Time to Talk event shows solidarity

Nearly 40 Bennies and Johnnies filled the Multicultural Center on Monday night to attend “Time to Talk,” an event centered around the topics of mass deportation, ICE raids and birthright citizenship. The event gave students the opportunity to ffected and learn how to support each other.

Since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term, he has signed more than 20 executive orders that have to do with immigration, according to the BBC. These executive orders have left many in the CSB+SJU community feeling confused .

“I’m just kind of looking for reassurance as to what’s accurate and what’s not, what’s real and what’s not,” CSB student Alma Rodriguez said.

For attendees of the “Time to Talk” event, this served as an opportunity to educate themselves and make sense of the recent executive orders.

Facilitators of the event acknowledged that there are many current unknowns about immigration in the US, but there are resources available to students and their families as well as ways to show support as a community.

The evening opened with a question-and-answer portion in which attendees wrote questions they have about the recent executive orders on notecards.

“I found myself getting caught up last week one thing after another. You opened up any social media app, it’s like ‘breaking news,’ and it gets overwhelming,” Rodriguez said.

This sentiment was shared by many attending the event, as many students wrote down questions about recent challenges to immigration law, how to find accurate news and resources available on campus.

Director of the Multicultural Center Malik Stewart provided answers and resources as he was able but noted that many policies surrounding immigration are unclear right now. Many of the recent executive orders are being challenged in courts, adding to the lack of clarity, Stewart added.

Throughout the event, Stewart emphasized the importance of solidarity in this time of confusion and fear amid recent executive orders. The antidote to feelings of isolation, fear and the desire to be quiet many are experiencing because of recent executive orders is togetherness, bravery and loudness, Stewart said.

The next part of the event focused on explaining available resources so that attendees of the event would be able to share these resources with anyone who may need them. Distributed on each table in the event space were packets with immigration attorney contact information, links to a webinar hosted by Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid and sample safety plans, among other information. Throughout the event, facilitators encouraged students attending the event to work together and share these resources with others.

At the conclusion of the event each attendee took a notecard and wrote a commitment they will make to themselves and their community at this time. Stewart encouraged students to put the notecard in a place they will see every day, such as their bathroom mirror or the inside of their laptop.

As the effects of executive orders continue to come into focus, the MCC will be hosting other events for students to discuss the impacts of the executive orders and learn how to further support one another.

There will be a similar event soon where the topic will be the transgender community, Stewart hinted. Other future events to keep an eye out for include a panel style event where experts will discuss other recent changes in US policy.

These events fill a need in the CSB+SJU community, according to Rodriguez.

“If you don’t try to educate yourself, you will easily get lost,” Rodriguez said.