How
to Live
How should one live?
Live
Welcoming
to all.
Showing posts with label hospitality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hospitality. Show all posts
Friday, February 03, 2017
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Stranger?
Welcome
Something New
To offer hospitality to a stranger is to
welcome something new, unfamiliar and unknown into our life-world…. Strangers
have stories to tell which we have never heard before, stories which can
redirect our seeing and stimulate our imaginations. The stories invite us to
view the world from a novel perspective.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Icons: Mrs. Alexander and the CitySquare coffee pot
During my very first week at CitySquare, way back when it was known as Central Dallas Food Pantry (1994), I made an important purchase: an industrial size coffee pot!
I recall very clearly that first day as I broke out my new coffee maker.
As I worked to set it up and make coffee in the interview room, a long-time volunteer said to me, "What are you doing, Larry?"
"Well, I'm making coffee in our new coffee maker! I like coffee. I expect our neighbors like coffee. So, we can get acquainted over a cup of coffee!" I excitedly explained.
"Don't you know that if you make coffee these people will never go away," the volunteer informed me.
It was at that point that I realized we had a ways to go and grow when it came to community engagement and development.
Well, the coffee maker went to work, and lots of stories continue to orbit around the old pot!
A couple of years ago, the coffee maker got put up, largely due to the crowds that have streamed into the food pantry for assistance over the past few years. We had a hard time with the scale of demand for coffee. Putting the pot up was a mistake, even with the understandable challenges.
Recently, we broke the coffee maker out of the closet! Above you'll see Ms. Nois Alexander, long-time volunteer who understands the power of hospitality and friendly conversation over a hot cup of Java!
Glad to see my old coffee back in service!
Friday, April 13, 2007
Support the DREAM Act today
Just about everyone agrees that the United States needs comprehensive immigration reform.
Opinions vary widely on exactly what direction such reform should take.
My experience here in East Dallas tells me that we need to find a ways to allow law abiding Mexican nationals to remain in the country, especially those who have been here for a long time. In my opinion we need a durable guest worker program that allows people to come and go for work.
One creative and important piece of legislation that has been floating back and forth in the Congress for several years is the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, popularly known as the DREAM Act.
The bipartisan legislation, co-sponsored in the Senate by Richard Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and Richard Lugar (R-IN) and in the House by Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Howard Berman (D-CA), and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), addresses the situation faced by young people who were brought to the U.S. years ago as undocumented immigrant children, but who have since grown up in the country, stayed in school, and kept out of trouble.
The provisions of this legislation speak directly to the situation facing my good friend, Monica (see my posts here on March 11 and 13, 2007).
To qualify for immigration relief under the DREAM Act, a student must have been brought to the U.S. more than 5 years ago when he or she was 15-years-old or younger and must be able to demonstrate good moral character.
Under the DREAM Act, once such a student graduates from high school, he or she would be permitted to apply for conditional status, which would authorize up to 6 years of legal residence. During the 6-year period, the student would be required to graduate from a 2-year college, complete at least 2 years towards a 4-year degree, or serve in the U.S. military for at least 2 years.
Permanent residence would be granted at the end of the 6-year period, if the student has met these requirements and has continued to maintain good moral character.
The DREAM Act would also eliminate a federal provision that discourages states from providing in-state tuition to their undocumented immigrant student residents, thus restoring full authority to the states to determine state college and university fees.
Why the DREAM Act?
Each year about 65,000 U.S.–raised students who would qualify for the DREAM Act’s benefits graduate from high school. These include honor roll students, star athletes, talented artists, homecoming queens, and aspiring teachers, doctors, and U.S. soldiers. They are young people who have lived in the U.S. for most of their lives and desire only to call this country their home.
Even though they were brought to the U.S. years ago as children, they face unique barriers to higher education, are unable to work legally in the U.S., and often live in constant fear of detection by immigration authorities.
U. S. immigration law currently has no provision for considering the special circumstances of this group of students. The DREAM Act would eliminate this flaw.
No one can predict when the current contentious congressional debate about immigration will be resolved. Some predict that nothing will get through Congress until after the 2008 elections.
Young people like Monica should not be made to wait for the entire debate to be resolved.
Brought to the U. S. by their parents when they were just children, these young people should be removed from the debate. Those desiring to complete their education, serve this nation and become legal residents should be able to do so.
If Congress fails to act this year, another entire class of outstanding, law-abiding high school students will graduate without being able to plan for the future. Some will be removed from their homes to countries they barely know.
In the process the U. S. will lose a vital asset: an educated class of promising immigrant students who have demonstrated a commitment to hard work and a strong desire to be contributing members of our society.
