Justicing article, "Building bridges for a more just world


	West Cosgrove of the Bridge Project/ Project Puente orients delegates to the border area separating Anapra, Chihuahua, Mexico and Sunland Park, New Mexico, USA. Photo by Suzie Perez

Building bridges for a more just world

Ten young people returned to their homes on February 23 after experiencing the human side of what they study in class and hear on the news—globalization, immigration, the border fence, international trade. They were part of the Labor-Religion delegation that traveled to El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, the Mexican city across the Rio Grande, during the school vacation week.

On the first night in Mexico, the group stayed in Anapra, a small squatter settlement on the edge of Juárez, waking to the sound of roosters crowing and the smell of wood smoke from cooking fires. Their base was Casa Emmaus, a community center constructed of straw bale bricks with dormitory-style accommodations. The center was built by Annunciation House, a center of hospitality for immigrants and refugees based in El Paso.

This is the first delegation to spend a night in Juárez. Based on the positive response of delegates, it was clear that it should be continued. Young people had the opportunity to meet Mexican youth during an afternoon painting project and they enjoyed unstructured time together in the evening.

Another positive development is a newly formed border immersion program called Project Puente (the Bridge Project), led by long-time delegation host, West Cosgrove. It is centered in a warm, welcoming home in the Rio Grande neighborhood of El Paso and is able to offer meeting space and overnight accommodations for small groups that want to go deeper into the border experience.

One youth on the February delegation wrote: “This was the first meaningful trip in my life. I feel I have begun my real life with responsibility to help make the world better. ” Han Sol Yim

To learn more about these Labor-Religion delegations, see the insightful daily journal of Alan Lubin, Executive Vice President of New York State United Teachers written between October 30 and Nov. 2, 2007 and posted on both the NYSUT and Labor-Religion Coalition web sites.

Also, Sunday, May 18 will bring an opportunity to meet two groups from among the over 100 young people who have made Border Witness trips. They will speak and be honored at the Full Circle for Economic Justice Conference.