Giving a Voice to the Voiceless

Jessica Fiddes

Posted May 8, 2008

From right, Ms. Aimee Sostowski, Ms. Maria Vargas, Mr. Allan Daul, James Mumma '09, Giovanni Cortese '09, Mike Calo '09 and VOICE moderator Mrs. Pat Crapo. Photo by Colin Donovan '01

During a recent M Block VOICE, the Delbarton club charged with “giving voices to the voiceless", presented an informative program on immigration. Juniors Mike Calo and Giovanni Cortese organized the event with help from moderator Mrs. Pat Crapo and James Mumma '09. Three speakers participated: Mr. Allan Dual (Justice for Immigrants, Diocese of Patterson), Ms. Maria Vargas and Ms. Aimee Sostowski (Wind of the Spirit, an immigrant resource center based in Morristown). Daul spoke about the Catholic Church's standpoint on the issue, while Vargas and Sostowski discussed the more specific topic of immigration issues in our local area.

Quoting their literature, Wind in the Spirit is “an interfaith organization of immigrants and non-immigrants who are moved by the tradition of hospitality to the stranger found in so many of the world’s religions.” The organization offers assistance with community organizing, information services, education, advocacy and cultural events. The Paterson Diocese’s Justice for Immigrants seeks to debunk myths about immigration, and encourages students to learn the facts before forming an opinion on the important topic. Student and faculty attendees at this VOICE–sponsored event left with plenty of fresh information to think about.