Support for the DREAM Act has grown each year since its introduction in 2001 during the 107th Congress. As of February 2007, the bill has garnered support from 48 Senate co-sponsors and more than 152 Republican and Democratic House co-sponsors. It has twice passed the Senate Judiciary Committee in bipartisan fashion, by a 16-3 vote in the 2003–2004 108th Congress, and again in 2006 by a voice vote without dissent, as an amendment to the comprehensive immigration reform bill.
In May 2006, the DREAM Act passed the full Senate as part of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 (S. 2611).
It very likely also would have passed the House if brought up for a vote last year, but, unfortunately, the House leadership could not be persuaded to bring it up.
Most observers believe that the DREAM Act has a better chance of enactment this year than it has ever had. It continues to attract bipartisan support and now for the first time also enjoys the strong backing of the House and Senate leadership and all of the relevant committee chairs.
If you agree with the principles of the DREAM Act, contract your two U. S. Senators and your U. S. Representatives and urge their support for the passage of this important piece of reform legislation now.
As you consider taking action, remember Monica and millions of young people just like her.
Opinions vary widely on exactly what direction such reform should take.
My experience here in East Dallas tells me that we need to find a ways to allow law abiding Mexican nationals to remain in the country, especially those who have been here for a long time. In my opinion we need a durable guest worker program that allows people to come and go for work.
One creative and important piece of legislation that has been floating back and forth in the Congress for several years is the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, popularly known as the DREAM Act.
The bipartisan legislation, co-sponsored in the Senate by Richard Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and Richard Lugar (R-IN) and in the House by Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Howard Berman (D-CA), and Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), addresses the situation faced by young people who were brought to the U.S. years ago as undocumented immigrant children, but who have since grown up in the country, stayed in school, and kept out of trouble.
The provisions of this legislation speak directly to the situation facing my good friend, Monica (see my posts here on March 11 and 13, 2007).
To qualify for immigration relief under the DREAM Act, a student must have been brought to the U.S. more than 5 years ago when he or she was 15-years-old or younger and must be able to demonstrate good moral character.
Under the DREAM Act, once such a student graduates from high school, he or she would be permitted to apply for conditional status, which would authorize up to 6 years of legal residence. During the 6-year period, the student would be required to graduate from a 2-year college, complete at least 2 years towards a 4-year degree, or serve in the U.S. military for at least 2 years.
Permanent residence would be granted at the end of the 6-year period, if the student has met these requirements and has continued to maintain good moral character.
The DREAM Act would also eliminate a federal provision that discourages states from providing in-state tuition to their undocumented immigrant student residents, thus restoring full authority to the states to determine state college and university fees.
Why the DREAM Act?
Each year about 65,000 U.S.–raised students who would qualify for the DREAM Act’s benefits graduate from high school. These include honor roll students, star athletes, talented artists, homecoming queens, and aspiring teachers, doctors, and U.S. soldiers. They are young people who have lived in the U.S. for most of their lives and desire only to call this country their home.
Even though they were brought to the U.S. years ago as children, they face unique barriers to higher education, are unable to work legally in the U.S., and often live in constant fear of detection by immigration authorities.
U. S. immigration law currently has no provision for considering the special circumstances of this group of students. The DREAM Act would eliminate this flaw.
No one can predict when the current contentious congressional debate about immigration will be resolved. Some predict that nothing will get through Congress until after the 2008 elections.
Young people like Monica should not be made to wait for the entire debate to be resolved.
Brought to the U. S. by their parents when they were just children, these young people should be removed from the debate. Those desiring to complete their education, serve this nation and become legal residents should be able to do so.
If Congress fails to act this year, another entire class of outstanding, law-abiding high school students will graduate without being able to plan for the future. Some will be removed from their homes to countries they barely know.
In the process the U. S. will lose a vital asset: an educated class of promising immigrant students who have demonstrated a commitment to hard work and a strong desire to be contributing members of our society.
Support for the DREAM Act has grown each year since its introduction in 2001 during the 107th Congress. As of February 2007, the bill has garnered support from 48 Senate co-sponsors and more than 152 Republican and Democratic House co-sponsors. It has twice passed the Senate Judiciary Committee in bipartisan fashion, by a 16-3 vote in the 2003–2004 108th Congress, and again in 2006 by a voice vote without dissent, as an amendment to the comprehensive immigration reform bill.
In May 2006, the DREAM Act passed the full Senate as part of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 (S. 2611).
It very likely also would have passed the House if brought up for a vote last year, but, unfortunately, the House leadership could not be persuaded to bring it up.
Most observers believe that the DREAM Act has a better chance of enactment this year than it has ever had. It continues to attract bipartisan support and now for the first time also enjoys the strong backing of the House and Senate leadership and all of the relevant committee chairs.
If you agree with the principles of the DREAM Act, contract your two U. S. Senators and your U. S. Representatives and urge their support for the passage of this important piece of reform legislation now.
As you consider taking action, remember Monica and millions of young people just like her.
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