This is the 9th year I'm participating in 30 poems in November. Not because it's easy. And not because I need another thing on my to-do list. I continue to pledge my time and efforts because I value the efforts of the Center for New Americans to assist immigrants in our community in learning English and navigating the complex web of bureaucratic and political obstacles that impede people from achieving their dreams. I do this because even though I am fourth generation American, I will never forget, that I, too, am here because my ancestors were brave enough to risk everything to start a new life, and if they hadn’t come to this country, they likely would have perished in the Holocaust. I do this in order to counteract the heightened demonization of immigrants, who are blamed for taking jobs and resources instead of being appreciated for harvesting our food and taking care of our elderly. And I do this because I’ve personally traveled to the U.S./Mexican border and witnessed at a detention center for separated children and seen the devastating effects of U.S. immigration policy.
My two newest books tie together my dual identities as author and activist. Immigrants, (Creators Press) short-listed for the Eric Hoffer Award and first runner up in the short-story category depicts the countless ways immigrants are entwined in all aspects of our daily lives. My newest book of poems, Here in Sanctuary—Whirling (Querencia Press) draws on my witnessing trips and work as a sanctuary volunteer, tying together my dual identities as author and activist. Many of the poems in this book had their starts in previous Novembers in which I pledged to write 30 poems.
Thanks so much for supporting my work—and more importantly, the work of the Center for New Americans. No donation is too small to show that you care.
