Moving Lines: Recent Episodes
Refugee Outreach Collective
Welcome to Moving Lines, a podcast that explores refugee camps through the lenses of people most deeply connected to these spaces. This podcast provides a platform for people to share their knowledge - both experiential and academic - from working, researching and living in these emergency zones daily. This podcast was produced by the Refugee Outreach Collective, a nonprofit that amplifies the diverse narratives of migrant and displaced communities through alliance and relationship building.
Tune into the latest episode of Moving Lines to learn about the circumstances individuals face while living along the US-Mexico border awaiting their asylum claims to be considered in the US. Juan and Gabriella discuss their experiences after being expelled from the US and living in the borderzone. Juan is a DACA recipient who grew up in the US and is hoping to return after escaping unsafe living conditions in the town he was deported to. Their interviews are followed up with leaders from Solidarity Engineering and Dulce Refugio Shelter who described how their respective nonprofits are working to alleviate the dire conditions people are subjected to as they work to struggle to cross international borders.
If you're able consider donating to Solidarity Engineering and Dulce Refugio Shelter:
https://www.solidarityengineering.org/donate
https://www.onemissionministries.org/Donate.html
While Title 42 has made crossing the US-Mexico border almost impossible for those seeking asylum, some are still making their way across. While opportunities are limited, this episode discusses the primary ways people experiencing forced displacement are able to migrate into the US across the southernmost border despite Title 42. This episode features Blake Davis from Global Response Management (GRM), Gabriella and Enrique. Blake discussed the ways in which humanitarian crossings work, and GRM's role in facilitating such crossings. Gabriella discussed her horrific experience of being expelled from the US by border patrol officials, and Enrique told of his harrowing experience sending his children across the border without him. This episode describes some of the challenges individuals face when faced with decisions on how and when to attempt to cross the border, while providing an overview of the few ways people are able to cross despite Title 42 barring entry to most seeking asylum across the US's southernmost border.
**Please note, these interviews took place in May and since then the Migrant Protection Protocols have been reinstated.
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Read about Title 42 here - https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/04/08/qa-us-title-42-policy-expel-migrants-border#
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Read about Gabby's experience here - https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/the-americas/migrant-families-arrested-in-texas-being-flown-to-california-for-expulsion-1.1220329?fbclid=IwAR2Pxpf2Z9_3tv15dAINHu0S-opKL7HbW711XXyhvitMzEEnWdWGYSZG7OQ#5
There are thousands of people experiencing statelessness at the US-Mexico border waiting for their asylum cases to be considered by US judges. For many, life in the border zone is an uncertain, stressful and violent experience. During this season of Moving Lines, interviews feature people living and working in the region that discuss the dire circumstances of the border. Individuals tell of kidnappings, life in a tent, feelings of insecurity, expulsion and more. During this first episode the narrator provides a brief introduction to the policy responsible for this subjugation - Title 42. Check out this short, 5 minute episode for an introduction for what is to come during this new season of Moving Lines.
Listen to the most recent episode of Moving Lines to learn about how political organizing in Palestine evolved during the pandemic. This episode features interviews from Jacob and Namira, both of whom organize various community efforts in Palestine. Jacob is a teacher and an active organizer in the Nativity church in Bethlehem, and the christian Tarasanta scouts. Namira is a member of a Palestinian feminist movement called Tala’at. During this episode, Jacob and Namira discuss the ways in which their efforts evolved under the pandemic, in order to respond to the new normal in effective and impactful ways. Listen to this episode of Moving Lines to learn more about how COVID-19 impacted organizing in Palestine in general, and how Jacob and Namira specifically responded through their respective organizations.
