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 housing in safe, comfortable apartments for women and children awaiting entry into the US, including those with special medical needs. We help support a shelter for migrating families that accommodates 70+ people and, for those asylum seekers who are allowed entry into the US and with whom we've established relationships in Nogales, Sonora, Voices helps provide resources and support necessary for survival. 

 

Secondly, as a response to Covid-era policies, we began paying women stuck at the Nogales border in immigration limbo for their proficiency in the cultural craft of embroidery (bordado) to create mantas to sell in US markets. Mantas are hand-stitched and traditionally used for wrapping food and devotionally as altar pieces. Sales of the mantas go directly to funding 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.