Campus Compact's 2008 Raise Your Voice Presidential Civic Engagement Fund, along with Michelle DePlante '08, Sophia Georgeo '09, Katie Schmidt '09, Lindsay Adamski '09, Elizabeth Wolf '09, and Bridget Landry '10 hosted Immigration Week here at Providence College , Sunday, March 30 through Thursday, April 3.
DePlante is writing her thesis on immigration and received a federal grant through Campus Compact to host the week's events. Along with her main committee of helpers-volunteers from service-oriented or immigration-concerned majors such as global studies, social work, languages, political science, and community service- volunteered their time and efforts to carry off the events. "Our main goal was to incorporate as many PC students as possible, as well as outside community members," said DePlante.
Kicking off the events were a Mass and Candlelight Vigil at St. Dominic Chapel on Sunday at 10:30 p.m. At the vigil the student sponsors of Immigration Week asked that everyone pray for the unfortunate immigrants around the world. Vials of sand accompanied by prayer cards were passed out at the Mass to encourage PC students to be constantly thinking of immigrants. "We want people to be reminded to keep these people in their prayers," said Adamski. Mass attendee Brittany McHale '11 was touched by the vigil. “At Mass,” she said, "everyone was reminded that one of the pillars of a Catholic school is caring about others-especially those not as fortunate as you."
On Monday, March 31, a forum was held for local speakers who work, or have worked, with immigrants to share their experiences. Dr. Alexandra Pineros-Shields, associate professor of global studies and public and community service, Nina Pande, executive director of the Federal Hill House Association, Luis Peralta, INS accredited caseworker of the Dioceses of Providence, and Emily Burke '04, spoke about the plight of immigrants in Rhode Island as well as New England at large.
Burke recounted a program she helped with in New Haven , Conn. , that issued state identification cards to any person, including undocumented immigrants. People could use the cards as debit cards at stores and restaurants, and to pay parking meters downtown. "With these IDs, undocumented immigrants no longer have to store all of their cash at home, or carry it around with them," said Burke. "They can use this card to open up a bank account to keep their money safer."
"I like that sort of program," said Kim Lehan ‘11. "Immigrants must feel so vulnerable if they have no place to properly keep their money. If they can keep it in the bank, not only do they have the chance to earn interest, but they're not susceptible to theft." Many students that participated in the open suggestion forum expressed similar sentiments.
Another activity of the night was the "Diversity Chain." Different colored strips of paper represented different areas of the world. As students walked into the event, they were instructed to take the piece of paper that represented the region their most recent foreign ancestors were from.
"We're going to display the finished chain at the Diversity Carnival," said Georgeo. "We want to show people that even though we may [be] from many different places around the world, we are still linked as people."
On Tuesday, there was a screening of the movie, Detained, about a group of undocumented immigrants working at a company that manufactured backpacks for the Army. Several people's plights were followed as case studies; one little girl grew ill because she was still nursing and her undocumented mother was not allowed to feed her. Another woman was deported from Massachusetts and flown to Texas in chains. She was then deported to Guatemala , where she was left without any family or contacts.
"The movie was hard to watch," said Rachel Davison '11. "As a global studies major, to see that acts of dehumanization go on in the United States , as well as far off places in the world, is terrible."
On Wednesday, April 2, College Republicans, PC Democrats, and professor of public and community service, Richard Battistoni's, Ph.D., democratic theory class, hosted an immigration debate. The night was set up as a debate, with four members from the PC Democrats and four College Republicans battling over current hot topics.
Joseph Cammarano, Ph.D., assistant professor, political science department, mediated the debate. Members of each team were given the opportunity to share their views about certain topics. Audience members were also allowed to stand and ask their own questions. Topics from the war in Iraq , Iran , and the government's current domestic policy made tensions escalate between the two groups. "These groups can get heated!" said Giselle Youssef '11. "But I guess that's bound to happen when any opposing political sides discuss such controversial topics."
The issue of immigration came about as a discussion of the DREAM Act, which is legislation proposed to Congress that would allow undocumented high school students to gain legality should they want to attend college or serve in the armed forces. As with the national Republican party, the PC chapter of College Republicans expressed disdain for this idea, while the PC Democrats showed support for the proposed act.
The week ended on a fun note, with a "Linked Across Borders" Diversity Carnival in '64 Hall at 5:30 p.m. on April 3. Co-sponsored by Balfour Center for Multicultural Affairs and the Center for International Studies, the diversity chain that had been put together earlier in the week was proudly displayed, and students had the opportunity to sample foreign dishes. Lehan said, "This was an upbeat way to end the week!"