BY BTL STAFF
There are believed to be 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. Jose Antonio Vargas is one of them.
"We're not always who you think we are. Some pick your strawberries or care for your children. Some are in high school or college. And some, it turns out, write news articles you might read," Vargas wrote in an article for The New York Times in 2010.
"I grew up here. This is my home. Yet even though I think of myself as an American and consider America my country, my country doesn't think of me as one of its own," he said.
As the keynote speaker during the ACLU of Michigan annual dinner on Nov. 11, Vargas will share his experience.
"I'm undocumented, I'm gay, my name is Jose and I look Asian," he said during an Oct. 25 interview with WDET's Detroit Today host Stephen Henderson. "For me, this whole idea of being excluded and not equal has been cemented in my head. Thankfully for me, the more I was felt to be excluded and not equal to, the more I wanted to say I am."
Vargas will also highlight the reasons why we can no longer talk about America in silos.
"I can't talk to you about immigrant rights and not talk about the Black Lives Matter movement and not talk about LGBTQ rights and not talk about Arab and Muslim Americans and not talk about income and equality among all Americans, including white Americans," Vargas said.
"All these issues intersect and yet the media, for the most part, likes it to be separate. Politicians like it to be separate. So how do we bring justice home in that perspective, in that regard? That's really a crucial question."
The theme for this year's event at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn is "Beyond Walls: Bringing Justice Home," which Vargas agrees is appropriate.
"We've talked a lot about walls this year. But has humanity ever built a wall that could withstand human will? So as long as people are hungry, as long as parents love their kids, they're gonna cross whatever wall you put in front of them," he said.
"Isn't that what happened when the Irish had the potato famine? When all those Irish people got on coffin ships – they call them coffin ships because so many people died – just to get here and cross the border they call the Atlantic Ocean. To me, the sacrifices, I actually think we have to think of immigrants in that way: the very act of moving to a place where you do not know the language, the people, the culture, that is a courageous act."
Vargas is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, filmmaker and publisher who has made the changing of American identity the centerpiece of his work. He's the creator of "Documented," an award-winning documentary about his immigrant experience. He's also the founder of Define American, a nonprofit media and culture organization that seeks to elevate the conversation around immigration and citizenship. He also established and edits #EmergingUS, a digital platform that explores race, immigration and identity in America.
"My mom put me on a plane to move to America to live with my grandparents," said Vargas, who said writing about being an immigrant was a necessity.
Vargas said immigrants to America are often painted with broad brushes, when in truth the experiences of immigrants are as varied as the individuals. He said among the narratives that exist in society about immigrants is one of hard work and drive.
"Of course I think (that narrative) is important," said Vargas, "but we shouldn't rob immigrants of their complexity … I'm worried that immigrants are getting commodified."
Influenced by authors such as James Baldwin, Vargas found liberation in reading the writings of Americans who felt and feel excluded from America. As minorities constitute a new mainstream in American society, Vargas said, "In some ways I'm actually thankful to Donald Trump for exposing us to each other, and I think now this is where Baldwin comes into play. '…Nothing can be changed until it is faced.' Are we willing to face each other? Willing to look in each other's eyes? Willing to ask hard questions of ourselves?"
This includes acknowledging the many young people who are born in this country, who have papers, who Vargas said, "still don't feel like they are included or should be here or don't feel legal. I'm talking about black kids, Latino kids, Arab kids, gay kids, all of them."
For many reasons, Vargas realized long ago that he owes it to this country to stay. His ability to transcend traditional American beliefs has allowed him to influence change, which he will discuss further at the ACLU of Michigan annul dinner — an event Vargas said is "really special. I am grateful to be there to celebrate this."
Mary Beijan, director of philanthropy for the ACLU of Michigan said, "Given the broad scope of the ACLU of Michigan's work, we wanted a way to highlight our achievements, honor our allies and celebrate with the wide array of individuals and organizations who fight alongside us every day. The ACLU of Michigan annual dinner offers an ideal space for us to cheer our victories, uplift our shared values and begin charting a course for the next year."
For more information, visit the ACLU of Michigan online.
