the United States of America has always been a beacon of hope our founding
been a beacon of hope our founding
been a beacon of hope our founding fathers set out guiding principles in
fathers set out guiding principles in
fathers set out guiding principles in the Declaration of Independence and the
the Declaration of Independence and the
the Declaration of Independence and the Statue of Liberty welcomes the stranger
Statue of Liberty welcomes the stranger
Statue of Liberty welcomes the stranger to join us in this land of freedom and
to join us in this land of freedom and
to join us in this land of freedom and opportunity my grandfather was one of
opportunity my grandfather was one of
opportunity my grandfather was one of those strangers he arrived at ellis
those strangers he arrived at ellis
those strangers he arrived at ellis island as a refugee from russia and here
island as a refugee from russia and here
island as a refugee from russia and here i am a hundred years later realizing all
i am a hundred years later realizing all
i am a hundred years later realizing all the Freedom and opportunity that he was
the Freedom and opportunity that he was
the Freedom and opportunity that he was stowed upon me through the risk and
stowed upon me through the risk and
stowed upon me through the risk and sacrifice of his own life most of us
sacrifice of his own life most of us
sacrifice of his own life most of us have a similar story in one or two
have a similar story in one or two
have a similar story in one or two generations yesterday’s stranger becomes
generations yesterday’s stranger becomes
generations yesterday’s stranger becomes the one to welcome today in my role as
the one to welcome today in my role as
the one to welcome today in my role as an immigration lawyer I’ve had the
an immigration lawyer I’ve had the
an immigration lawyer I’ve had the opportunity to welcome hundreds of
opportunity to welcome hundreds of
opportunity to welcome hundreds of migrants and refugees from all over the
migrants and refugees from all over the
migrants and refugees from all over the world people like my grandfather who
world people like my grandfather who
world people like my grandfather who come not to change this country but to
come not to change this country but to
come not to change this country but to realize their full potential as humans
realize their full potential as humans
realize their full potential as humans what I find alarming is it seems like
what I find alarming is it seems like
what I find alarming is it seems like we’re shifting away from being a culture
we’re shifting away from being a culture
we’re shifting away from being a culture that welcomes instead allowing our
that welcomes instead allowing our
that welcomes instead allowing our communities to become increasingly
communities to become increasingly
communities to become increasingly polarized and intolerant many people
polarized and intolerant many people
polarized and intolerant many people only want to be surrounded by others who
only want to be surrounded by others who
only want to be surrounded by others who look or think like they do that might
look or think like they do that might
look or think like they do that might feel comfortable or convenient but it’s
feel comfortable or convenient but it’s
feel comfortable or convenient but it’s not sustainable change and migrations
not sustainable change and migrations
not sustainable change and migrations specifically dominate global headlines
specifically dominate global headlines
specifically dominate global headlines more people are currently displaced than
more people are currently displaced than
more people are currently displaced than ever before 65 million people currently
ever before 65 million people currently
ever before 65 million people currently displaced by conflict that’s more than
displaced by conflict that’s more than
displaced by conflict that’s more than the entire populations of Canada New
the entire populations of Canada New
the entire populations of Canada New Zealand and Australia combined and
Zealand and Australia combined and
Zealand and Australia combined and others migrated for opportunity or love
others migrated for opportunity or love
others migrated for opportunity or love or because their parents brought them in
or because their parents brought them in
or because their parents brought them in the United States the undocumented
the United States the undocumented
the United States the undocumented population alone is about 11 or 12
population alone is about 11 or 12
population alone is about 11 or 12 million people this circle
million people this circle
million people this circle fective reality and here we are you and
fective reality and here we are you and
fective reality and here we are you and me products of our collective history
me products of our collective history
me products of our collective history instead of looking for differences
instead of looking for differences
instead of looking for differences between us you and I come together
between us you and I come together
between us you and I come together seeking new perspectives so that we can
seeking new perspectives so that we can
seeking new perspectives so that we can have better understanding and then we
have better understanding and then we
have better understanding and then we can innovate forward together my
can innovate forward together my
