Public Presentation

On Wednesday, April 28 the Borderlands class and participants in the No More Deaths spring break trip gave a public presentation on their experiences and the knowledge gained in the class. The audience first received a summary of the borderlands course and the border issues in all disciplines covered, which Natalie delivered. Peter then gave a brief explanation of a feeling shared by many in the class: that border issues are much more complicated than they appear at first glance, and that many of us have finished the class more confused than when we began. Next Kate and Corinne introduced the No More Deaths component and the involvement that Hamilton students have had with the organization over the past three years. Sam, Connor and Christina shared the thrill they felt when the opportunity to help migrants arose, but the frustration they felt when the migrants left the camp abruptly and could not take with them the containers of water they were preparing. Exhilaration and frustration was a common experience, as Carlos shared the experiences of the week 2 participants. Carlos told the story of an immigrant who had been robbed by the coyotes he paid to take him through the desert and left without food and water. After three days of wandering the migrant stumbled into the campsite, which he only found when he heard a No More Deaths leader singing and playing guitar. Carlos shared his frustration with the condition that migrants are met with when they arrive in a US city. As an illegal immigrant himself he has seen these conditions firsthand, and while able to obtain an education himself, has seen the effects of insufficient education opportunities for spanish speakers in the US in his own family. The last group of presenters shared what they learned through other experiential components of the course. Stephanie presented on her experiences in Argentina, interviewing the mothers whose children were victims of political kidnappings, and staged a protest. It was a very successful evening that helped raised awareness and likely will help grow the Now More Deaths organization at Hamilton.