One of the most frustrating aspects of the immigration debate is how quickly the talking heads and politicians lose sight of the people whose lives are so deeply affected by our policies. As people of faith, we are called to honor everyone’s story, and the new “Home to Me” project by the NC Justice Center provides a great way to hear directly from those most affected. We invite you to watch and share Valeria’s story:
From the NC Justice Center:
Too often, immigrant stories are told by others, whether in the media, legislature, history books or in our common imagination. “Home to Me: Immigrant Stories from NC” is a new multimedia series presented by the NC Justice Center based on the belief that stories told by immigrants, in their own words, have the power to change our assumptions about who immigrants are and deepen our understanding of the migration experience. Every month, the project will release a new story from an individual or family, and the series as a whole will highlight a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.
Through video and other multimedia components, the series explores the challenges some immigrants face as North Carolina residents, the importance of immigration reform at the national level as well as fair and reasonable policies locally and statewide, and how North Carolina has become home to thousands of people from all over the world. “Home to Me” will engage themes such as discrimination and exploitation, cultural identity, strong family ties and immigrants’ hopes for the future. Some arrived here as children, others are new to the state, but they all have come to call the Tar Heel state home.
You can also read an interview with Valeria over at the Winston-Salem Chronicle.