Starting on Monday, Saint Louis University will be holding a series of events exploring the realities faced by immigrants in the United States. A keynote address will be delivered by Tom Gill, a SLU graduate who traveled from El Salvador to the United States along the same route taken by many migrants.
Organizer Jessica Trout, a senior, said she hopes that those attending the events will leave “educated” and eager to spread knowledge.
“There are a lot of misconceptions about how immigrants affect the United States,” Trout said. “I hope people will develop a passion for this and continue talking to others about it.”
Amnesty International, OneWorld, the Great Issues Committee, Pax and Voices are collaborating on the series.
The week’s first event, entitled “Immigration 101,” will begin on Monday at 8 p.m. in Busch Student Center 251. Bolivar Fraga, a community organizer from Metropolitan Congregations United, will explain basic facts about U.S. immigration.
On Tuesday at 8 p.m. in BSC 253B/C, Julie Rubio, a professor of theology, and Doug Marcouiller, S.J., a professor of economics, will be giving a talk called “Catholic Perspectives on Immigration.” According to Trout, Marcouiller will focus on the socioeconomic backgrounds of immigration, while Rubio will address the Catholic Church’s stance on the issue and offer reflections on how it can be put into practice
Pax, a campus social justice organization, is putting together a panel discussion that will present a range of opinions on immigration. Kristin Swanson of Pax said that panelists will include a student who studied in Latin America, an immigrant from Nicaragua, an immigration officer and others.
“It is going to discuss different views people have on immigration, from personal, political and legal perspectives,” Swanson said. “It will be a space for discussion about immigration and how it affects people in the United States and Latin America.”
The panel discussion will begin at 8 p.m. on Wednesday in BSC 253B/C.
Gill will deliver his keynote speech, entitled “The Immigrant Journey by Land,” on Thursday at 8 p.m. in the BSC ballrooms. Currently a master’s student in public policy at Harvard University, Gill earned his undergraduate degree from SLU in 2005. After working in El Salvador for two years, Gill chose to gain firsthand knowledge of migrants’ experiences by following their route through Central America and Mexico to the U.S. border.
Additional events will include a screening of the film Dying to Live in Tegeler Auditorium at 5 p.m. on Wednesday and a presentation on human trafficking at 1 p.m. on Friday in BSC 253B.