can innovate forward together my challenge is to you can we be brave and
challenge is to you can we be brave and
challenge is to you can we be brave and humane enough to apply that same
humane enough to apply that same
humane enough to apply that same attitude to everyone around us no matter
attitude to everyone around us no matter
attitude to everyone around us no matter what they look like or where they come
what they look like or where they come
what they look like or where they come from we’re all human after all and
from we’re all human after all and
from we’re all human after all and polarization only perpetuates the myth
polarization only perpetuates the myth
polarization only perpetuates the myth of other pneus which leads to feelings
of other pneus which leads to feelings
of other pneus which leads to feelings of uncertainty about others and fear I
of uncertainty about others and fear I
of uncertainty about others and fear I can relate when I was a kid my family
can relate when I was a kid my family
can relate when I was a kid my family moved from New York City to Waco Texas I
know that’s not the same as moving from
know that’s not the same as moving from a different country but still it was an
a different country but still it was an
a different country but still it was an odd choice for a Jewish family
odd choice for a Jewish family
odd choice for a Jewish family considering that Waco is in the middle
considering that Waco is in the middle
considering that Waco is in the middle of the Christian Bible Belt and we
of the Christian Bible Belt and we
of the Christian Bible Belt and we didn’t know anybody one memory that
didn’t know anybody one memory that
didn’t know anybody one memory that stands out is my mom coming to school to
stands out is my mom coming to school to
stands out is my mom coming to school to teach my friends about our religion
teach my friends about our religion
teach my friends about our religion raising kids she didn’t know what to
raising kids she didn’t know what to
raising kids she didn’t know what to expect but she realized that religion
expect but she realized that religion
expect but she realized that religion matters in the Bible Belt and her
matters in the Bible Belt and her
matters in the Bible Belt and her children were at risk of being excluded
children were at risk of being excluded
children were at risk of being excluded or rejected or bullied for being
or rejected or bullied for being
or rejected or bullied for being different so at Hanukkah she would bring
different so at Hanukkah she would bring
different so at Hanukkah she would bring traditional food like her delicious
traditional food like her delicious
traditional food like her delicious potato pancakes we call them latkes and
potato pancakes we call them latkes and
potato pancakes we call them latkes and we played this Jewish game the dreidel
we played this Jewish game the dreidel
we played this Jewish game the dreidel game with the spinning top with Hebrew
game with the spinning top with Hebrew
game with the spinning top with Hebrew letters on the sides the way she engaged
letters on the sides the way she engaged
letters on the sides the way she engaged my friends helped them to see us as
my friends helped them to see us as
my friends helped them to see us as normal people who happen to have
normal people who happen to have
normal people who happen to have different customs and beliefs it also
different customs and beliefs it also
different customs and beliefs it also helped me to feel comfortable in my own
helped me to feel comfortable in my own
helped me to feel comfortable in my own skin and to trust that my friends would
skin and to trust that my friends would
skin and to trust that my friends would accept me for who I am three things
accept me for who I am three things
accept me for who I am three things about that story are significant first
about that story are significant first
about that story are significant first my mom came into the school
my mom came into the school
my mom came into the school hopeful she desired and believed in a
hopeful she desired and believed in a
hopeful she desired and believed in a positive experience for everyone second
positive experience for everyone second
positive experience for everyone second she exercised agency instead of waiting
she exercised agency instead of waiting
she exercised agency instead of waiting for someone else to do something she
for someone else to do something she
for someone else to do something she took initiative personal responsibility
took initiative personal responsibility
took initiative personal responsibility and third she used communication
and third she used communication
and third she used communication personal interaction to build connection
personal interaction to build connection
personal interaction to build connection and deeper understanding and with hope
and deeper understanding and with hope
and deeper understanding and with hope agency and communication she came into
agency and communication she came into
agency and communication she came into my class really humble like this is just
my class really humble like this is just
my class really humble like this is just what we do when we thought you might
what we do when we thought you might
what we do when we thought you might want to know because maybe you never met
want to know because maybe you never met
want to know because maybe you never met anyone Jewish before she realized that
