The University of Denver prides itself on being a private university for the public good through its partnerships with local and global communities. One of the local partnerships is Colorado’s Casa De Paz, which works diligently to support migrants in detention.
Casa De Paz was founded in 2012 in a one-bedroom apartment by Sarah Jackson and has since moved to a home in Aurora, Colorado. The organization has supported and hosted over 10,000 guests from 80 countries. Casa has many programs that support migrants being detained in the Aurora Detention Center, including visitation visits or participating in Cartas de Paz, a pen-pal program where volunteers can write to a detainee.
Former DU professor Katie Dingerman-Cerda first introduced DU to Casa in 2016. A year later, Professor Elizabeth Escobedo established the CAHSS Casa de Paz Learning Community with faculty from the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences who teach immigration with different disciplines and incorporate service learning. The partnership came after anti-immigrant rhetoric became more prominent following Trump’s presidency.
“The partnership with Casa exposes students to the human side of immigration, so often overlooked in public debates and narratives, and provides an opportunity for students to learn about, work closely with and support migrant communities, in a hands-on, real-world approach,” said Escobedo.
Greg Mortimer has been involved with Casa since 2017 and assists with the Cartas de Paz and visitation programs. Mortimer has closely collaborated with DU since 2018.
“DU students assist immigrants nearly every week of the school year,” said Mortimer. “Without them, far fewer immigrants who are experiencing isolating and dehumanizing treatment in detention would receive life-giving visits and letters of encouragement … Current and former DU students play a significant and ever-expanding role in support of immigrants, and in helping to make Casa de Paz a vibrant community of volunteers,” said Mortimer.
One of the active classes partnering with Casa is Professor Lisa Martinez’s Immigration Nation. Second-year double major in political science and international studies, Emely Mier, has found that working closely with Casa has enhanced the class.
“It provides me with a deeper and more personal connection, which is something that I would not be given by simply reading about it in class. The class can gain a perspective that they never had prior. It helps see privileges that are often taken for granted and overlooked,” said Mier.
Students have continued to volunteer with Casa after graduation, others have interned with them and some were inspired to pursue careers in the legal realm to advocate for migrants.
“It is important to continue partnering with DU because we want to build as large of a community as possible in support of reuniting immigrants with their families, in addition to supporting them through the challenges of detention,” said Mortimer. “Working with DU students in support of immigrants is one of my favorite and most rewarding aspects of volunteering with Casa de Paz. I cannot sufficiently express my gratitude for the partnership.”
