Loyola engages with U.S.-Mexico migration through trip to the borderlands
This past May, a group of seven student and faculty members embarked on a five-day immersion trip to the borderlands through the Kino Border Initiative (KBI). KBI is a binational, faith-based organization located on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border in Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. Here, they provide humanitarian assistance to migrants. The initiative advocates for immigration policies that assert the dignity of migrants through direct assistance, education, and collaborative networks that research immigration laws. To help the children and their families, KBI has built three centers to attend to the humanitarian needs of migrants: Aid Center for Migrants (CAM), Nazareth House, and First Aid Station. The centers’ goals are to feed, shelter, and assist the migrants respectively along their journey. KBI prioritizes humanity in their every effort to aid the migrants and instill this value in other volunteers through presentations, immersion experiences, and retreat days.
During their time in the borderlands, the Loyola group met with various groups involved in U.S.-Mexico migration including Border Patrol agents, American ranchers, and Mexican and Central American migrants. Students Gabriella Romo’s ’21 and Frances Almodovar’s ’21 reflections on their experiences.
Students find meaning in the great outdoors on DISCOVERY trip
On May 12, the Office of Student Engagement and Loyola’s OAE (Outdoor Adventure Experience) club embarked on their annual DISCOVERY trip, an outdoor excursion of backpacking, reflecting, and camping. The 13 adventurers sought to discover themselves through experience, discussion, and reflection while navigating throughout the forest. The campers drove out to Michaux State Forest in Fayetteville, Pa. to begin their week-long trip filled with self-reflection. During the week, the group hiked and built different campsites while getting acquainted with their peers. The adventure also consisted of rock climbing and “Solo Day,” a period of seven hours in which the participants practiced introspection alone in the woods. On the seventh day, the campers emerged from the forest with sharpened survival skills, lifelong friends, and a new sense of themselves.
Jennifer Valencia ’20 and Nicoletta Di’Ambrosio ’20 reflect on their once-in-a-lifetime experiences in the serenity of nature here.
Baltimore celebrates 37th annual Artscape festival
On July 20-22, Artscape, America’s largest free arts festival, featured over 150 artists and attracted more than 350,000 visitors to the Baltimore’s Arts District. The festival consisted of live concerts (with 90’s girl group TLC as this year’s headliner), outdoor sculptures, performing arts, a variety of music, and local food and beverages. Dominating the neighborhood of Bolton Hill for the weekend, Artscape strives to recognize the creative and artistic talents of showcased artists in outdoors tents and indoor exhibition spaces. This year, instead of creating a theme for the festival like in previous years, Artscape organizers decided to instead focus on the festival’s main purpose: celebrating art in its true form. The festival dedicated its opening day, July 20, to Baltimore’s youth to showcase youth-focused programming. Artscape occurs annually in July, rain or shine, and hopes to exhibit the value of the creative process. For a sneak preview of next year’s festival, visit Artscape’s website.
Feature Image: Paul Gardner Photo, Courtesy of Flickr
