Immigration, Connection & Racial Identity

         As the semester unfolds, in each of my classes, we are delving into American history through a social work lens, one that is often very different than the prerequisite US history courses in which I was enrolled years ago! Repeatedly, I am struck by the apparent sameness of economic and social conditions of the past and today. This holds particularly true when considering immigrant affairs (pertaining to those who are legal and otherwise).  Marable (2009) describes immigrants as living in a status of “apartheid” despite America’s welcoming façade. This particular topic has been on my mind increasingly given the current news reports and status of the individuals rapidly entering European (and American) nations at this time. Zinn (2003) words describing the influx of immigration in the 1880s and 90s is remarkably appropriate to describe what is occurring today. Zinn (2003) states that, “In the 1880s and 1890s, immigrants were pouring in from Europe at a faster rate than before. They all went through the harrowing ocean voyage of the poor.” He goes on to describe the economic working class turmoil experienced as a result of the newcomers. These descriptions are remarkably similar to the immigration crises of today. Having the opportunity to speak candidly with Santiago and build a connection with someone who has undergone the trauma of immigration made these issues come to life.

Tuesday’s class session with Santiago has me perseverating on several ideas: the power of connection, my own racial identity, and advocacy in social work. As a spectator, his story was moving – both full of trauma and joy, but what struck me most, and what I hope to take with me into my life and professional practice was the role that Paula took in this man’s life both as a motherly figure, and a social worker.

         I am a white female, and while I am comfortable with that (and with myself) in my professional life as a teacher and now social worker, I have struggled with useless guilt I experience as a result of being an “white outsider” giving advice to individuals far my senior on how to access resources, or improve the academic or social emotional lives of their children.

         While teaching in Boston, even though I spoke Spanish, the dominant language used by families at my school, there was no mistaking that I was (another) young, white teacher in the vast majority coming to teach from a viewpoint that different from my students and their families.

          In another instance, when considering entering the Peace Corps, I again wrestled this internal battle that I could do nothing to change, but really unsettled me.

         Did I speak the right languages? Yes. Did I know the research based practices to teach the children? Yes. Did I try to engage families in home visits? Yes. Was I still a young white female teacher? YES.

         As a social work student, I have continued to wrestle with this, despite my pure intentions and desire to work collaboratively with individuals in need of services. What really invigorated me about Santiago’s visit was that because of Paula’s sustained connection with Santiago, and her well established role as a civil service provider, she was able to utilize her unique self (also white and female) to help navigate and provide emotional and legal  advocacy work to ensure that Santiago could remain in the United States.

         The guilt I sometimes feel over being myself is useless and something I need to work on is harnessing my qualities to be used as strengths to help clients. Being white and female are tools that I can use to benefit others, for whom the legal system or any system for that matter, may allow others less of a voice.

         This was probably not the desired outcome of Tuesday’s visit, but it gave me a new energy and new approach to advocacy work even for those with whom we are involved personally.

References:

Marable, M. (2004). Globalization and Racialization. ZNet Classics Series.      Retrieved from: http://www.zcommunications.org/globalizationandracializationbymanningmarale. 

Zinn, H. (2003). A People's History of the United States. New York: Harper Perennial Modern    Classics.