055: The Full Human Context of Migration with Celina de Sola, Founder of GlassWing International

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In this episode, Celina de Sola joins Judithe Registre to discuss the context of human life and the experiences of citizens migrating from Latin American countries that have been the focus of the current immigration debate in the US. Celina, the founder of GlassWing International, is from El Salvador. After spending many years traveling the world as a humanitarian relief worker as well as working as a social worker and public health specialist, Celina felt compelled to return home and make a difference in Central America. Drawing on her experiences, she saw an opportunity to combine an international perspective with a hands-on, grassroots approach to transform vulnerable communities across the region.

Believing or assuming that people simply want to come to the United States misses the point that people are not going on vacation or choosing to expatriate to the US as a matter of luxury. “It is not easy to leave your home, to move to a new place where you do not speak the language, by taking a long journey to a completely unfamiliar life. This is not an exciting journey that people have decided to go on per se. People are fleeing to save their lives.” It is not simply a journey of aspiration; it is a journey of survival. People are being forced out of their homes.

Celina’s work with GlassWing International focuses on the critical work being carried out with communities, young people, and institutional structures in countries of origin (El Salvador, Guatemala, Ecuador, Mexico) to anchor communities’ aspirations for peace and opportunity.

As you will discover while listening to this episode, citizen safety and security is one of the greatest forms of opportunity that we can work to create. This episode will give you an appreciation not only of Celina’s work, but of the full human context of migration, enabling you to move beyond the ideological battle of immigration as it is being covered by the news. “In separating children [from families] fleeing violence, it increases the burden of risk, with an impact [that will] last for generations.” As we have seen in other contexts, such slavery and Native Americans, it becomes an intergenerational catastrophe. “The challenge of structural and systematic violence requires deep level work at the community level with families and young people while working at the national judicial level.” Therefore, the work in host countries is paramount to avert further trauma and heal communities.

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