A delegation transformed

Roots of Migration delegation members Matt Emmick, Betty Marin, Ajamu Dillahunt and Tony Macias (l-r) prepare to visit the zocalo in Mexico City. (photo by Jordan Green)

By T. Anthony Spearman

The Witness for Peace delegation to Mexico City, Oaxaca and the countryside of Cieneguilla to explore the root causes of migration was a most amazing experience. The 10 days spent in Mexico were an immersion experience par excellence. Our delegation was comprised of two international team members and 20 delegates. Sixteen of the delegations lived in the state of North Carolina. Others rounding out the delegation were from Wisconsin, Georgia, Massachusetts and a representative from U.S Rep. David Price’s office in Washington, DC. I found the diversity of the delegation to be striking. The youngest delegate was a 17-year-old white female high school student. The oldest a 72-year-old white male. There were 11 males; eight white, two black and one biracial: nine females; six white, two black, one biracial and one other. A number of professions were respresented among us, including professors, justice workers, journalists, clergy, attorney and community and political activists. The delegation brought together a wealth on knowledge, experience and willingness to initiate change.

The willingness of the delegation to be change agents was apparent as they began to break down some barriers within before tackling the barriers without. The international team in their preparation saw fit to include a very creative exercise on race, diversity and privilege using the work of Peggy McIntosh. We were asked to join hands while a member of the international team posed questions and invited us to move forward or backward as the question affected us positively or negatively. A few of the delegates including the entire black contingent and those identifying themselves as other and biracial were left far behind the white members of the delegation. Time would not permit full processing of the exercise and the implications therefrom but we soon learned that a higher authority demanded a revisiting of the exercise.

Interestingly enough while traveling to Oaxaca a couple of days later, the bus driver made a derogatory racial comment to one of the black delegates which was overheard by one of the biracial delegates. The comment was, “Quieres tu nino?” Do you want your baby or did you come for your child? There was a darker skinned child in the community whom I’m sure would have to endure a number of racist remarks over the course of his life. It was quite apparent that racism sets an un-level stage in Mexico as it does in the United States. This was the case in Cineguilla, as many of the children there remarked “negro” and “moreno” among other comments. Tortino, one of the darker skinned children could never bring himself to interact fully with me and I could not help but to wonder what kinds of stories he has heard. Nonetheless, by the end of our time there I got him to shake my hand.

When the delegation returned to the city of Oaxaca, an opportunity to deeply process presented itself and layers of superficiality began rolling away. I came away encouraged by the work begun by this group. Some things that grow in the darkness were brought to the light of exposure. When that occurs, transformation can take place.

T. Anthony Spearman is pastor of African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Hickory, NC, and the president of the Hickory branch NAACP.