francisco, Community & Justice:  Day 2: The Other Side/Between the Lines

Walking through the Tenderloin in the city (name rumored in origin by police earnings, activity and more), the atmosphere featured a unique, culture, smell, and sights as to announce arrival into the district. For the first time we had entered the Tenderloin. As we walked past in our group, a few individuals had acknowledged us in with "good morning" or "God bless", as they stood lining the streets and areas, singular and in small groups of two or three. Through the unique culture, atmosphere, smell, and sights, one could gather a sense of community, yet somehow unwhole due to current conditions.

That morning, we had woken up 5am to start out our day serving breakfast at the MSC center, to women and men. Next was a tour of the city from the Tenderloin, Grace Cathedral, Market and Mission,  to Chinatown, as our immersion leader/coordinator asked us to take note in being mindful of the individuals and differences in each district.

That afternoon, we ate lunch with the people and community at St. Anthony's, an organization well know and established (for over 50 years) throughout the neighborhood for serving meals of breakfast and lunch to homeless and recovering from difficult circumstances, of individuals and families of the tenderloin and local community. We later learned this was a temporary location which serves of 2600 meals a day from one of the coordinators, while the new facilities, twice as large is being built across the street.

For conversation over lunch with individuals, many in the group voiced concerns in finding common ground and "minding the gap" of being college students interacting with various individuals, while serving in humility. As a delicate balance, admittedly it was difficult at first staring conversations with those who were interested with a simple "how are you? or hello". But once initially acknowledged, many became engaged and immersed in sharing their life stories and struggles.

Later in week, (next day) we served and assisted in food preparation from the other side of St. Anthony's, as volunteers, at a glimpse of the extraordinarily organized foundation* as a well oiled machine of volunteers serving individuals who hold up tickets indicating they are ready to be served for seconds and third time.
The food station consisted of two lines, a variety of individuals of the community being served, and volunteers ranging from college students from local universities (USF, SF State, St. Mary's etc.), college parents (including from SCU), and ages from elder retirees to middle and high schools students.

We worked collaboratively with the staff, to provide the experience, as every had their part in "breading" providing bread for trays and serving individuals who were seated. I enjoyed serving the individuals trays and meals in the fast paced environment and the efficiency and ease of the system in which individuals could take food with them in small bags provided by St. Anthony's to how much members of the community ans staff talked about how they loved the positive environment.

The line on volunteers and individuals being served were next to one another, separated by a tentabarrier*, made me think symbolically about how the only thing separating us as volunteers from the other side, was this thin barrier, of opportunities, society and circumstances, when a man who was volunteer and had brought his 12-year-old son, behind me mad e a comment about how "he wasn't too far from being the other side". We were essentially moving the same direction (of receiving the food trays), but from two different places and purposes to serve an be served. One side students discussed spring break, grad school, what was next for them, the other side concerned with the next meal. Both sides clearly visible to one another with a thin barrier. Essentially it is up to us to reach across the aisle and lend a helping hand.

San Francisco, Justice: Encouraging Encounter: "Street Smarts"

San Francisco, Justice: Encouraging Encounter: "Street Smarts"

Dwayne*, one the day after we first had our meal at St. Anthony's we we gathering the immersion group outside the building waiting for the others. when a man, who appeared to be about in his late twenties, early thirties, in a Raiders baseball cap, tan corduroys and carrying a black bag approached us.
He told us his name was Dwayne, and asked if we were college students and what year we were. He then began to describe how he was a college student at a CSU, and fell into heavy drinking and substance abuse, and social activities, while his grades slipped into academic probation, and further until he was kicked out and suspended from the university. He mentioned how he had three years there studying environmental mechanics of water systems, and yet fell deeper in to the habit of abusing substances while moving around California for several years. Originally from a two-parent household in Oakland, with siblings in the military from a middle class family, ha talked about how he would had been the first one in his family to graduate to a college degree and disappointment of his parents through his jail time and probation as a result of his substance habits.
Then, he mentioned an old friend he recently visited in the medical field who he knew in college, who had a family, and many others he knew were financially stable, who he went to visit. At the end of the visit the friend had dropped him back off in the tenderloin. Dwayne asked him how he had done it all, balanced a family, work, and managed to stay on his feet. The friend had told him, how he had grow up had with one a single mother with substance abuse issues struggling as an only child, and used his difficult circumstances as motivation to get to where he is today, in comparison to how he (Dwayne), had two parents and relatively stable economically.
Dwane had connected this story to us by saying he wanted to share a lesson with us on how one simple urge to "fit in" and be a part of a crowd partaking in substances and social activities ultimately led him down the path of "still trying to complete what he was supposed to 10 years ago, in terms of his education and life goals. Specifically he focuses on the message of motivation for the privilege and those who come from less privilege backgrounds, and how although it may be harder to find motivation with more resources which are harder to appreciate, he cited his own underappreciation of privilege as a downfall, and encouraged us to appreciate the privilege and opportunity of an education which will always ultimately be worth while.
Finally, Dwayne had revealed the fact he could hold his head up high today, was that he was dealing with his substance issues, and after his parole was able to enroll in a certification program due to his 3 years training and education from college in environmental mechanics. This opportunity then led him to a job opportunity and project with a local city on redesigning water systems, as he opened up his back to reveal his technical textbook, which he would proclaimed he reads all day long as a "ninja" on its dynamics.
An elder man, also served by St. Anthony's and member of the community, was listening and chimed in with his own lesson of being in solidarity with Dwayne's experiences, as a Vietnam veteran, and encouraged us to ask people and CEO "at the top", how they got to where they are and keep in contact with them (and not making the same mistakes) offering a different and important perspective on the benefits and creation of education and community.

