Name: Alex Cueto
Social Justice Group: Immigration
Date of Fieldwork: December 16, 2020
Name of Organization:
Person (people) with whom I met and their job titles: Alain Mentha
Type of Fieldwork: Interview
What I did:
We had a FaceTime interview call with Alain Mentha, the co founder and executive director of the Welcome Home organization in Jersey City. The organization works with children and families who are refugees and immigrants. We talked to him about the organization, his job and today’s immigration situations.
What I learned:
I learned about how not many people know about the difference between refugees and immigrants. Alain talked about how the reasons why they leave their homes are very different and we cant just assume refugees and immigrants are leaving for the same purpose. I also learned about how there aren’t many places for refugees and immigrants to go for help. Alain said the refugee program in New Jersey was shut down so their organization became a place for people to go to. This taught me about how there isn’t a lot of support and help for these people in the country.
What I learned about Social Justice “work” and/or Civil and Human rights “work” from this fieldwork:
Welcome Home began to help people adjust to change after the 2016 election. The fieldwork taught me a lot about how the organization took a stand to help people deal with the new laws and bans that prohibited them from many opportunities. They are able to provide a safe shelter for children and families to go. Alain says he loves his job because he meets new people everyday and gets to help people who deserve the treatment they provide. He loves working with the cute kids and he gets to learn a lot about different cultural experiences. Overall, the fieldwork taught me a lot about the Welcome Home organization and how they are able to care for many people.
