Episode 9: Wandering in the Desert
Art Acevedo reads the story of Laura Peniche
Art Acevedo is an American police officer who has served as the chief of police for the cities of Houston, Austin and Miami. He reads the story of a young mother with DACA, Laura Peniche, and her attempt to help her fellow Christians understand the impact of anti-immigrant policies on undocumented families. Musical Guest Spirit of Grace responds.
Guests
Art Acevedo - Courtesy of the Houston Police Department
Art Acevedo
Art Acevedo is an American police officer who has served as the chief of police for the cities of Houston, Austin, and Miami.
Laura Peniche - Photo by Michael Ensminger
Laura Peniche
Spirit of Grace - Photo by Michael Ensminger
Spirit of Grace
Spirit of Grace, with singers Cristin Grant and Larea Edwards, use the power of their voice to uplift those most impacted by injustice. They can be heard across the country singing with the experimental rap-rock band, the Flobots. And they regularly sing with Motus Theater at national events to build momentum towards transforming the criminal legal system. With their original songs, Spirit of Grace brings encouragement, hope and inspiration to all who have ears to listen.
Full Episode Transcript
Tania Chairez (00:08): From Motus Theater. Welcome to the Shoebox Stories podcast, where we invite you to stand in someone else's shoes. I'm your host, Tania Chairez. For our first podcast series, UndocuAmerica Motus asks a prominent American to stand in the shoes of an undocumented person by reading aloud their story, saying their words and holding for a moment the weight that they carry. By reading the story handed to them in the studio, the reader is not saying they agree with everything written. They are simply agreeing to suspend judgment, and feel the impact as they word-by-word, experience the world through another's eyes. Our guest reader is the Houston police Chief, Art Acevedo.
Art Acevedo (01:13): Remember that God's watching and he's watching everything we do. And he's going to hold us accountable, not just for what we have said, not just for what we have done, but also for what we fail to do. And for what we fail to say, you can't be a Christian on Sunday, and then go on Monday through Saturday and do things that run completely contrary to the teachings of Christ.
Tania Chairez (01:38): He will be reading the story of Laura Peniche, a young mother with DACA, who is a Christian of great faith. It is a story reaching out to fellow Christians about her understanding of Jesus' teachings on mercy, and his commandment that you love one another, just as I have loved you. After the reading and reflection, we are excited to have a musical response to Laura's story from the gospel acapella group, Spirit of Grace. And now, Art Acevedo reading Laura Peniche's story, Wandering in the Desert.
Art Acevedo (02:15): I need to talk to you. My fellow Christians, my brothers, my sisters. I know grace is not a topic that is comfortable, but we need to have this conversation because you may not know I'm in pain right now that you might have perhaps without realizing it contributed to my pain. I share my heart knowing that you are a good people. I have seen you help out at church, and at the shelter, and care for the elderly. I have seen you bring food to the homes of people in need. And I know that most of you don't really mean for all immigrants to be deported. So I don't understand why so many of you support leaders who are promising to deport my mom and dad. Many of my brothers and sisters of faith tell me I don't have to worry because they will be there to support me, and that they would never let anybody take me personally.
Art Acevedo (03:18): But those same people are helping to elect leaders who have the intention of separating parents from their children, deporting millions of immigrants who are just trying to support their families. We often get disappointed by our politicians because they don't fulfill their promises. In this case, I know many Christians are actually counting on our elected officials, not delivering on promises to deport all undocumented immigrants. But these hopes are not enough for me right now. And I'm being told that I should fill out an emergency plan for my children's school. So they know who to call if ICE picks me up. The thought of this possibility is forcing me and my children to live with so much anxiety. I really don't think you want my children taken into foster care, left up for grabs to a destiny without a mother.
Art Acevedo (04:22):There is a teaching in the new Testament about a woman who was about to be killed by a mob because of her sins. But despite her transgressions, Jesus stood up for her. He challenged those who had never committed a sin to throw the first stone. And there was no person able to throw a stone at the woman. Of course, many Christians feel my family, and I made a mistake by coming here undocumented. But if you know me, you know we didn't come here to cause harm, but simply to preserve our own lives. We were hungry and we needed bread. We were thirsty and we needed water. We were persecuted and we chose life and freedom. I want you to know from what I have seen in my community, most people who are undocumented across the border, like my family, just trying to survive. We would have chosen a safe and legal path without wandering in the desert, without the freezing nights, without the cactus and thorns digging into our feet, without the threats of robbers and smugglers, without carrying tired little children for miles and miles if there would've been another way.
Art Acevedo (05:50): I also know from my personal experience crossing the border that my family and I were not alone. We were held by God's hand into this country. And when I see the beautiful faces of my healthy happy children, I know that I was meant to be here, and I am so grateful to be part of my community and our country. I'm speaking now because I can no longer sit in silence with you at church or in my faith. While watching my friends and family get deported back across the desert, we risked everything to cross, called harmful names, told that we can live in the shadows, and pick the fruit but we cannot eat the fruit. Told because we were born in another country, even if we were raised here, that we cannot sit at the table together with other Americans, and told that this country will not accept us no matter how hard we work, no matter how much we give. There are too many families suffering and being separated, too many refugees in this country that are being sent back to their deaths.
Art Acevedo (07:08):There are too many of us devastated by the pressing circumstances around us, like watching the little children in the cages, exposed to abuse. The tear gas in the eyes of mothers and fathers, the realization that at any moment, our beautiful life, as we know, could be over. I find guidance in the teaching of Jesus, and the way he stood up in front of the mob to save a life. I pray my fellow Christians will stand with me against cruel immigration policies and help me save the lives of my family, my friends, and many other parents who are just trying to provide for their children. If you believe in Jesus, you know that Jesus loves you. So when you think of my children, my family, and the undocumented immigrants in this country, please remember his commandment to love one another, the way he loves us. Everyone makes mistakes. I have, you have, and I believe our leaders have too, but we can learn from our mistakes and stand together in God's love.
