Landmarks
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Issues in Action
Elliott Smith
Cicely Lewis, Executive Editor
Lerner Publications Minneapolis
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LETTER FROM CICELY LEWIS
LETTER FROM CICELY LEWIS
Dear Reader,
I started the Read Woke challenge in response to the needs of my
students. I wanted my students to read books that challenged social
norms, gave voice to the silenced, and sought to challenge the status
quo. Have you ever felt as if the truth was being hidden from you?
Have
you ever felt like adults are not telling
you the full story because you are too
young? Well, I believe you have a right to
know about the issues that are plaguing
our society. I believe that you have a
right to hear the truth.
I created Read Woke Books because
I want you to be knowledgeable and
compassionate citizens. You will be the
leaders of our society soon, and you
need to be equipped with knowledge so
that you can treat others with the dignity
and respect they deserve. And so you
can be treated with that same respect.
Cicely Lewis
As you turn these pages, learn about how history has impacted the
things we do today. Hopefully you can be the change that helps to make
our world a better place for all.
Cicely Lewis, Executive Editor
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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NO PLACE TO GO
NO PLACE TO GO
A section of fence along the border between
Mexico and the United States
ON THE BORDER BETWEEN MEXICO AND THE UNITED
STATES, THOUSANDS OF IMMIGRANTS ARE HELD
AGAINST THEIR WILL IN GUARDED FACILITIES.
They
crossed the border into the US, most in an attempt to make
a better life. But current US law makes crossing the border
a criminal offense. Strict laws and enforcement mean that
agencies such as Customs and Border Control and Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have the authority to lock
immigrants away, sometimes for months, as they wait for court
proceedings. Beginning in 2018, many families were split up and
children were separated from their parents.
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No one knows exactly how many people are held at these
detention centers on a given day. But one government count
estimated that by January 2020, more than forty-three
hundred children had been separated from their parents.
Many report poor conditions at the overcrowded facilities.
Journalists discovered children sleeping on concrete floors,
a lack of hygiene products such as soap and toothpaste, and
exposure to diseases including chicken pox.
The anger around conditions at the border and the laws that
enabled them have led to protests across the country. In June
2018, as news of family separations came to light, marchers
hit the streets in Washington, DC, and elsewhere to protest.
Protesters hold signs criticizing
deportations and ICE.
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Reports of unsafe facilities also drew the attention of elected
officials, some of whom traveled to tour them.
This has been horrifying so far, US representative
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote after her visit. It is hard to