Week 14: Immigration and Social Movements

As we near the end of our semester in Mexico, we are all thinking about how we will use what we’ve learned here in Mexico to make us better social workers in the United States.

This week we were asked to read articles written by people who are opposed to immigration. Up to this point in the semester we have mostly heard the voices of immigrants who are forced to migrate north in order to survive or other people who support immigration to the U.S. from Mexico. In class we discussed some of the more valid points that were made by those in opposition to immigration. However, most of us found it hard to get past the anger and hatred toward Mexican immigrants within the readings. We found ourselves distracted by statements directed at immigrants such as “stop taking our jobs and getting our orders wrong at McDonalds.” [1] The racism and profound ignorance that we saw in the articles made it difficult to recognize the valid points that they were making. As we prepare for our return to the U.S., where we are sure to engage in discussions over immigration, it will be helpful to look back on our discussion of these articles. By moving past our initial emotions, we may be able to open a dialogue where we acknowledge opposing arguments while effectively explaining our own points of view and insights. This style of listening with respect will help us in working with all clients.

On Friday, we were visited by Jose Martinez, a representative of La Comisión Independiente de Derechos Humanos de Morelos (the Independent Commission of Human Rights of the State of Morelos), who spoke with us about democracy in Mexico and other Latin American countries. A significant amount of his discussion revolved around the grassroots movements in various countries that have been pressing for democracy to replace their oppressive governments. Later in class we discussed the role of social movements in building democracy. I think that these discussions about the importance of social movements in creating change are useful for us to think about since most of us grew up in an environment where the focus is on the individual, rather than on the group or community. Because we grew up with this focus, many of us tend to forget the power of many voices demanding change in unison. As social workers, we can take these discussions back with us to the U.S., where we will be better prepared to look beyond the individual to see broader social problems that present an opportunity for change by many. While it is clear that social movements take patience and strength, it is also clear that they give a voice to the masses that have not yet been heard.

While the thought of returning to the U.S. is slightly overwhelming at the moment, we are all very excited to return with greater knowledge of not only Mexico, but of ourselves as well.


-by Anna Thomas


In between classes, excursions, and presentations we said goodbye to our homestay families after four weeks together. Here, students present through song the things that they enjoyed most about their experiences with families.








We also visited a site where a group of people is building a house out of recycled materials. This building was constructed using wood from a tree that died on the property. Materials used elsewhere include glass bottles, tires, plastic piping, and horse manure. We can't wait to look for new ways to recycle in the U.S.!

[1] Stop illegal immigration petition (2005). Retrieved April 23, 2007, from www. petitionspot.com/petitions/stopillegals