anyone Jewish before she realized that
anyone Jewish before she realized that uncertainty lingers in the unknown and
uncertainty lingers in the unknown and
uncertainty lingers in the unknown and that’s where fear breeds including her
that’s where fear breeds including her
that’s where fear breeds including her own fear there always seemed to be these
own fear there always seemed to be these
own fear there always seemed to be these two forces at work hope and fear hope
two forces at work hope and fear hope
two forces at work hope and fear hope requires courage fear does not it takes
requires courage fear does not it takes
requires courage fear does not it takes courage and vulnerability and even faith
courage and vulnerability and even faith
courage and vulnerability and even faith in others to overcome fear and confront
in others to overcome fear and confront
in others to overcome fear and confront uncertainty the way my mom did she was
uncertainty the way my mom did she was
uncertainty the way my mom did she was building community my experience growing
building community my experience growing
building community my experience growing up influences the way that I interact
up influences the way that I interact
up influences the way that I interact with my clients and actually with
with my clients and actually with
with my clients and actually with everyone I’m really intentional about
everyone I’m really intentional about
everyone I’m really intentional about building community to foster an
building community to foster an
building community to foster an environment where everyone can thrive
environment where everyone can thrive
environment where everyone can thrive the kind of environment where I want to
the kind of environment where I want to
the kind of environment where I want to live what I didn’t anticipate was how
live what I didn’t anticipate was how
live what I didn’t anticipate was how much richness and meaning my clients
much richness and meaning my clients
much richness and meaning my clients would add to my life some of them become
would add to my life some of them become
would add to my life some of them become really good friends and even family like
really good friends and even family like
really good friends and even family like my god daughter Grace who I love she was
my god daughter Grace who I love she was
my god daughter Grace who I love she was born in the United States just two weeks
born in the United States just two weeks
born in the United States just two weeks after her family was granted political
after her family was granted political
after her family was granted political asylum from Haiti clearly what I
asylum from Haiti clearly what I
asylum from Haiti clearly what I originally perceived as humanitarian
originally perceived as humanitarian
originally perceived as humanitarian work has evolved into a constant source
work has evolved into a constant source
work has evolved into a constant source of hope for me and for my clients hope
of hope for me and for my clients hope
of hope for me and for my clients hope in humanity imagine that that is not the
in humanity imagine that that is not the
in humanity imagine that that is not the feeling I get when I turn on the TV or
feeling I get when I turn on the TV or
feeling I get when I turn on the TV or when I talk to people like my family and
when I talk to people like my family and
when I talk to people like my family and friends who get most of their
friends who get most of their
friends who get most of their information about migrants and refugees
information about migrants and refugees
information about migrants and refugees from the media the rhetoric and images
from the media the rhetoric and images
from the media the rhetoric and images that we see tend to be so negative and
that we see tend to be so negative and
that we see tend to be so negative and sensational or tragic defining people by
sensational or tragic defining people by
sensational or tragic defining people by their circumstances instead of by the
their circumstances instead of by the
their circumstances instead of by the human spirit that drives them forward
human spirit that drives them forward
human spirit that drives them forward over the past few years the growing gap
over the past few years the growing gap
over the past few years the growing gap between that rhetoric and the reality
between that rhetoric and the reality
between that rhetoric and the reality that I experience working with migrants
that I experience working with migrants
that I experience working with migrants and refugees reached a breaking point
and refugees reached a breaking point
and refugees reached a breaking point and had me seriously wondering how long
and had me seriously wondering how long
and had me seriously wondering how long this country will be able to maintain
this country will be able to maintain
this country will be able to maintain our stature as the land of freedom and
our stature as the land of freedom and
our stature as the land of freedom and opportunity as the beacon of hope and I
opportunity as the beacon of hope and I
opportunity as the beacon of hope and I realize that this is about more than
realize that this is about more than
realize that this is about more than just immigration this is about the kind
just immigration this is about the kind
just immigration this is about the kind of community where I want to live
