Twenty-Fifth Pilgrimage for Justice and Peace, 2011

Report by Gail Phares Witness for Peace SE/CITCA

For the 25th year, we have walked across North Carolina to promote justice and solidarity in our communities. Across North Carolina and the United States, the detention and deportation of immigrants is on the rise. I believe that we must reject the criminalization of immigrants and demand that policy makers fix a broken system that bankrolls for-profit prisons. Secure communities are not punitive but loving places. It is time for us to recognize the labor off workers and immigrants. Instead of blaming them for the countries woes, we should recognize the contributions they make to our state’s social and economic vitality. It is time to say basta! Stop! We stand with our brothers and sisters in the labor movement and with the immigrant community.

We began the Pilgrimage this year in Goldsboro at Greenleaf Christian Church. The Rev. William Barber – President of NC NAACP gave us a beautiful and deeply moving blessing. We went with the Catholic Workers to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base on Palm Sunday for an air show. We went to protest this blasphemous show of worship of the Gods of Metal. Eight of the Catholic Worker children stop with Stop War on their T-shirts and sang peace songs under the wing of a B1 bomber that costs over $380 million dollars!

We were eight core walkers – Alexandra Jones of the National Farm Worker Ministry, Dani Moore of NC Justice Center, Johnny Devlin and Annie Seward – young Catholic Workers en route by bicycle to Lynchburg, VA, Starlett – a Guilford College students and Rausel Aista – an immigrant from Monroe, NC. We prayed together, washed one another’s feel, sang songs and carried crosses all across the state.

In Burlington, Joseph Wolyniak and Elizabeth welcomed us. We walked from Holy Comforter Episcopal Church to the Alamance County Detention Center where immigrants were held. We tried to arrest the Statue of Liberty. We received great coverage in the Burlington Times News. On Monday afternoon, we walked in Greensboro with Eric Jonas from Faith Action and delivered a letter to Guilford County Sheriff. We had dinner and a program at First Friends Meeting. Tuesday, we walked with the Farm Worker Labor Committee in Burlington. Dellabrook Presbyterian Church gave us lunch and we watched a deeply moving film about Cesar Chavez and the struggle of the United Farm Workers in California. Floyd Street Presbyterian Church gave us a place to rest enroute to the Reynolds Corporate Headquarters were we vigiled and prayed that they would negotiate with tobacco workers to improve conditions in the fields. That evening we were hosted by Green Street United Methodist Church. Wednesday we walked in Charlotte with the Latin American Coalition and many people of faith. We delivered a letter to Sheriff Chipp Bailey asked him to cancel his contract with the 287g and the Secure Communities programs that cause great pain and suffering to the immigrant community. We had a very thoughtful discussion with the NC Dreamers and members of First Presbyterian Church and the Unitarian Fellowship on how we can support our immigrant brothers and sisters. That evening we went to St Paul’s Baptist Church for a press conference and rally for Cong. Luis Gutierrez sponsored by the Latin American Coalition.

The Rev. Isaac Viegas led a foot washing ceremony at a “federal secret detention center” in Cary. About 60 people attended and then walked with us to St Michaels Catholic Church for lunch. We had a press conference at UNC Chapel Hill and then walked to Carrboro to the Centro Latino to celebrate the twenty fifth year of the Pilgrimage for Justice and Peace with over 100 people. We shared a wonderful meal and viewed the film “Papers” followed by a very moving discussion by the NC Dreamers.

Good Friday April 22, about 40 of us began our walk at 8:00am at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Garner. At the NC Correctional Institute for Women, the Rev. Sarah Job led us in a prayer service for the women held there including the four women on NC Death Row. The Economic Justice Way of the Cross-began at noon at the NC State Capital with about 200 people attending. The Rev. George Reed Executive Director of the NC Council of Churches prayed the first station followed by the Rev. Curtis Gatewood. As always, this was a deeply moving prayer in both Spanish and English. For the last hour, the skies opened up and we continued in pouring rain.

The Pilgrimage is possible because of the work of many faithful people who walk with us, provide meals and a place to stay and organize wonderful programs. We are deeply grateful for all the people who over these past 25 years have given of their time and talent to make the Pilgrimage a success.