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No one should be called 'illegal,' so I applauded his powerful statement.
He says what some undocumented folks have probably wanted to say for a long time.
04.02.15
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The Atlantic Philanthropies
When a guy named Musa performed "The Migrant Manifesto," his views on immigration were crystal clear.
The performance piece, based on a 10-point document written by academics, politicians, activists, and community members, reveals what some undocumented folks have probably wanted to say for a while.
The manifesto is pure fire, in a good way. (See it below). But before you hit play, check out these highlights:
What's one thing that immigrants are tired of?
How would you define a person who doesn't belong to a specific nation or have citizenship?
"Being a migrant does not mean belonging to a specific social class, nor carrying a particular legal status. ... To be a migrant means to be an explorer. It means movement."
OK. That's a pretty idealistic approach. But if everyone started moving around freely, entering countries without restrictions, would that weaken nations?
Nope, because "we are all tied to more than one country. We know that international connectivity is a reality that migrants have helped create. We understand that the quality of life of a person in the country is contingent on migrants' work."
Cool. So essentially we're all one?
"Migrants and non-migrants are interconnected. When the rights of migrants are denied, the rights of citizens are at risk. ... We witness how fear creates boundaries, how boundaries create hate, and how hate only serves the oppressors."
Wait, what can we do to change this?
Powerful stuff. It's even more impactful when Musa speaks, which he does below.
I dig it. How can I get involved?
The Migrants' Rights Network has a bunch of helpful resources to get you informed and help you effect change.