This episode of Moving Lines features Dr. Osama Tanous - a pediatrician in Haifa, who has also worked in a mobile clinic in Gaza, and the West Bank during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region. Dr. Tanous discusses how the Palestinian community has been impacted by the pandemic. Dr. Tanous considers topics such as the paradoxical ways in which the community has been spared by a few ails of the pandemic, while being disproportionately impacted by others. Check out the episode to hear from Dr. Tanous and consider clicking the link below to read a piece written from another interview by Dr. Tanous (as referenced in the episode).
https://gripinequality.org/2020/04/4-miniseries-covid-19-and-global-dimensions-of-inequality/
The sixth episode of the Moving Lines podcast considers how circumstances have changed for those living in Dzaleka Refugee Camp since the Coronavirus began to spread in Malawi, and somewhat in the refugee camp itself. More specifically, the episode considers how poverty and politics have intertwined for a less-than ideal circumstance for those experiencing statelessness in Dzaleka. Individuals interviewed for this episode explain how their lack of necessary resources, such as access to effective COVID-19 tests, and access to food and supportive care if they were to catch the virus, has made living in the refugee camp during the pandemic frightening. To make matters worse, one interviewee highlights the ways in which the Malawian president has politicized the virus, instituting more fear in Dzaleka and Malawi in general. Yet, despite fears and challenges, interviewees also highlight ways in which members of the Dzaleka community have come together to organize public health advocacy efforts and support initiatives to continue supporting one another during these difficult times.
Tune into this episode of Moving Lines to learn more about how life in Dzaleka has changed since the spread of the Coronavirus. [Please note that all interviews were performed in September 2020].
Episode four of Moving Lines considers how the pandemic has impacted Dzaleka, a UN-mandated refugee camp in Malawi, through the lens of those who are currently living through it. The episode features interviews from three people - Marcel, Deborah and Damien - who describe how the Dzaleka community has been impacted by the virus. Marcel, Deborah and Damien each highlight measures that the Malawian government has taken to protect those living in the country, and how these measures have impacted those living in the camp. The measures the interviewees highlight as being particularly challenging in this episode include school closures and stay at home orders. Damien, who has lived in the camp for years explains that the community now lacks the culture of togetherness that was once apparent, as many are staying home and avoiding crowds when able. Other interviewees share a similar sentiment, and add that the measures are but a few of the necessary steps to protect themselves and their communities. [Please note that these interviews were performed in September 2020].
Tune into episode 5 to learn more about how the pandemic has changed the Dzaleka community through the lens of those living there.
The next few episodes of the Moving Lines podcast explore how the spread of COVID-19 has impacted Dzaleka, a UN-Mandated refugee camp in Malawi. Episodes feature interviews from people currently experiencing statelessness in the refugee camp, who discuss how life has changed since the outbreak of COVID-19. Interviewees highlight the different implications of how the Malawian government has responded to the spread of the virus, and various concerns they have for the lack of medical technology available in the country. Interviewees also highlight the many actions they and other community members have taken to protect themselves and others as the deadly pandemic continues to spread around the world. Please note, interviews featured on these episodes were performed in September.
Stay on the lookout for episodes that will be posted bi weekly over this next month!
Tune in to the fourth episode of Moving Lines, and the final episode of the Matamoros season! This episode features interviews from Blake Davis and Andrea Leiner of Global Response Management (the NGO providing medical services to all those experiencing statelessness in the camp) to discover how the camp has fared since the COVID-19 reached the camp. This interview follows up on previous episodes, each of which featured interviews that took place prior to the spread of the virus. Interviews featured on these episodes predicted that a COVID spread in the camp would be utterly catastrophic. Luckily, as Blake and Andrea explain in this episode, fears of catastrophe were not realized, as community spread was reached with only one person requiring hospitalization at the time of the interviews.
However, it is worth mentioning, that while the virus has been miraculously contained, the situation on the ground has remained bleak. As the Matamoros community have continued to battle life in a refugee camp during a pandemic, they also have navigated daily changes to the asylum process and hurricane season while living on a floodplain. Tune into the fourth episode of Moving Lines to hear Blake’s and Andrea’s take on these topics, and if you’re able and willing consider donating to Global Response Management - https://www.global-response.org/.
