(Courtesy/Dr. Bundy, Mr. Mena and Mr. Stegner)
While Wednesday, February 5, through Sunday, February 9, were average days for the rest of us, a cohort of faculty members was immersed in five days of learning about immigration at the US-Mexico border. Dr. Bundy, Mr. Mena, Ms. Morris, and Mr. Stegner embarked on the World Leadership School’s BorderPlex educator travel program, gaining several insights to share.
Led by Ross Wehner, founder of the World Leadership School, the experience welcomed teachers from three other independent schools: Sussex School in Montana, The Hotchkiss School from Connecticut, and Mary McDowell Friends School in Brooklyn. Funded by the professional development budget and facilitated by Dr. Losambe’s connection with Wehner, the goal of the trip was to explore the possibilities of immersive learning for students in the future, across departments and divisions. This mode of on-site, in-the-field learning let them lose track of time and dive headfirst into understanding the complexities of immigration.
As a former journalist, Wehner guided the group like one, collecting stories from local lawyers, professors, and volunteers to understand the community they live in. They ventured into El Paso and Las Cruces and met several people with family or personal connections to Ciudad Juárez, discussing various perspectives and creating a strong bond with people they met.
For instance, one person was Linda, the Program Director, Refugee and Asylees for Lutheran Family Services of the Rocky Mountains, whose funding for her job was to help refugees and asylum seekers settle in the US with stable housing, jobs, and schools—was cut overnight, which forced Linda to grapple with the abrupt changes. As Linda broke down telling her story, she showed a vulnerability that revealed the human behind every issue.
Another individual, US Magistrate Judge Gregory Fouratt for the US District Court for the District of New Mexico, was in charge of setting arraignments for immigrants. As he shared anecdotes, instead of blaming people for crossing the border, Fouratt understood why they were leaving for better opportunities. Fouratt’s favorite day of the year is Citizenship Day, when he gives people their American citizenship during the naturalization ceremony.
On the other hand, Jesús, an asylum seeker from Venezuela who crossed the Darién Gap in October and arrived in January, was one of the last families to be processed. The group met him at a shelter that helped asylees (persons who seek or have been granted political asylum) in a place that usually provided 250 people with resources but closed its doors due to new policies and now only held Jesús’ family.
In everything the cohort did—cooking arepas with Venezuelan immigrants, experiencing local cuisines, and speaking with vendors at farmers’ markets—they learned firsthand about different cultures and ways of life. Despite immense changes and uncertainty, there was a common thread keeping people rooted: purpose. Everyone had a deep resilience and commitment to their work, letting them navigate this turbulent time.
“Bringing part of their experience to Academy,” said Mr. Mena, “They want us all to reflect on our own lives: what is our deeper sense of purpose, and how can we connect or reconnect with that.”
Mr. Stegner added, “Everyone we spoke with in El Paso and Las Cruces shared powerful, heartbreaking stories—stories that are difficult to hear, but ones we as a nation must embrace instead of turning away from. It became clear that the recent executive orders on immigration are causing harm, and we also learned about long-standing patterns of exclusion in U.S. immigration law and policy. Despite these challenges, however, the people we met rely on a deep sense of purpose to keep going. I am hoping that these stories inspire us to seek more justice in our world.”
