In the last few months there has been a huge surge in demand for shelter for migrants and asylum seekers on the border with Mexico, and in December 2018, Owen Harris and Simon Fox travelled to Tijuana to support efforts by organizations and activists on the ground to establish a permanent shelter for LGBT+ migrants and asylum seekers, including members of "the caravan," to ensure that the LGBT+ population has a safe and adequate place to eat, bathe, and rest. Many of those arriving at the border need treatment for chronic illnesses including HIV, hormone treatments for trans folks, scabies treatment, safe food and drinking water, first aid and mental health support. Local activists and organizations including Enclave Caracol and COCUT are working to connect those arriving at the border with the resources they need. Join us to hear Owen Harris and Simon Fox discuss conditions for LGBT+ members of the caravan and the ongoing efforts of these organizations and activists on both sides of the border. They will present photos and video testimonials from interviews with LGBT+ caravan members and then open a Q&A session about LGBT+ members of the Caravan and efforts on the ground to support them. About the speakers Owen Harris - co-founder of Safe Place International and currently a Master's student in the Jackson School of International Studies and the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance who has previously worked with LGBT+ refugees and asylum seekers in Mexico, Turkey, Greece, Lebanon, and Bangladesh. Simon Fox - a Seattle native and film-maker who studied journalism and international studies at the UW and has spent the last three years working to tell the stories of refugees and migration through film. |