Category Archives: Human Rights, Migrant Death

Talking about the project itself

Day 2: Community Impact

Community, Human Rights, Migrant Death

This was our second day searching for migrant burials in Sacred Heart Cemetery, and we truly began to notice how much this volunteer effort means to the Falfurrias community. Word of our presence has surely been spreading since we received many more visitors and curious spectators from the town. We experienced a variety of different reactions to our work. Some people stared as they drove by our site, some waved, some came and offered to bring the team lunch and thanked us for our efforts.

I had the unique opportunity of attending a press conference today that was organized by Eddie Canales at the South Texas Human Rights Center. As a graduate student, it is invaluable to observe professionals in the field as they interact with the public and media. I think it is incredibly important that experts in this topic have the opportunity to speak to the public and provide truthful information about the type of work we are doing and our motivations for doing it. It is so easy to spin things out of context and to politicize the identification of unknown migrant decedents. In reality, the core of this work is that all humans are treated with dignity in life or death and are given an equal chance at identification if we can provide the resources to help
do so.

Interview with the mediaDr. Latham sat on a panel with some other forensic experts who play an active role in identifying migrant burials. There was press from at least 4 news stations, and it was nice
that they were able to have a light question and answer session to discuss the roles and techniques employed by the different volunteer organizations.

After we finished the long day of excavating, we stopped at the gas station for some Laredo Tacos. And WOAH, let me tell you: this barbacoa taco I had was one of the best I’ve ever had. While we were there, a few of us were approached by some people in the community who took an interest in our work. They wanted to know what we had found so far and how it was going at the cemetery. Compared to the field season last January, there is already a huge difference being in Falfurrias at a public site. I appreciate the ability to feel how deeply the humanitarian crisis impacts the locals in different ways.

Day two group photo

–Sammi

Day 1: Buckets

Human Rights, Migrant Death

Today was the team’s first day working at Sacred Heart Cemetery. The morning was cool and cloudy, but we were all ready and excited to work. We made it to the cemetery by 7:45 and met with the team from Texas State who we will be working alongside to tackle multiple areas of interests in the cemetery. We unloaded all of the equipment and went over the gameplan, and the teams were separated into areas.

The UIndy team was given quite a large area, but we are not intimidated by the work that lies ahead! We decided to split our section into two smaller sections to start, and began probing our first section. The first thing we noticed was that the soil consistency varied, being soft in some places but more firm in others. Our first trench revealed several large roots that the team had to work around. Once the main trench was dug, Sidney & Arden began digging a smaller trench perpendicular to the first while Dr. Latham & Sammi continued clearing the first. My job consisted of emptying buckets. SO. MANY. BUCKETS. To be honest I didn’t mind the work. Every member of the team was working just as hard, and I think everyone who came by to see the work we were doing agreed.

Team members working in the cemetery Trenches

By the end of the day, we had dug our trenches down to about 60cm deep and have about half of our first subsection explored. We will continue this section tomorrow so we can be confident that we have thoroughly explored this area. I am very proud of our team, as this was our first time working together in this capacity, and I feel that we all jumped right in with the work that we have to do. We found a natural flow to the digging, and we reminded each other to take plenty of water & snack breaks. Even though we are all incredibly sore at the moment, we know that the work we are doing is important and it will all be worth it in the end.

-Angela

day-1 group photo
Day 1 is in the books!

How can you make the world a better place in 2019?

Human Rights, Migrant Death, Reflections

I find myself reading this poem often, especially as we prepare for our next trip to the Texas Borderlands. The hypocrisy and the pain of this passage is what makes it so hauntingly beautiful and so full of truth. If it doesn’t directly impact us, we tend to change the channel, close the curtains or fold the newspaper.  We rationalize that they must have done something to bring this upon themselves and therefore they do not deserve what we have.

This is why the UIndy team goes back year after year. It’s not because the work would not get done without our small team of five. Our colleagues are more then capable of doing it. But because as educators it is our responsibility to not only provide our students with the skills to succeed but also the compassion, empathy and experiences to see that their education provides them with privilege and a platform for service to marginalized and underserved populations.

And now is when they need you to be brave.

Now is when we need you to go back and forget everything you know

And give up the things you’re chained to

I look forward to seeing our friends in the community of Falfurrias and our colleagues from Texas State University.  We will also visit Wilmer’s grave and make sure it is clean and has fresh flowers. I also look forward to working with this team of UIndy students who are all new to the process of exhumation at Sacred Heart. Thank you for taking the time to follow our journey.

~KEL

If You Could

by Danny Bryck

I know, I know

If you could go back you would walk with Jesus

You would march with King

Maybe assassinate Hitler

At least hide Jews in your basement

It would all be clear to you

But people then, just like you, were baffled,

had bills to pay and children they didn’t understand

and they too were so desperate for normalcy they made anything normal

Even turning everything inside out

Even killing, and killing, and it’s easy

for turning the other cheek

to be looking the other way, for walking, to be talking, and they hid in their houses

and watched it on television, when they had television,

and wrung their hands, or didn’t, and your hands are just like theirs

Lined, permeable, small,

and you would follow Caesar, and quote McCarthy, and Hoover, and you would want

to make Germany great again

Because you are afraid, and your parents are sick,

and your job pays shit and where’s your dignity?

Just a little dignity and those kids sitting down in the highway,

and chaining themselves to buildings, what’s their fucking problem?

And that kid

That’s King. And this is Selma. And Berlin. And Jerusalem.

And now is when they need you to be brave.

Now is when we need you to go back and forget everything you know

and give up the things you’re chained to and make it look so easy in your

grandkids’ history books (they should still have them, kinehora)

Now is when it will all be clear to them.