Every Step Counts for Immigrant Children
My name is Maria Angélica Paniagua Núñez and I’ve been a Volunteer Child Advocate with the Young Center for two years. Supporting unaccompanied immigrant children has been a gift for my heart and soul. So has the possibility of getting involved in different aspects of the Young Center’s programming, including the Waymakers race.
Not only is this an activity that helps us keep going with work that is often very hard. It’s inspiring to see how staff from different parts of the organization contribute to create these spaces for the community to participate. As a volunteer I am so glad to share time with people who work for the Young Center so I can become a better volunteer child advocate.
As a first time participant in the Waymakers race, I feel that for the next 15 days I will literally be walking for immigrant children who face a terrible journey to try to get a better life. The Waymakers race is a good opportunity to think of that situation and how privileged we are. While we can’t put ourselves in a child’s shoes, we can be more aware of how every step we take can change lives. What we do is not just an act of solidarity; it is taking action by walking and running for them.
These events additionally represent a way to tell folks how they can join the fight for immigrant children’s rights. It was nice to know people that really want to learn more about the political and social problems that force children to flee their homes. As a Waymaker’s race participant, I was able to inform newcomers about how volunteering at the Young Center changes not just children’s lives, but ours too. Every time I talk about what I do, I feel hope that we are not alone in this, and it is possible to keep advocating for immigrant children’s rights. I felt that every person was able to contribute in different ways and it is beautiful.
Through Waymakers, in some way, we are walking a path for and with immigrant children; for greater understanding of their situation; to defend their rights; and to stand by their side. And every single Volunteer Child Advocate puts their heart into this work, contributing their hearts to all the unaccompanied immigrant children that need help and who have bravely walked to a new life. Signing up to be a Waymaker means forming part of a group that walks and runs in one direction: to help children’s lives. And every step counts.
By Maria Angélica Paniagua Núñez, Volunteer Child Advocate.
