My Own Form of Protest

My grandparents immigrated to the United States when they were young and my grandfather became a naturalized citizen. All of their children, including my mom, were born in the U.S. and several served in the armed forces and/or as public servants in one way or another. I was born in Dallas and am a second generation American. 

Why am I bringing this up? 

I am traveling to Minnesota tomorrow for a conference and because of what has been going on with ICE and their brutal, sometimes deadly, actions, I have taken protective measures in case I am pulled aside or detained. I am visibly Hispanic and therefore fit “the profile” that ICE is using. I have several friends now tracking my location and will be traveling with a copy of my birth certificate and passport. A colleague will be picking me up from the airport and taking me to the hotel. I won’t be leaving the hotel by myself if I can help it. 

I thought about not going. I have a family that I love very much and the thought of being separated from them longer than necessary is painful to even think about. 

But I refuse to let a bunch of government thugs dictate my life and cause me to live in fear and I sure as hell don’t want to set that precedent for my children. 

And so I am going, with shoulders back and head held high, but with a plan to protect myself. 

I also acknowledge the privilege I am able to use. I have documentation and resources. I have a deeply rooted network of family, friends, and community ready to step in if something happens. Many don’t.

I am not traveling because I am brave, but because I need to be able to tell Eliza when she is older that I didn’t let my fear stop me from living life, that I helped fight for a better world by doing this one small thing. When the world feels heavy and frightening and unjust, we keep showing up for our fellow humans in any way we can, even and especially when it’s hard.