Asylum Seekers Tell Trues Stories in New Project from 90 Days, 90 Voices

By Jerome McDonnell
CENTRAL AMERICA MIGRANT CARAVAN
Migrants hitch rides on passing truck as they continue on their journey after Mexican police briefly blockaded the road to keep them from advancing, outside the town of Arriaga, Mexico, Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018. Hundreds of Mexican federal officers carrying plastic shields briefly blocked the caravan of Central American migrants from continuing toward the United States, after several thousand of the migrants turned down the chance to apply for refugee status and obtain a Mexican offer of benefits. Rebecca Blackwell / AP Photo
CENTRAL AMERICA MIGRANT CARAVAN
Migrants hitch rides on passing truck as they continue on their journey after Mexican police briefly blockaded the road to keep them from advancing, outside the town of Arriaga, Mexico, Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018. Hundreds of Mexican federal officers carrying plastic shields briefly blocked the caravan of Central American migrants from continuing toward the United States, after several thousand of the migrants turned down the chance to apply for refugee status and obtain a Mexican offer of benefits. Rebecca Blackwell / AP Photo

Asylum Seekers Tell Trues Stories in New Project from 90 Days, 90 Voices

By Jerome McDonnell
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Asylum seekers, migrants designated by the United Nations as fleeing a credible fear of persecution, have been reframed by President Trump as an existential threat to the United States. Trump authorized the military to patrol the southern U.S. border after news that a caravan of Central American asylum seekers was headed north through Mexico. A group of local journalists wants to tell real stories of asylum seekers. There are many misconceptions. Sarah Conway is the Editorial Director of 90 Days, 90 voices, an organization that aims to tell “the stories of those seeking a home in the United States during an age of unrest through personal narratives, audio, photography, comics, and live journalism events”. Conway joins us to discuss their latest storytelling project, Asylum City, which is currently raising money through a kickstarter campaign. Also joining us is Ekram Hanna and Melanie Schikore. Hanna is a Community Engagement Specialist at the Iraqi Mutual Aid Society where she runs the women’s empowerment group. Schikore is the Executive Director of Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants.