Caravan Support Network
Imani Scott-Blackwell, Athens for Everyone (A4E) Member & Fundraising Coordinator, is returning to Tijuana Mexico in mid-March to continue the work they began with A4E Vice President Jimena Vargas-Pacora and community activist Stephanie Flores between December and January.
One of the main takeaways from our experience in Tijuana is the severity of the housing crisis. We are aware of at least two major shelter evictions that led to the displacement of hundreds of individuals. Additionally, we were confronted by the even harsher reality for LGBTQIA+ folks, unaccompanied minors, and other situations that rendered already marginalized people even more vulnerable to violence in Mexico because of their identities. The overcrowding of shelters has caused a situation where often strict restrictions are placed that cause many individuals to be kicked out of shelters for minor violations. For example, there was a situation where two young men where kicked out of a youth shelter, expected to live on the streets, all because they snuck into the girls dormitory area. Minor infractions are resulting in countless individuals being left without shelter. We seek to meet their needs.
Imani has proposed a two year timeline for establishing the shelter, identifying migrants who intend to stay in Mexico for the long-term to take over house management, and facilitating transition to autonomous migrant management with only remote and financial support from Athens. Such a project gives us the opportunity to create a model for establishing temporary housing for crisis response for this AND future humanitarian crises that can be replicated by other non-profits.
As the individuals that make up the migrant caravan are fleeing threats of violence in their home country and many of those threats have followed them to Tijuana, we prohibit photography identifying locations and individuals. Therefore, we don't have many photos but I will attach what I have below:
Photos of the militarized response to and criminalization of migration: 
Riot police barricading the entry to Benito Juarez during the 5-day occupation in response to the MX government attempting a forced eviction before the lease deadline:
Costco donation hauls for Movmiento Juventud and Madre Asunta, two of the women and children's shelters in Tijuana:
Stephanie Flores negotiating with riot police forcing them out of the barricade after they were able to sneak into the shelter, organize with migrant activists in the caravan, and participating in a press release amplifying the demands of the caravaneros within the shelter at Benito Juarez:
