The Lenten season is about to wrap up, and at Nazareth Academy in La Grange Park so too is a program held in conjunction with Lent and designed to celebrate and learn more about immigrants.

The “Care for the Dear Neighbor” project brought together students who were involved in a variety of projects, which focused on the contributions of immigrants and their native countries.

Art students, for example, created a growing display to reflect the beauty and diversity of immigrants in America. The students drew their inspiration from the flowers and writings from various countries.

Members of student clubs, meanwhile, created a campus display featuring cultural and immigrant information as well as quotes from Catholic leaders.

A prayer service was held inspired by the statements made by leaders of the Catholic Church on immigration. The final event was a panel discussion with the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, who have worked in border communities or with immigrant communities.

Shaw Media had the opportunity to talk to three students involved in the month-long program to learn their immigration story as well as the influence the program had on them.

‘A target on my back’

Gio Hill, a sophomore from La Grange Park, plays boys volleyball and is involved in the school’s drama program.

It was during preparation for a drama activity in January when Hill underwent his most recent immigration experience.

“The cast of the fall musical, The Addams Family,” was headed to [Illinois State University] for the All-State Theater Festival. This was around the time that ICE had begun to really ramp up their actions and relatively soon after Renée Good’s tragedy," Gio said.

Gio recalls his parents speaking with him before he left for the competition.

“I remember being up early that Thursday that we left, and I had been packing up my final things when both of my parents stopped to talk to me. They handed me a copy of my passport and told me to keep it on me to be safe not just for the theater festival, but for everyday protection with the consistently chaotic country that we live in.”

Gio carries his passport with him every day and it reminds him of a stark reality he faces every day.

“Every day I hold on to my passport, and every time I open my wallet, I am reminded that I live with a target on my back. I am reminded that there are people in this country that look at people like me and don’t care whether I am a citizen or not. All that they see is our difference in skin.”

Yet, receiving his passport also helped Gio understand he had to take a stand when it came to immigration.

“I was drawn to these immigration projects because of that day I was given a copy of my passport,” he said. “It made me realize that everyone is affected by this issue. Before then, I was always aware and afraid for people like me, but when I was handed my passport, I knew that I needed to address the issue.”

And while no migrant is without worry, Gio said it is especially unfortunate that so many young people have to be concerned.

“The part that hurts the most is knowing that there are people my age and younger that have to worry about this. That there are children that have to worry about losing their parents or being shipped to a country that they have never lived in or had citizenship in. These children should be worrying about friends or school or what they’re going to do this summer. Not about the target on their backs.”

‘Immigrants should be praised’

Helen Argueta, a sophomore from Cicero, is the daughter of two El Salvadoran immigrants, and she has much respect for the first members of her family who came to the U.S.

“In my family, the people who built up courage and came to the U.S first are people who I deeply admire and have the utmost respect for. They helped others with all their effort and served as role models for the rest of the family,” Argueta said.

“Leaving absolutely everything behind with only a dream packed in heart and mind is certainly not an easy thing to do. Yet, that’s what immigrants must do, and my family was no exception to that.”

Argueta’s parents came to the U.S. years after prior generations of the family arrived, “and have been able to build up a life where I have been able to achieve every single dream and goal I have because of the sacrifices they made and still make,” she said.

“If my family never took that first step, my future would have been far different, and I am eternally grateful for all that they have done.”

Like Gio, Argueta’s understanding of immigration and her role in the struggle was guided in part by her involvement in the projects at Nazareth.

“I have never truly been able to communicate just how important immigrants are. I never had the opportunity, so when immigration projects were offered at Naz, I happily took it,” she said.

“I want to convey to people that immigrants take a grand role in the U.S and that they should always be given dignity, respect and, most importantly, they should be given love. Everyone’s story is different, and no one should be belittled. Instead, immigrants should be praised for the sacrifices and hardships they pushed through to be where they are currently.”

“I have always loved talking about my culture and immigration, and I am so beyond proud to be Salvadoran and a daughter of immigrants. It has truly been such a meaningful experience for me. ”

‘Viewing people as human’

Donato M. G. Andersen is a freshman from Melrose Park who participates in the drama program and student council in addition to playing football and volleyball.

He is a product of European immigrants who came to U.S. from Italy, Ireland and Norway.

“I’m very proud of my heritage, but also the privilege of being an American citizen,” Andersen said.

For Anderson, getting involved in the immigration projects was a natural extension of his work with the school’s liturgy planning team.

Like his classmates, Andersen said the immigration project left a strong impression on him.

“The impact I have been left with is to start viewing people as human,” he said. “I have had so many experiences where I have been blessed to experience raw love and humanity, and I’ve grown a lot as a young man. I pray our Nazareth community can learn like I have learned and grow how I have grown.”