Resources!
Explore this page to learn more about our favorite GCP readings and organizations!
Organizations to Check Out!
The International Institute in St. Louis (IISTL) is located in Tower Grove and is a center of resources and information for the community's immigrants and refugees. They provide a wide array of services that meet a variety of needs, from those who have just landed in St. Louis to those who have lived here for decades. Opportunities to get involved include organizing a donation drive, volunteering with the After-School Program, tutoring adults preparing for their citizenship tests, or becoming a mentor in the Refugee Youth Program.
LifeWise STL is a non-profit in downtown St. Louis that provides various programming for infants, toddlers, children, teenagers, adults, and seniors with the goal of expanding education and increasing economic wellness. Volunteer opportunities include sorting donations, helping community members with food and clothing shopping, assisting teachers of students ranging from 6 months of age to 5th grade, providing childcare while parents participate in adult programming, or working as a 1-1 aide for an ESL student.
Vitendo 4 Africa is run by immigrants for immigrants with a vision for "empowered, stronger, healthier immigrant individuals and families." Through programs such as women empowerment, youth empowerment, adult education, and health and wellness, V4A coordinates resources to assist immigrants in the pursuit of education and healthcare. Those looking to become involved are able to work in the youth programs, provide transportation to medical appointments, or donate financially.
Casa de Salud "delivers high quality health services to uninsured or underinsured patients, with a focus on immigrants and refugees in St. Louis and its metro area." Their primary clinic operates seven days per week, and the organization also provides affordable access to mental healthcare. There are volunteer opportunities for medically licensed healthcare providers, as well as those who serve as medical interpreters, financial assistant specialists, medical scribes, and ambassadors called Friends of Casa whose work focuses on fundraising and spreading awareness.
BorderLinks, based in Tucson, Arizona, was born out of the faith-and-conscience-based US Sanctuary Movement of the 1980s. Today, they provide educational immersion trips in the Arizona-Sonora region and beyond the border to Chiapas. By connecting with various activists and organizations in Arizona and northern Mexico, BorderLinks works towards its mission to connect divided communities, raise awareness about the impact of border and immigration policies, and inspire action for social transformation.
IFCLA, or the Inter-Faith Committee on Latin America, utilizes education and community organizing to "accompany the people of Latin America in their work for human rights and social justice." In addition to providing educational opportunities on immigrant history, their work centralizes the idea of accompaniment — a mindset and a ministry with the goal to "walk alongside someone in their journey, acknowledging mutuality in the struggle for justice."
Our Favorite Readings!
Readings!
1 / Andean Cosmovision: The Basics Oakley Gordon
2 / How Time Flies Laura Spinney
3 / So You Want to Get Involved in Mutual Aid Amanda Arnold
4 / Solidarity Not Charity Dean Spade
5 / A Different Kind of Capitalism (Podcast) Jacqueline Novogratz
6 / Mapping the Futures, Chapter 4 Doreen Massey
7 / Introducing Human Geographies, Chapter 22, Felix Driver
8 / A Small Place, Chapters 1 & 2, Jamaica Kincaid
9 / The Weight of Shadows, José Orduña
10 / Forensic Linguistics, Chapter 1, I.M. Nick