The folding walls of Martin Chapel were opened the morning of Oct. 4 to welcome the mass of students and faculty who gathered to hear speaker Anton Flores-Maisonet share his stories of immigration justice and humility towards asylum-seeking individuals.
The campus worship service, titled “Love Crosses Borders,” was co-sponsored by EMU’s Latinx Student Alliance (LSA) and the Office of Faith and Spiritual Life (FSL) as an event for Latinx Heritage Month.
Having previously worked with EMU’s Y-Serve and FSL on an alternative spring break trip in 2016, Flores-Maisonet was welcomed back to campus to share his stories and inspirational work with the EMU community.
In one story, Flores-Maisonet challenged the belief persons from below the Southern border are threats to the United States.
Walking along the U.S.-side of the border, Flores-Maisonet came across two men working on the other side. He called them over, extending his hand through the wall to greet them. As they chatted, U.S. Border Patrol quickly approached the scene. By the time they reached Flores-Maisonet, the two men had fled.
Flores-Maisonet was then interrogated by the officer, who questioned what he had given or received from the men. Flores-Maisonet gave a simple yet honest response: “I gave them a handshake.”
It wasn’t the strangers on the other side who made him uncomfortable, he shared. It was the officers who claimed to be his protection.
Senior Catherine Kirby named this story her favorite of the worship: “I thought it was really powerful. It addresses a misconception that paints people who are from below the U.S.-Mexico border as a thug or a criminal, even though they [are just] people,” she shared.
His public speaking skills and knowledge of immigration issues, highlighted in the last story, were major reasons Flores-Maisonet was chosen to speak to the EMU community, said junior and LSA Co-President Manuela Marin. Marin shared, “He is a great speaker; it’s very easy to listen to his stories, and he also has a lot of knowledge about immigration.” Flores-Maisonet was “everything [LSA] wanted to capture for the event,” she added.
For junior Cristal Narciso, another LSA co-president, Flores-Maisonet’s presentation struck a personal chord.
“Anton has a history in Social Work and the work he has done is inspirational to me,” Narciso shared. “[W]ith building organizations for seeking asylum seekers, I hope to do something similar in my future career as a social worker.”
The organization Narciso referred to is Casa Alterna, described on their website as “a community of hospitality comprised of recently arrived asylum seekers and US citizens.” Casa Alterna has hosted hundreds of asylum-seeking guests since August 2020. As Co-Founder, the home demonstrates Flores-Maisonet’s compassion and commitment to justice for our neighbors across the border.
More information on Casa Alterna can be found at https://casaalterna.org/.
To keep up-to-date on LSA news and events, follow their Instagram @lsa_emu.
Oct. 27 is the group’s annual LSA Banquet. Tickets went on sale yesterday, Oct. 11. Narciso urges those interested to buy tickets in the Dining Hall quickly, as spots are limited.
