Today was our final day here in Arizona. We started at 8:40am when we walked over to the Southside Worker Center. The center works to provide undocumented workers with daily jobs. They have connections to local businesses or individuals who seek labor assistance. Workers come to the center early in the morning and are given raffle numbers that assign the order they are chosen for work. For example, the person with the first number gets the first job available. The exception to this rule is if the employer is looking for a specific skill. In that case, the first person may be skipped over if he does not have that skill. There is an understanding that the job has to be done well if they want employers to return. Eleazar, a coordinator for the worker center was able to talk to us and shed some light on the availability of jobs for immigrants in the area. 
Eleazar shared with us his stories of facing adversity. People assume that immigrants will work for very low wages. However, Eleazar encourages that employers pay the workers at least 10 dollars/hour. He understands that undocumented immigrants can be easily taken advantage of because they are not protected by rights that American citizens have. Especially after SB 1070, Eleazar and many other undocumented immigrants became tired of hiding from the fear of deportation by police and border patrol. To counteract this fear he participated in local and national protests. In one instance, they were able to shut down Operation Streamline for one day. Eleazar continues to be a powerful and effective voice in the Latino community.
Soon after, we had another meeting with Monica who is a member of Corazon de Tucson. This organization started with 4 members and has now grown to be 40 members strong. Their mission is to also counteract the effects of SB 1070 by providing services such as workshops to inform undocumented people of their rights. These workshops, led by knowledgable lawyers, focus on how to pay bonds and information concerning the detention process. They also campaign for Municipal IDs. In addition, the organization fundraises money to help relieve detained members. Corazon de Tucson is comprised of families who value the family structure and keeping those structures intact-especially in the detention process. Monica is a proud mother of three children. She is from Oaxaca, Mexico. She came to the United States almost ten years ago and worked 16 hour days. Like Eleazar, she was once afraid to leave her house in fear of deportation. However, she realized their was a community willing to support her and in which she could find her identity. Corazon de Tucson gave her a place to find her passion and help others in similar situations.
Finally, our last night in Tucson was spent at Gates Pass to watch the desert sunset. It was a bittersweet reflection on the entire week. It was beautiful and special, no other sunset can compare to what the desert offers. We knew we were all grateful for this opportunity to travel to Arizona; along the way we met incredible people who exposed us to the realities of the borderlands. It is with great sincerity that we strive to apply the knowledge gained from this immersion to our lives in school, at home, and in the public.
By: Erin Stuart ’19 and Nellie Zapien ’19