Voices fulfill our mission in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico by supporting the work of Nurse/EMT Francisco (Pancho) Olachea Martin who has served the migrant population there since 2009. Pancho, along with our Migrant Services Team, coordinates and provides free medical care and necessary transportation to those who would otherwise not have access. Additionally, we provide safe, comfortable housing in apartments, as well as food, clothing, and daily necessities to migrating families in Nogales, Sonora. Some of our guests had hoped to request asylum into the US, and are now stuck in limbo, and others are recently deported. As our apartments are often at capacity, we help others pay for rent and utilities in rentals across the city.

 

We also help by supporting women for their proficiency in the cultural craft of embroidery (bordado) to create mantas. Mantas are hand-stitched and traditionally used for wrapping food and devotionally as altar pieces. We offer them for a suggested donation and the money directly funds the bordadora project that continues to this day.

 

On the US side of the border, we embark on the second branch of our mission, aiming to transform the narrative surrounding migration. By sharing the stories of "our families" in Nogales, Sonora, providing accurate information and credible journalism, and employing the arts as a catalyst of creative activism, we seek to build awareness and deepen understanding. Through organizing and sponsoring events, we foster a holistic and empathic comprehension of the lived experiences of migration and the profound effects of immigration policies on human lives. 

 

Voices from the Border is committed to using our voice to make a lasting difference in the lives of migrants and asylum seekers, and to creating a more compassionate and informed society.