Whitman College: US-Mexico Border Trip

WHO ARE WE?

We are a group of eleven students from Whitman College, and we were recently accepted to attend an intensive and academically rigorous experiential education trip on the Arizona-Sonora border. The theme of the trip is “Immigration, Globalization, and the Environment on the U.S.-Mexico Border”. 

WHY IS THIS TRIP SO IMPORTANT?

This trip will challenge students to understand their role within society by exposing them to debates regarding the U.S. immigration policy, national security, Third World development, social justice, and transnational environmental problems. We will be making personal connections and getting a rare first-hand look at these complex issues. 

WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?

We will spend half of this trip in Tucson, Arizona, and the other half in Nogales, Mexico. We will have the opportunity to learn from people with varying perspectives on border politics such as the Border Patrol, immigration rights activists, Justice department officials, export factory managers and workers, Mexican government officials, and environmental activists. We will be fully immersing ourselves in the border dynamics by doing a homestay with a Mexican family, as well as volunteering with a migrant aid group, No More Deaths.

How can you help?

In order to make this trip a reality we must raise $1500 by May 21st, which includes the cost of food, lodging, and transportation. Any donation you give will entirely go toward the cost of our trip. Lastly, please feel free to contact our group leader, Professor Aaron Bobrow-Strain ([email protected]) to  would like to receive more information or if you have any questions. Thank you for considering our request and for your generosity! Any donation, no matter the amount, is greatly appreciated!