On October 11, 2021, KBI’s executive director, Joanna William’s, shared migrant testimonios at the “Prayer Vigil for Migrant Justice” sponsored by the Catholic Coalition for Migrant Justice, in collaboration with the Diocese of Phoenix. The prayer vigil was led by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted and Bishop Eduardo Nevaras who reflected on the “Catholic Principles of Migration”. Read full article here.
On October 18, 2021, KBI’s Director of Education and Advocacy, Pedro De Velasco, met with the Nogales, Arizona Mayor Arturo Garino, and with Councilman Saulo Bonilla Jr to strengthen collaboration and discuss the impact of immigration policies on the Ambos Nogales community.
On September 23, 2021, 164 Catholic organizations, including KBI, penned a letter to the Biden administration demanding human immigration policy. “We cannot absolve ourselves of our sacred responsibility to care for our migrant siblings. The misuse of Title 42 is a travesty that perpetuates grave harm not only on the migrant community, but upon all of us living in the United States. Move the United States towards an ever wider “we”—end the misuse of Title 42.” Read the full letter here.
entry after the first family attempted to request asylum, accompanied by Bishop Edward Weisenburger and legal observers from The Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project.
These past three months we’ve welcome a few more new and exciting team members.
Jorge Torres, Director of Finance
“I started working with Kino in September. I am very happy indeed to contribute to a deeper mission than I have done with my previous experiences. I am very happy that from the finance area, I contribute to help make this place better, specifically with the migrants.
My responsibility, primarily, is to be aware of the resources we have and in order to be able to deliver to the people who directly service or advocate for migrants to be able to deliver the resources for them to carry out the mission. The services team and the education and advocacy team, are whom carry the mission of the work. To make things easier for them, to give them the resources, to give them the tools, everything they may need, managing what we have, so that they can better serve the migrants. That is what my role is here. My job is to serve to make their work easier for them.”
Manuel Morales Sanchez, Migrant Aid Shelter Coordinator
“I began working with Kino as a volunteer in February. Right now, I am working as an employee inside the center as the new coordinator of the shelter. As a shelter coordinator, I take care of those who are residing here. We give them food and take care of any matter that the residents and the shelter entails.
Previously, I worked for more than 13 years in another organization with migrants. I was also a migrant. I cross the border many times through Tijuana. I always thank God that there is a place like this because before when I crossed there was no one who will help you to give you food or even legal advice. I think that the Kino Initiative is a huge help that many of the people, like me, who have crossed many years ago would have needed. Kino Border Initiative is a blessing that God puts us in our way.”
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