Border Reflections
Thank you to the many of you who made my birthday month so meaningful—with your calls, notes, texts, gifts, and time. Your kindness carried me through what was also one of the most difficult months for my family. We faced unexpected emergencies and even missed celebrating my youngest granddaughter’s first birthday here in the U.S.
In the midst of it all, I gave myself a gift: a pilgrimage to the border with our church partner, New Community Church, to listen and bear witness to the stories of those impacted by deportation.
Though I’ve spent years on mission trips and have crossed the border many times, nothing prepared me for this experience. What I saw and heard in Tijuana changed me deeply. Places once filled with life, family, and commerce now reflect the strain of an overwhelmed system. Many who came seeking a legal path forward have been left stranded, without support or direction.
We stood before the border fences—now higher and more severe than ever—and listened to stories that are difficult to put into words:
…a mother separated from her child for 17 years,
…another family still waiting after more than a decade,
…and a deported veteran whose story was especially heartbreaking.
As the daughter and granddaughter of immigrants and veterans, these stories felt deeply personal. They also reminded me how much our immigration system has changed—and how complex it has become.
Amid the pain, we also witnessed resilience and compassion: a meal lovingly prepared by a Haitian immigrant and a refugee care center led by extraordinary women who serve their community with strength and dignity. Meeting these extraordinary women during Women's History Month was especially meaningful to me.
This experience has given me a clearer understanding of what our neighbors are facing—both at the border and here at home.
I’m hosting a series of small gatherings to share more about this journey and to explore how we, together, can better serve our communities in Redwood City and North Fair Oaks.
I would be honored if you would join me on Wednesday or Thursday, 7 pm to 8:30
In the midst of it all, I gave myself a gift: a pilgrimage to the border with our church partner, New Community Church, to listen and bear witness to the stories of those impacted by deportation.
Though I’ve spent years on mission trips and have crossed the border many times, nothing prepared me for this experience. What I saw and heard in Tijuana changed me deeply. Places once filled with life, family, and commerce now reflect the strain of an overwhelmed system. Many who came seeking a legal path forward have been left stranded, without support or direction.
We stood before the border fences—now higher and more severe than ever—and listened to stories that are difficult to put into words:
…a mother separated from her child for 17 years,
…another family still waiting after more than a decade,
…and a deported veteran whose story was especially heartbreaking.
As the daughter and granddaughter of immigrants and veterans, these stories felt deeply personal. They also reminded me how much our immigration system has changed—and how complex it has become.
Amid the pain, we also witnessed resilience and compassion: a meal lovingly prepared by a Haitian immigrant and a refugee care center led by extraordinary women who serve their community with strength and dignity. Meeting these extraordinary women during Women's History Month was especially meaningful to me.
This experience has given me a clearer understanding of what our neighbors are facing—both at the border and here at home.
I’m hosting a series of small gatherings to share more about this journey and to explore how we, together, can better serve our communities in Redwood City and North Fair Oaks.
I would be honored if you would join me on Wednesday or Thursday, 7 pm to 8:30
