In Solidarity with Detained Immigrant Families

Building on last month’s postcard project in solidarity with immigrant detainees, the All-School Service Learning and Civic Engagement (SL&CE) Committee and PAT SL&CE Committee are continuing to partner with BFS Preschool/Lower School parent, immigration attorney, and artist Carolina Rubio-MacWright in support of immigrant families seeking asylum who will soon be released from detention centers.

Preschool, 4th, 5th, 6th graders, and interested Upper Schoolers will be meeting with Carolina on Dec. 18 to learn more about her work and how to support her efforts. Given the curricular connections related to immigration, we are excited for our students to have this opportunity to learn from Carolina and engage in meaningful solidarity efforts.

The discussions with Carolina will be held at these times on Tuesday, December 18th:

10:00-10:50 a.m.: 11th grade Spanish class in Room 301 at Lawrence Street

11:10-11:50 a.m.: 5th/6th grades in Large Dance Studio

12:15-12:45 p.m.: 4th grade in Pearl Street Meetinghouse

In addition to Carolina’s presentations to students, we are organizing a school-wide drive, led by the Preschool, 4th through 6th grade, and 11th grade Spanish students.

We will gather the items listed below for hygiene packs and crayon packs to be included in backpacks for newly released families. Members of the BFS community who would like to help sort donations into Ziploc bags can join us in the Pearl Street Cafeteria on: Thursday, Dec. 20, 3 to 4pm and Friday, Dec. 21, 8:15 to 9:30am.

Carolina has shared that dictionaries and small teddy bears, in particular, are two of the most loved and appreciated items for immigrants to receive.

Here is a full list of items to be collected and assembled.

Pocket Dictionary: Spanish to English

Small Stuffed Teddy Bears: Note – We ask that you please avoid purchasing TY products (maker of Beanie Babies) as the company has been fined for immigrant and human rights violations on several occasions.

Hygiene Bags: Small packs of tissues, 3-4 hair bands, travel size toothpaste (out of the box), small packs of wet wipes.

Toothbrushes (unopened)

Crayon Bags: small notepad, 2 pens and a small box of crayons

Ziploc Bags to put packets together.

Drop off boxes decorated by our Preschoolers will be located in the Pearl Street Lobby, on the 2nd floor, and in the Lawrence Street lobby.