The pilgrims and Native Americans who celebrated the first Thanksgiving have a lot in common with the migrants of today. There are many misconceptions about the origins of the U.S. celebration of Thanksgiving. For one thing, the now-legendary feast on Plymouth Plantation in 1621 was not a celebration of thanksgiving, but an acknowledgement of a successful harvest. Nor was it a “first”—it was common to set aside a time of thanks well before this Plymouth event, though fasting more than … [Read more...]
Archives for November 2016
Giving Thanks
Kino Border Initiative staff, board members, and volunteers as well as the migrants they serve weigh in about what they are thankful for during this season of gratitude. “I am grateful for the generous way that the migrants I encounter every day in the comedor share with me their hopes, their smiles, and their struggles. That people who have suffered so much are still so willing to give of themselves to help at the comedor, and to share who they are with me constantly amazes me and is a … [Read more...]
Immigration in the News
This month’s articles include discussions of immigration’s economic impacts; accounts of government and citizen efforts to assist and support new immigrants; articles about the dangers, both physical and psychological, faced by migrants; a reflection from a recently naturalized U.S. voter; and the story of nuns gathering in Nogales and the KBI in solidarity with the migrants. • From the New Yorker (10/31/16), a thoughtful book review about the immigration debate, the place of immigrants in … [Read more...]
KBI November Announcements
At the U.S.–Mexico border this month, two events captured the vast continuum of emotions experienced there—people gathered together to celebrate a Mass in Ambos Nogales and dozens of Haitian refugees arrived to wait for paperwork to enter the U.S. We also extend our gratitude for a successful Tucson fundraiser and our congratulations to a KBI supporter recognized for his community service. Finally, we alert you to a moving photo exhibition about the borderlands on view in Tucson. • A Mass at … [Read more...]
Giving Tuesday 2016
Join the national movement to give during a season of thanks and giving! Giving Tuesday was instituted to encourage charity after the indulgences of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s a reminder to share whatever abundance we have. We ask you to remember the Kino Border Initiative in your giving plans, and take the opportunity on Tuesday, November 29 to make a donation to help our migrant brothers and sisters. You can make a donation on Giving Tuesday or anytime at … [Read more...]