2/1/23
By Sue-Ann DeVito
๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐: ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ช๐ถ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐ช๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฝ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ
Friday January 12th started at the โWelcome Quilts: Migration, Art & Hopeโ exhibit at the Arizona History Museum.
Gale Hall started the discussion by holding a colorful backpack. She asked โWhat would have to happen to have you fill this backpack to leave where you live? What would you take?
Gale is a talented quilter, and began making welcome quilts with other volunteers for children at the local welcome center. This led to having the children draw on cloth to be incorporated into quilts. Each quilt reflects different parts of their journey- Trauma, hope, memories of where they left.
After seeing these quilts displayed, local students created welcoming squares to be crafted into quilts.
The exhibit was thoughtfully curated, positioning the quilts inspired by asylum seekers facing the wall adorned with messages of warmth and inclusion from the community's youth.
After the exhibit, we stopped to see the BORDER DYNAMICS sculpture by Guadalupe Serrano and Alberto Morackis. The figures on either side of the wall are divided. Previously I felt it was a reflection on people trying to get in, and others trying to keep them out. On this visit, I have a new reflection- it feels like a depiction of the ongoing struggle between the hope and compassion of humanitarians,against hate and fear. So much energy on both sides.
Next stop was to hear a presentation from Dr. Greg Hess, the Pima County Medical Examiner
The detailed presentation was 90 minutes long- here are some of the most noteworthy facts.
1. There is no federal death investigation system.Every state does it uniquely. The way deaths are reported is completely fragmented, and it is one of the reasons there is so little-information about the number of deaths reported of those immigrating to our country.
2. The CBP only counts deaths when they are directly involved. In Arizona, most deaths are in the desert and their remains are discovered by people and do not get tabulated in the CBP count.
3. NOONE knows how many deaths there really are. There is no actual count. While there is speculation on numbers of how many remain unfound-but there is no concrete number.
4. The Tucson sector has the highest rate of deaths due to the desert.
5. The number 1 cause of death is undetermined because there may not be enough tissue left on the remains to determine the actual cause of death. The number 2 is from exposure.
6. It is uncommon to see deaths from gunshot wounds. It is lless than 3 percent (which includes those shot by border patrol) a couple of people a year die from falling off the wall
7. Majority of deaths are 83% males in their 20s and 30s
8. There was a significant increase in deaths as the US increased deterrence policies funneling people to more dangerous areas.
The coroner's office partnered with humane borders for gsi data in 2012 Using a public grant to map the location of recovered migrant remains
Humane Borders utilizes this information to identify areas to install fixed water stations in an effort to prevent deaths. Humane Borders also works on connecting the families of the deceased to bring them closure. Bringing them dignity in death.
The day started with learning about how volunteers worked together to bring hope and compassion for children. Followed by learning about hope and compassion volunteers provide in death. Both visits highlighted the profound impact humanitarians have in spreading hope.