Episode three of Moving Lines features interviews from Charlene D’Cruz from Lawyers for Good Government and Helen Perry from Global Response Management. Charlene is the Border Rights Fellow, and Program Director of Project Corazon, and coordinates legal services for all those experiencing statelessness in the Matamoros Refugee Camp. Helen Perry is the Executive Director of Global Response Management, and coordinates medical services for all those in Matamoros. During their interviews, both Charlene and Helen highlight the arbitrary political landscapes both nonprofits must traverse to provide needed services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both interviewees recognize the border politics as being the greatest challenge to providing their services, Charlene goes so far as to label the camp as a “constitutional free zone”.
Yet, despite undue challenges, both nonprofits continue to provide legal and medical assistance to all those living in the refugee camp, even as COVID-19 spreads. To support their important efforts, please consider making a donation to either organization:
- Lawyers for Good Government - https://www.lawyersforgoodgovernment.org/l4gg-foundation
Global Response Management - https://global-response.networkforgood.com/projects/93906-main-giving-page
Episode two of Moving Lines features two interviews from people working for Global Response Management (GRM), the nonprofit providing medical assistance to those experiencing statelessness in Matamoros, Mexico. The first interview features a doctor who will remain anonymous due to credible threats to his well being, who details their concerns for the spread of COVID-19 in the refugee camp. The doctor has worked in Matamoros for over 8 months, and is frequently the only specialized doctor assisting the near 2000 people living in the refugee camp as COVID-19 travel restrictions prevent doctors from traveling to the camp. During the interview, the doctor tells of the pushback they have received by a prominent politician and of the loss of hope he has witnessed by fellow people experiencing statelessness at the border. The second interview features Blake Davis, the Director of Operations of GRM, Blake has worked in the refugee camp for a similar length of time and echoes many of the same concerns during his interview. During the interview, Blake discusses the many logistical hurdles he and the nonprofit experiences as they were preparing for the likely outbreak of the virus in the camp.
Interestingly, both interviews detail the shocking lengths officials at the US-Mexico border have taken to place additional burdens on GRM as they provide medical assistance to those who are in need, especially during a global pandemic. It is important to note that both of these interviews occurred in early May. COVID-19 has since spread in the Matamoros Refugee Camp. We will consider how the situation on the ground has changed in future episodes, we hope you tune in!
Episode one of Moving Lines features an interview with Tucker, an individual who organizes many efforts to support those experiencing statelessness in the Matamoros Refugee Camp. Tucker has worked in the refugee camp since the very first people requesting asylum were prevented from crossing the US-Mexico border last year. The refugee camp is now the largest camp located in the US-Mexico border, and has grown from a few people to thousands. Tucker is the co-founder of the Resource Center Matamoros and also works for Global Response Management, both nonprofits provide services, in collaboration with local community leaders and authorities, to those experiencing statelessness in Matamoros. During his interview, Tucker discusses how catastrophic the likely spread of COVID-19 will be, and how he and others are preparing for when the first people are infected. Listen to this first episode of Moving Lines to listen to Tucker describe the many efforts he and others have organized to slow and prevent the spread of the deadly virus, and to hear Tucker’s description of the conditions on the ground that will surely exacerbate the deadly consequences of the pandemic.
To support Tucker’s efforts, please consider donating to the Resource Center Matamoros - https://www.gofundme.com/f/20zg3t0xc0?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_na%20share-sheet&rcid=e242dc09532e46c2a2972697fbe15226&fbclid=IwAR0BFXN9wwuJASKVHmg0X97o5Jzw7nBoRydTFSlywppF4ur0v86PZXnZ10Y.
Welcome to Moving Lines, a podcast that explores refugee camps through the lenses of people most deeply connected to these spaces. This podcast was produced by the Refugee Outreach Collective, a nonprofit that amplifies the diverse narratives of migrant and displaced communities through alliance and relationship building.
Moving Lines series will be posted semi-regularly and may be found on our website at ROCYOURWORLD.ORG. That’s R O C your world . org - as well as wherever you stream podcasts. . We hope you tune in and enjoy!