of community where I want to live
of community where I want to live honestly the media can be toxic that
honestly the media can be toxic that
honestly the media can be toxic that kind of energy is contagious and our
kind of energy is contagious and our
kind of energy is contagious and our society is infected but hope is
society is infected but hope is
society is infected but hope is contagious too I know because I’ve
contagious too I know because I’ve
contagious too I know because I’ve experienced it time and again whether
experienced it time and again whether
experienced it time and again whether it’s with my clients or in line at the
it’s with my clients or in line at the
it’s with my clients or in line at the post office or at the grocery store
post office or at the grocery store
post office or at the grocery store every time I muster the courage to talk
every time I muster the courage to talk
every time I muster the courage to talk with strangers about something that
with strangers about something that
with strangers about something that troubles me with respect with the
troubles me with respect with the
troubles me with respect with the genuine desire to understand not to
genuine desire to understand not to
genuine desire to understand not to convince and to seek solutions together
convince and to seek solutions together
convince and to seek solutions together something magic happens that’s the
something magic happens that’s the
something magic happens that’s the moment that they cease to be other and
moment that they cease to be other and
moment that they cease to be other and that is where hope is born recently I
that is where hope is born recently I
that is where hope is born recently I was in Grand Rapids Michigan
was in Grand Rapids Michigan
was in Grand Rapids Michigan facilitating a workshop to explore
facilitating a workshop to explore
facilitating a workshop to explore culture identity and values this is part
culture identity and values this is part
culture identity and values this is part of a year-long listening tour of the
of a year-long listening tour of the
of a year-long listening tour of the country I love to promote unity and
country I love to promote unity and
country I love to promote unity and community through deep listening and
community through deep listening and
community through deep listening and sharing our speaker panel included a
sharing our speaker panel included a
sharing our speaker panel included a Muslim student from Sudan and a
Muslim student from Sudan and a
Muslim student from Sudan and a Christian former refugee from South
Christian former refugee from South
Christian former refugee from South Sudan who spent 13 years living in
Sudan who spent 13 years living in
Sudan who spent 13 years living in refugee camps before she was resettled
refugee camps before she was resettled
refugee camps before she was resettled in the United States at the age of 15
in the United States at the age of 15
in the United States at the age of 15 she shared her experience in the foster
she shared her experience in the foster
she shared her experience in the foster care system they
care system they
care system they placed her with a Muslim family and she
placed her with a Muslim family and she
placed her with a Muslim family and she refused because back home she knew the
refused because back home she knew the
refused because back home she knew the Muslims as those bad people who
Muslims as those bad people who
Muslims as those bad people who destroyed her country but then she
destroyed her country but then she
destroyed her country but then she turned to the girl from Sudan and she
turned to the girl from Sudan and she
turned to the girl from Sudan and she said but now I look at you and I see a
said but now I look at you and I see a
said but now I look at you and I see a human being my sister and I want to hug
human being my sister and I want to hug
human being my sister and I want to hug you because we’re here together in
you because we’re here together in
you because we’re here together in America here I’ve had the opportunity to
America here I’ve had the opportunity to
America here I’ve had the opportunity to meet all kinds of different people and I
meet all kinds of different people and I
meet all kinds of different people and I know that those labels don’t define us
know that those labels don’t define us
know that those labels don’t define us it might take courage and more effort to
it might take courage and more effort to
it might take courage and more effort to reach through our comfort zones to build
reach through our comfort zones to build
reach through our comfort zones to build community but that kind of human
community but that kind of human
community but that kind of human connection can restore your hope in
connection can restore your hope in
connection can restore your hope in humanity the process is liberating and
humanity the process is liberating and
humanity the process is liberating and expansive because actually our comfort
expansive because actually our comfort
expansive because actually our comfort zones are limitless if we only have hope
zones are limitless if we only have hope
zones are limitless if we only have hope and seek to understand thank you
and seek to understand thank you
and seek to understand thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] you
you
you [Music]
”
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