The Berkeley Zen Center attended the September 2019 NEAT training and matched quickly with Douglas. Hurrah!
Douglas had been forced to wait 11 months in Mexico before being allowed to enter the United States due to the Remain in Mexico Policy. In just the first month of his resettlement process, he reached with flying colors his goal of spreading the word about his immigration story and the migrant shelter he founded for the estimated 42,000 forced to wait for asylum at the border. He spoke to 500 people at a Berkeley concert, was a guest speaker on the radio in Oakland, and partnered with Centro Legal to inform and inspire other migrants through his story. This is what accompaniment is about—coming alongside people sharing their stories, and reaching their goals.
Read more about his story and the shelter, Casa Hogar el Puente, and considering donating to its GoFundMe.
Update, November 2020: Douglas recently published his personal account of his testimony from the migrant caravan. You can purchase his book (in Spanish) on Amazon.
Learn more about Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity’s Nueva Esperanza Accompaniment Team program.