While the rest of us spent spring vacation taking a break from school, Ethan’s Immigration Main Lesson immersed themselves in the history, legacies, and dynamics of immigration in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, three cities that have been shaped by immigration from colonial times to the present day. Students approached the Statue of Liberty by boat, explored the Tenement Museum in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, visited Taller Puertorriqueño in Philadelphia, and traced immigrant histories through Boston’s neighborhoods. They enthusiastically rounded out their fieldwork with explorations of Sichuan dumplings, New York Pizza, Dominican tostones, and other delicacies. Thank you to Matt who served as co-chaperone of the trip! Here are a few student perspectives on the journey. Angel’s is an excerpt from a blog she kept during the trip.
The Struggle that Immigration Lawyers Face
By Angel B. ’26
I slept great last night; for those of us who got to sleep in beds, it was like we were lying on clouds. Waking up was a different story; it was day two, our first full day in the city, and we had a lot planned. It was a 7:30 a.m. wake-up. After waking us all up and getting us fed and out the door, we all loaded up into the van, and we were off! After an hour drive to the Rian Immigrant Center and walking into these beautiful fancy office buildings, we met Rachel from Rian. We got to see their personal offices and had a great eye-opening conversation, talking to her in their offices while she explained what she and her co-workers do, what kind of things people come to them for, and how they decide what cases to take. Getting to talk to her while sitting in their office space instead of a conference room made the experience feel more personal. She opened my eyes to the struggle that immigration lawyers face when trying to help as many people as they can while protecting themselves.
After our lovely talk with Rachel, we got back in the van to drive for a bit and take a calm little walk until we ended up at this massive brick building. Going up the elevator to the top floor, we walked into a cool modern conference room where we met Diane from MIRA Coalition. She talked to us about the work they do helping new immigrants find resources to help them with housing, learning English if they need to, getting jobs, etc., as well as helping people who have been in the United States for long enough apply for citizenship/naturalization.
The work both of these amazing women and their teams do is especially important as people who are new to the country don’t get any help or resources from our government to set up their lives. Organizations providing legal counsel and resources to the people who are the most vulnerable members of our communities are vital for our continued success as a nation. After a Q&A section where my classmates asked some really thoughtful questions, it was time to hit the road again.
On the way back to Dorchester, we stopped at this lovely Irish pub for food. This was one of the best dinners I have had with people outside of my immediate friend group. The pub was lively with the smell of good food and a live band for music. I got baked mac and cheese, which was really good, although it wasn’t the kind of baked mac and cheese I was used to; they only used white cheese and topped the dish with breadcrumbs before baking. I would have to give the meal and atmosphere a 10/10, and I definitely recommend people giving it a try if you’re ever in Boston.
Experienced in Person
By Jai J. ’27
Growing up in the DMV, I always noticed the diverse ethnicities, races, and historical backgrounds around me. However, learning about the history of a few major ethnic groups truly changed my perspective. In class, we learned about Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, tenements, and Irish, Italian, and South American immigration. We visited Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia. All the knowledge we got from our conversations and articles were experienced in person, and I was able to see many of the difficult conditions immigrants faced, the places they moved to, points of entry, and the cultural importance of these locations to each group. We ate great food, including Italian, Mexican, Salvadoran, and Dominican cuisine. As we learned, mealtimes were how many immigrants bonded, but also how new friendships were made. Going on this trip opened my mind in a great way. Thank you, Matt and Ethan!
Immigration in Real Time
Sarah M. ’26
My experience on the Immigration class trip gave me a better understanding of immigration in real time, where I could see it. The stories we learned in class, we got to see in person, like where the immigrant communities actually lived. Seeing where different immigrants moved to and where some of them are now was really interesting. For example, when we went to Boston we went to talk to immigration lawyers. It was amazing talking to them, seeing the work and how they are fighting for immigrants and making sure they get their citizenship. Next, we went to New York. It was nice going to New York City. They have one of the biggest immigrant populations. We had fun seeing different neighborhoods with different immigrants. We also went to the Broadway show The Buena Vista Social Club, which was amazing, hearing the music and seeing their lives. And finally Philly. I was connected with Philly since I am from there, and it was amazing to go to the Puerto Rican Institute to see the art they have and the story behind it. I also loved getting Dominican food down the street. Overall, I was grateful to hang out and get closer to my classmates and teachers. Playing games, eating food, and laughing were things that got us closer together.
