All posts by strandr

More News, More Perspectives

Human Rights, Migrant Death, Reflections

The longer I’m involved in this human rights project, the more I learn about the magnitude of the project and how far it extends. As we’ve talked about before, not only are so many people involved directly in the project, but many experience the unfortunate tragedies as a result of the crisis. Fortunately, awareness of the crisis is becoming more widespread. I’m torn when I open my internet browser, check the multiple news sites, and see a major headline about immigrant deaths across the nation. It hurts to read the stories of pain and tragedy. I do my best to sympathize for the individuals affected by the crisis. I also try and see the glimmer of positivity in the fact that these stories are being broadcast both nationwide and worldwide through these major news sources. Each story that makes the headlines provides more awareness to a broader audience, which will hopefully bring in more support for this human rights crisis.

I thought I would share some of the links that I have come across in these past few months leading up to our trip. These are articles that I have stumbled upon, read, and quickly shared with other people involved in the project. Each one is equally important and unique, and provides a different perspective of the same human rights crisis. It is imperative for us who are directly involved in the project that we read any news we can and attempt to understand every possible perspective.

The first story is an encompassing article that describes the difficult process of identification. Our trip is only a beginning step in identifying individuals. Identifications can be made using dental records, but DNA matches are often necessary. Contrary to popular TV shows, DNA matches are not instantaneous and require comparison samples that are difficult to obtain. This article details that process using stories with real families. I highly recommend this article for anyone trying to comprehend the lengthy and emotional process of identification: http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/17/us/immigrant-desert-deaths-dna/index.html?hpt=hp_bn1

Another story reveals the changing demographics of border crossers and some of the politics behind helping these individuals. The numbers of children crossing the border are astounding and scary, and I know that many of us were shocked at the facts. These are innocent children seeking help: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/children-crossing-border-strain-facilities-n109401

Finally, two other articles focus on border crossers who have survived the difficult migration, but have not escaped the human rights crisis. These articles really showed me that this crisis extends well beyond the borders and deaths and includes those forced into modern day slavery and inhumane conditions. One is a compilation of photographs that highlight victims: http://cnnphotos.blogs.cnn.com/2014/05/20/victims-of-modern-day-slavery/?hpt=hp_c2. The other is a news story about finding survivors within a stash house: http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/19/us/texas-immigrants-stash-house/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Colibri Center for Human Rights Logo with an orange and red hummingbird
                     Colibri Center For Human Rights

Of course, there are more stories coming out every day, and it’s impossible to find and read every story that is important to this project. Fortunately, the Colibri Center for Human Rights has a website dedicated to providing information about the project. The website shares every story they find surrounding the issues of migrant death. It also has information about how to help and contribute information that could save lives. Please check out http://colibricenter.org/ for more information.

And finally, we would love to read any and every story about this issue. If you have information that you’d like to share, please email me at strandr@uindy.edu or Dr. Latham at lathamke@uindy.edu with links to the articles. I will make sure to share them with everybody through this blog in a separate post as well as through social media. Thank you!

Ryan Strand

A Necessary Item on my Packing List

Reflections, Snapshots

Although the trip is still a few weeks away, I’ve started to make a few lists and get things organized. The basic essentials for any travel are pretty straightforward, and so making that list isn’t a problem. We have been making a few trips to collect all of the field gear we’ll be using, and we’ve been crossing items off that list slowly and surely. For me, the list I’ve been working on the most is the list of everything else I might need other than the basic travel items and field gear. While the list is a difficult one, there is one necessity on the list that I had no difficulty including, and I smile every time I see it on my list: my cowboy boots.

Cowboy boots next to a red bag
These boots

I was born and raised in Texas, but it wasn’t until I got down to San Marcos, TX that I realized how important a good set of cowboy boots are. I lived around Dallas, TX for all of my life up until college, and cowboy boots weren’t a huge thing in the city throughout high school. Down in San Marcos I met other Texans from all over the state and learned a lot about Texas culture. I learned to two-step within the first few months, but I had to two-step in my loafers because I didn’t have any boots. A year later while exploring an antique shop in the nearby city of Gruene, I found an old set of cowboy boots that fit perfectly. With holes in the soles and worn-in heels, these boots were far from brand new, and I absolutely loved them for the character. I danced in them at Gruene Hall that night, the oldest dance hall in Texas, and wore them for a few weeks straight afterwards.

Here in Indiana, I try and pull them out every now and then. I’m far from being any kind of cowboy, but wearing those boots makes me feel like I’m back at home. Every time an old wooden floor creaks under my boots, I think of Gruene Hall and my old house in San Marcos. Every time I put my boots on, I feel like I’m about to head out to Austin for another Texas night. And so I’m bringing them with me in a few weeks so I can get a little bit of Texas dirt on them again. I won’t be using them in the field of course, but when we fly into San Antonio, I’ll be that guy holding up the security line at the airport as I struggle to get my boots off.

I am incredibly thankful to have the opportunity to assist with this human rights crisis in my home state. This work being done in Falfurrias, to me, embodies many of Texas’ most important cultural beliefs. John Steinbeck once wrote: “For all its enormous range of space, climate, and physical appearance, and for all the internal squabbles, contentions, and strivings, Texas has a tight cohesiveness perhaps stronger than any other section of America.” I couldn’t agree more with Steinbeck after participating in the work in Falfurrias last year. Community members are graciously giving anything they can to help people they haven’t met. Law enforcement and search and rescue teams are passionately working every day to find survivors and save as many people as they can. These selfless actions from the community are extremely humbling and inspiring, and while I know that anybody from any state and any country would do the same, I am proud nonetheless to be from a place with such incredible people.

And so the most Texan item I own, my pair of cowboy boots, is coming with me. Not only am I bringing my boots as a reminder of where I’m from, but also as a homage to the rich, colorful, and passionate culture of Texas.

Ryan Strand