Building Bridges WorkshopsWorkshops and Presenters

Surviving the Struggle

Participants will have the opportunity to experience the struggles of coming to the United States during this interactive walkthrough of the immigration process. They will follow the personal journeys of various immigrants who come in search of work, family members, or citizenship, and will have the chance to work through the same challenges immigrants face on their journey to the "Land of Opportunity."

Opportunities to take action and advocate for immigration

Writing of letters to Congress to urge Minnesota and United States Congress members to pass current legislation on issues related to immigration.
Food drive for the St. Peter soup kitchen through Trinity Lutheran Church.
Care package assembling of packages for recent immigrants. Packed with the basic necessities needed to get started here in America.
Monetary donations to go toward a scholarship for an immigrant and St. Peter High School student to attend a four-year college in the United States.

Keynote Q & A St. Peter Room, Session 2 only: Keynote speakers Kao Kalia Yang and Dr. Paul Hillmer will answer audience members' lecture questions. this is a great opportunity to interact with the speakers and hear their opinions on immigration.
Through the Eyes of an Immigrant Courtyard Cafe, Sessions 1, 2, & 3: These individuals—Gustavus students, faculty, and staff—will share their personal experiences with immigration and what it is like to live in Minnesota. They represent a variety of backgrounds—coming from countries like Somalia, Mexico, Japan, Colombia, Sweden, Ethiopia, and El Salvador. Panel members will also answer audience members' questions about their experiences.
Immigration in Minnesota and the Refugee Experience Board Room, Sessions 1 & 3: Anna Donnelly & Madeline Lohman are education program assistants for the Advocates for Human Rights, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting human rights in the United States and around the world. In this interactive workshop, participants will receive an overview of U.S. immigration law and its impact on the human rights of migrants. The presentation will focus on the refugee experience in particular, giving participants new insight into the unique place of Minnesota in our immigration system.
No Second Chance Three Crowns Room, Session 1 & 2: Marissa Hill-Dongre is the education coordinator at the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota. She worked at Centro Legal, a St. Paul non-profit organization, first as a Minnesota Justice Foundation clerk and later as an attorney, focusing on family-based petitions, citizenship, and aid for battered immigrant women and immigrant victims of crime. This presentation will focus on the naturalization process and discuss deportation and the impact criminal activity can have on a person's immigration status.
The Somali Diaspora: A Journey Away St. Peter Room, Sessions 1 & 3: Abdi Roble & Doug Rutledge are a social justice documentary photographer and a writer, and the founders of the Somali Documentary Project, which aims to document the Somali diaspora and share with host countries the lives of the Somali people when they leave their homeland. Roble and Rutledge will examine the journey of Somali refugees from Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya to various parts of the United States. They will also discuss the Somali communities in Ohio and Minnesota.
Between Two Worlds: Photo Essay From Our Border Linner Lounge, Sessions 1 & 2: Don Bartletti has over 30 years of experience as a photojournalist, and has been a staff photographer for the Los Angeles Times since 1992. He has covered stories in California, Mexico, Central America, South America, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In 2003, he won a Pulitzer Prize for his photo series, "Enrique's Journey," which documents the travels of immigrants who ride the tops of trains from Honduras to the United States. During his talk, Bartletti will share about his experiences at the border and thoughts on immigration.