As the daughter of two Guatemalan immigrants from humble backgrounds, I have always grown up understanding the struggles that immigrant parents and their children face in the United States. During my last semester as an undergrad, I interned with a local nonprofit organization called Ayuda. This organization aids low-income immigrants who have been victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.
During my time at the organization, I learned more about the clients that are served and their lived experiences. Many clients are unaccompanied minors who have crossed the border in order to meet with their parent(s) or sponsor. Other clients are adult men and women. All of them have experienced some form of trauma during or after their journeys to the U.S. Some stories are more devastating than others, and it is especially difficult to hear about clients' lack of food and basic necessities. However, that is where my department at Ayuda comes into play. I have been interning under the Social Services department, which provides referrals and helps clients connect with local organizations, churches, or pantries, that can help alleviate their needs.
Reflecting on this internship and my GLOA courses, I think that I have had the opportunity to be exposed to the unspoken, unheard side of immigration and human trafficking that can occur in our own communities. Living in sheltered, and safe areas of the world, we do not know what trafficking may look like, and it can take form in the context of migrant children being forced to work by a guardian in order to pay for rent or other needs. Human trafficking can and does occur in our own communities, our own backyards, without us realizing, that vulnerable person, like migrants are being sought after by traffickers. Human trafficking is not a global problem that excludes Fairfax Virginia.
One way we can combat human trafficking is by recognizing that these abuses against human rights are a problem that can occur close to home. They can happen anywhere, and to anyone, where there is a lack of support system for the vulnerable. I am very thankful for my time at Ayuda which has taught me this lesson, and I admire all the work that the organization does to help victims speak up, heal, and become independent. I hope to serve an organization like Ayuda in the near future.
December 16, 2022