Tania Chairez (08:37):Thank you, Chief Acevedo. What most impacted you when reading this story directly to Laura?
Art Acevedo (08:43): Well, first the fact that I'm reading her beautiful words to her, that spoke to my own journey and the journey of tens of millions of immigrants throughout the history of this nation. And it reminded me of when we were ready to leave Cuba in 1968. That the Cuban communist government at the last second at the airport when we were leaving to become political refugees would call the head of the household, the father or other, and force one of the parents to stay behind just to be cruel. And I remember that when we were leaving Cuba at the airport in Varadero beach, outside of Havana, that they called my father's name. And I remember my mother saying children, if your father has to stay, I will stay. And you go with your older sister, Sandra, who was 17, and meet up with your aunt and uncle in California.
Art Acevedo (09:42): And now I remember thinking to myself throughout my life, how things would've been different without my parents here, the whole in my heart. And then when I think about Jesus and the teachings of Christ, you can't choose and pick if you're going to be a Christian, what verses of the Bible, whether it's the good Samaritan, or if you think about the first immigrants in history. I talk about this. The first immigrants in the history of humanity were the Jews, and who delivered the Jews and the book Exodus? God himself. So if God delivered and showed the way to the first immigrants in the history of humanity, this nation that was under God should do so. Not just in words but In deeds, and I hope that we don't run away from our history of being the greatest special of hope for humanity.
Art Acevedo (10:37): This is a country that was founded by immigrants, built by immigrants, sustained by immigrants. And the only way we are going to remain a world power is to continue to welcome immigrants into this country. And I want to thank you for your courage, and your parents courage, and you give me strength and I'm honored to share and read your story.
Tania Chairez (10:58): Thank you, Laura. What most impacted you hearing Chief Acevedo read the story back to you?
Laura Peniche (11:10): I didn't imagine how much it was going to impact me actually, to have someone else read my story, but especially Chief Acevedo who has a similar story to mine of migration. I think that caused an effect that I can't even describe right now. I just felt chills because so many stories that we know in this country of people who come here seeking a better life, just want to have a better life for their family, just seeking that opportunity. And yet that opportunity keeps getting denied over and over to so many families. It is heartbreaking. But at the same time, when I hear someone like you, Chief Acevedo taking the time to read this story, and to tell us how you feel about it, and how it relates to your own story. It really gives me hope. It gives me strength. It gives me a little bit more faith, so I can keep doing this, sharing my story, and hopefully opening the eyes of people who have faith, and may not know that their actions are harming families like mine.
Art Acevedo (12:33): Yeah. I mean, I would say Laura, you're worth fighting for, your story is a worthy story. I want to thank you for your courage to write your story and share your story at a time when it seems like our government is being cruel to immigrants, just for the sake of cruelty. Fear among the undocumented is probably at a historical high, and for you to come out of the shadows, and actually be willing to share your story talks about your courage. And what people don't get is that people that are willing to cross a desert, getting thorns in their feet are exactly the kind of people, hearty people, courageous people, hardworking people that we want in our country. And so I want to thank you for your courage and for lifting so many others by coming out and telling your story and sharing it with us.
Laura Peniche (13:25): Thank you.
Tania Chairez (13:27): Thank you so much for joining us and having this conversation with each other. I would love to hear if there's any last words you each have to say to each other before you run off to the rest of your days.
Laura Peniche (13:39): I just want to say, thank you so much for sharing your story. I was in tears when you were sharing your story, because I can't imagine having to face, at a young age, such difficult decision of maybe having to lose your parents or not. And it is heartbreaking to think of how many families get separated, and it's been happening throughout history. It's happened in our country, and it seems like more and more we go back to those family separations, and that's my motivation to keep sharing this story and to keep working on this so that people see that pain. So I appreciate that you shared that because we need to hear more of those stories. So people are aware of what we face when we are migrating. So thank you.
Art Acevedo (14:34): Thank you, Laura. And now we'll just close by telling you to stay after it, and thank you for your courage. And also for those that are watching this to remember that God's watching and he's watching everything we do, and he's going to hold us accountable, not just for what we have said, not just for what we have done, but also for what we fail to do. And for what we fail to say,. You can't be a Christian on Sunday and then go on Monday through Saturday and do things that run completely contrary to the teachings of Christ. And so I will just say that for everyone, don't forget that none of us got through life by ourselves. We all were helped by others, and we should give that love and that helping hand to everyone else. God bless you all.
Tania Chairez (17:52): Those were the powerful voices of Spirit of Grace singing a medley they arranged in honor of Laura Peniche's story. You can watch a video of Laura reading her own story on our webpage shoeboxstories.org, or hear her read it on our companion Motus Monologues UndocuAmerica Series. We hope you will share Laura's story with your friends and family. So everyone knows the people whose lives are at stake in US immigration policy. Next month on the Shoebox Stories UndocuAmerica Series, hear congressional representatives Joe Neguse and Jason Crow read the story of Juan Juarez.
Representative Jason Crow (18:33): You know, both Joe and I are sitting here the day after encountering an insurrection in the capital, and an assault on the capitol building, where we were strapped inside. And this country is in desperate need of healing. This country needs empathy and needs compassion, and we need to find a way to open up our hearts and minds to each other and figure out a path forward. There's no better time to start that than today.
Tania Chairez (18:59): Thank you to Chief Art Acevedo, Laura Peniche, Spirit of Grace and all of you listening, who are willing to stand in the shoes of someone with a different experience than your own, and see the world for a moment through their eyes. Please take good care of yourselves. Those you hold dear, and your neighbors, both those near and far.