San Jose, Community & Justice: Monday

San Jose, Community & Justice: Monday
By Mark Rogers

Group Recap
-Day started bright and early at 7 am in Sobrato. We packed our lunches, ate a little
breakfast, but primarily worked together to wake up.
-The first half of the day we served at the Sacred Heart Community Center. We got
a tour of the facilities and then half of us served in the food pantry and the other
half in the clothes closet. We packed hundreds of bags with food and helped over a
hundred people pick out clothes
-After delicious packed lunches the sacred heart staff led us in a session where
we learned about the context of poverty in Santa Clara county and hunger justice
overall.
-The final part of our day was at Loaves and Fishes cutting fruit, serving soup,
pouring juice, chatting with the (customers?) washing dishes, and overall having a
blast helping serve a meal to over 140 people.
-At the end of our day we arrived at the church we’ll be staying at for the week and
we had a great time making dinner together, eating, laughing, and then reflecting on
the day.

Personal Highlights
High: I had a ton of fun seeing smiles, hearing genuine thank yous, practicing my
Spanish, and serving others throughout the day.
Funny: We had some great laughs at dinner, and the group gets along really well.
Anthony Carnesecca especially is a total riot and goofball and adds endless laughs to
us all.
Deep: The session on hunger justice was really intriguing and inspired me to ponder
the big issues of hunger and poverty not just in our San Jose community, but also in
the world as a whole.
Random: Even though the issues of poverty and hunger in the world are very
intimidating and overwhelming, it was super cool and encouraging to see all the
things that people and organizations in our community are doing for the poor.

LA, Justice: The Power of Second Chances

LA, Justice: The Power of Second Chances

Many times when someone makes a mistake, we as a society are quick to
disown or to disregard these people after the first mistake. Throughout this first half
of the LA Immersion trip, I have had the privilege to listen to people’s stories about
their fallings and their how they were able to rise up and overcome their past.

The first such story I listened to occurred on Sunday during a tour of the Pico
Gardens housing projects, which are low-income housing units in Boyle Heights. The
man saw our group approaching and shared his past with us. Fr. Greg Boyle of
Homeboy Industries picked him up off the streets and gave him a job at Homeboy.
This job helped him put his life back in order and he eventually had a young son.
That son, he explained, became his reason for living. After he told his story, his
young son ran up and his father picked him up, sharing a tender father-son moment
with our group. At this moment, I was touched because I could see the genuine
dedication this man had to his son and the love his son had for his dad. Especially
considering the past the man had, this represented a moment of triumph and pure,
unbridled joy for him.

The following day, our group had the chance to tour Homeboy Industries.
Our tour guide, Josh, told us about what exactly Homeboy Industries does and
shared with us his history and how he ended up working at Homeboy. Josh lived a
seemingly normal family life until he was 12. He was kicked out of the house upon
his mother getting involved with an abusive boyfriend and later joined a street gang.
At 16, he was witness to a homicide between two gang members and was arrested
and questioned by police. Because he wouldn’t give the identity of the shooter, he
was locked up in jail until he revealed the shooter’s identity. Revealing the shooter’s
identity, according to Josh, would have put his family in danger because in gang
culture, if someone who is arrested “snitches” upon other gangs, the other gangs will
go after the “snitch’s” family. After many failed parole attempts, his mother got in
touch with Fr. Greg, who proceeded to fight for Josh in parole court. Demoralized
after constant failures to receive parole, Josh was overcome with emotion upon
hearing he earned parole with help from Fr. Greg and Homeboy Industries. Upon
being released from prison after 29 years, he was overcome with similar emotion.
Shortly after, Fr. Greg gave him a job at Homeboy and has been working there for
the past 4 years, working his way up from within. The second chance Homeboy has
provided has given Josh a new perspective on life. He said that, “His worst day at
work is also his best”. This spoke volumes with me because through his struggles, he
learned to recognize the value of the “little things” in life. Homeboy was a huge
blessing for him, best indicated by what he told us at the end of the tour. His dream
was that in approximately 4-5 years, he could start his own division of Homeboy
Industries that would give others the opportunity for redemption that he took
advantage of for himself.

That brings me to the overarching theme of these two stories: the power of
second chances. Both the man we encountered on Sunday and Josh had a checkered
past that, without Fr. Greg’s help, would have kept them in a cycle of despair.

Because of the second chances they were afforded, each gathered the strength to
overcome their past, their fears, and to rebuild their lives into something they could
be proud of. The man lives for his son; Josh lives for sharing his stories with others
and seeing other former gang members rebuild their lives.

Society, as a whole, is reluctant to give these people second chances. They
will see them make a mistake and live in fear of seeing them fail to change. This fear
is often reflected in society’s general attitudes towards those in jail. It prefers to lock
them up, afraid that they will come back unreformed, and hurt others. Not 100%
of released criminals will change. That’s a fact of life. But should society let those
select few blind them to the fact that those who are in prison have the potential for
change? Is it just to give those who make a mistake “x” number of chances before
they are disregarded from society forever? As a society, it would be productive to
ask ourselves and reflect upon these questions.

As the man with his son and Josh showed, they can change. They can rebuild their
lives. When we see the results of their efforts and the efforts of people who give
them second chances, like Fr. Greg, it transcends itself into something beautiful
and touching. They’ve unlocked the power of human potential. Despite their past,
they’ve tapped into that potential more effectively than most people ever have.
Bearing witness to that unlocked potential was an amazing privilege. Sometimes all
it takes is a second chance for those with a dark past to rise up and take control of
their lives. That second chance can truly be a powerful thing.

~Joe Sarmiento