Another movie I need to watch this year ...

This looks like a great movie that has some star power behind it; Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd & Ray Liotta. Coming out in August 2009.

"Crossing Over" is about immigrants of different nationalities struggling to achieve legal status in Los Angeles. The film addresses the issue from the point of view of the immigrants, as well as the immigration authorities tasked with enforcing the nation’s immigration laws. I'm hoping that it lives up to the trailer.


Crossing Over - Theatrical Trailer

***If you are reading this on facebook; you'll need to watch the video on my blog by clicking here

Brown is the new black ...

In case you didn't know, Latinos are now facing the same kind of discrimination that historically African Americans have been faced with. Apparently membership in the KKK has risen due to a lot of anti-immigration fear & anxiety with the immigrants coming from Mexico rather than other countries.

I also read an article this past week in the New York Times about 7 teenagers in Long Island, NY who went out looking for a "Mexican"to beat up. They found Marcelo Lucero, an legal immigrant from Ecuador who had lived in the US for 16 years. They beat him, stabbed and killed him. It's a horrible reminder of how racism is alive and well in the U.S.

According to government statistics, racism against Mexicans in the US is escalating steeply. The FBI reports that hate crimes against Latinos rose almost 40 percent between 2003 and 2006. And it's getting worse.

All this reminds me about an incident that happened to me about 2 years ago. I was shopping at my local grocery store in Orange County (before our move here to San Diego), and I was wearing an Aztec calendar medalion around my neck. While I'm standing at the checkout stand the latino guy bagging my groceries says to me in spanish, "Are you sure you want to be advertising that you're a Mexican, it's not a good idea". I guess he had the inside scoop about what was to come.

Growing up, my mother put a lot of effort into making me fit in. I suppose she was trying to protect me from the racism she received for being a latino. Her theory was that if I dressed the part and looked the part, maybe people wouldn't find out that I was a Mexican. When I was 12 she took me to get my hair dyed auburn red, I continued doing that until I was 18. The plan was to present myself as a "white" person. So whenever I went to a new school (lots of schools, 2 jr highs and 6 high schools), my mom told me when asked about my ethnicity I should say Greek, Italian or even Jewish, but never say "I'm Mexican". The other thing that she would always say is "make sure you say your name is Padilla like Vanilla". It should have been pronounced "pu-dee-ya", but if I did that then they might figure out I was a Mexican. I'm actually thinking of publishing all the creative tips used to assimilate me, or maybe I'll just call it "100 Ways to Pretend Your Not A Mexican" =)

The good news was that once I became an adult I realized I had the freedom to be myself and I stared to embrace my heritage, no matter what the reaction or consequence might be.

So, back to they story of Marcelo. Like many Latino immigrants, he came here to work hard, even for meager wages, and just wanted to make a living. It's a tradgedy that most American's don't understand what life is like on the other side of the border and that's why there's so little compassion about the issue.

During last weekend's Project Mexico trip, we took several groups of the home-building volunteers over to meet Marisol, my friend that lives in Colonia San Bernardo. I've observed that by spending some time with her and seeing her family and hearing a bit of her story opinions on this whole immigration issue can really be shaped, in a positive way.

So my hope for you, is that you get to know a hispanic, and you get extra points if they are undocumented. I know for a fact that it's an awesome experience to love someone that doesn't fit into your comfort zone.

The Fence ...

Today I went to Friendship Park right at the border of Mexico and the U.S. Quite literally, I was able to touch the fence. This will soon end with the new impenetrable fence coming in. Right now families are able to visit with each other to a certain degree. But soon, even this will be gone. The picture above is one that I took while standing at the fence this morning.

The event was called God's Kingdom and Migration, and was with a group called U40, you can find them on Facebook. Other sponsors were The Ecclesia Collective and Subversive Magazine. It was a great day!

And while I'm on the subject, this video clip is pretty enlightening, take a couple of minutes and have a glipse of what is happening at the border fence here in California.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2008/oct/15/uselections2008-usimmigration-mikedavis

Fence Hopping ...

I recently read an interview in the NY Times with Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, so I decided to do some research on him. He is a neurosurgeon who teaches oncology and neurosurgery, directs a neurosurgery clinic and heads a laboratory studying brain tumors. Oh, and most interesting ... he is a Mexican fence-hopper.


Here's a video of him telling a bit of his story. Good stuff!

Immigration Humor ...

Found! ...

I snagged this off a website called www.foundmagazine.com. They post notes and found objects; lots of interesting and sometimes very weird & random stuff.

Someone posted this and said they received this $5 dollar bill back as change from a store. It has the words "SPAY/NEUTER ALL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS" written on it. I found it ironic that they wrote it right under "In God We Trust".

I read through all the comments and was amazed at how much discussion there was on the subject of illegal immigration. These were a few of my favorites.

There are so many myths and sterotypes about undocumented immigrants that feed on racism and hate. We "Americans" are such a judgemental and self-centered country!

I'd much rather shake a hand that was calloused from swinging a hammer than one that was soft from pointing the finger.

Who can blame someone living in poverty or in a repressive country for wanting to come to the US to build a better life for him/herself and their children? Who of us would not do exactly the same thing?

I think it's even safe to say, we may ALL be opportunists in one shape or form, too. Yes??

In The Register Editorials Today ...

At first I laughed at the ignorance of these comments. Then after that, I was saddened. Jorden probably represents the sentiments of most residents of Orange County.

Too bad Jorden hasn't had an Illegal Mexican Immigrant for a friend. He probably wouldn't feel this way if he'd ever had the joy of building a home for a Mexican family in one of the shanty towns of El Nino or San Bernardo just outside of Tijuana. I have. And I'm forever changed by the experience. If you'd ever seen how life is for less fortunate people you wouldn't be so ignorant. Maybe Jorden would like to come on the next Project Mexico trip in May 2008? Probably a long shot ... but then again if Jorden has his way and all the "Illegals" are gone he'll be cleaning his own toilet and paying $10 for a burrito.






Oh, and about the currently declining property values, I'm very sure "the illegals" had nothing to do with that. I think you can pin that one on "the legals" ... the greedy ones.

Project Mexico ....

In a few weeks our family is headed across the US border into Mexico with close to 200 volunteers to build homes for impoverished Mexican families living just outside of Tijuana. My husband Jon started Project Mexico in 1999, to date participants have built over 80 homes. The impact goes way beyond shelter for these families, it gives hope.

Our family gets so much out of doing this every fall and spring. A few trips back we built a home for Marisol and her daughter, Karla. Since I speak Spanish we all made friends very quickly. When I told Marisol how each participant pays their own room & board ($65 for the weekend) and each team of 20 raises the $6,200 for materials ($300/person) via fundraising she was completely amazed and grateful. Marisol has had a very rough life; she had an abusive mother, she's a single mom, and the list goes on. She told me that the miracle of getting a home from complete strangers with no strings attached was already overwhelming, but the fact that we all come back and visit and really do care about her and her daughter is something that she has never experienced until now. She's on a journey as we all are, I'm so grateful to be able to be a part of the story that God is telling in this little corner of the planet.

I've realized that these weekends in Mexico are so much more than just building a home, it's about using our hands & feet to show God's love for the people of Colonia de San Bernardo. If you want to know more about Project Mexico check out the site by clicking here.

Here's a video that Jon made from our last trip; hope you enjoy it!