As Canisius celebrates its Sesquicentennial, the institution looks to return to its roots of ministering to migrants. The Borders and Migrations Initiative will offer a variety of workshops and talks to inform the Canisius community about issues of migration and current advocacy.
Joanna Williams, the director of education and advocacy at the Kino Border Initiative (KBI), speaks during Fall Borders and Migrations Week on Tuesday, October 22 in the Regis Room of the Richard E. Winter ’42 Student Center.
KBI partners with the Office of Campus Ministry to provide students with experiences that help humanize issues around migration. “Members of the Canisius community have participated in an immersion with KBI for the last three years,” said Kaitlyn Buehlmann ’14, associate campus minister. “We are excited to welcome Joanna back to Canisius to deepen our partnership and have her learn about our experience on the U.S./Canada border.”
Richard Reitsma, PhD, associate professor of Spanish and chair of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures, added “The process of humanizing the migration experience through accompaniment is the most powerful way to wake people up to the hardships of reality. Canisius is one of two U.S. Jesuit colleges on a border city, founded by Jesuits, so it behooves us to accompany and live out our values.”
The following events during Borders and Migrations Week are free and open to the public:
Monday, October 21
12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Migration 101: An introduction to Terms, Laws and Practices
Regis Room, Richard E. Winter ’42 Student Center
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Immigration Simulation and Reflection on the Migration Process
Regis Room, Richard E. Winter ’42 Student Center
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Aves Sin Fronteras / Birds Without Borders with Sarah Morris, PhD, herein vice president for academic affairs
Regis Room, Richard E. Winter ’42 Student Center
Tuesday, October 22
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Cultivating Hope at the US/Mexico Border with Joanna Williams, director of education and advocacy at the Kino Border Initiative (KBI)
Regis Room, Richard E. Winter ’42 Student Center
Wednesday, October 23
12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Discussion/Canisius’ Community Response to Borders and Migrations
Regis Room, Richard E. Winter ’42 Student Center
7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Global Connections: Investigating the Relationships between Art, Science, and Society with artist Alberto Ray
Regis Room, Richard E. Winter ’42 Student Center:
Thursday, October 24
7:00 p.m.
Call Me American with Author Abdi Nor Iftin
Montante Cultural Center
See the full schedule of fall Borders and Migrations events here.
For more information, please visit the Borders and Migrations website or contact Richard Reitsma, PhD, at @email or 716-888-2408.
