The Three C's

This summer, I will travel to Apulia, one of the twenty regions in Italy, for an internship with the Spring Hill College Italy Center. I am indebted to this programs for years to come for all of the life revelations that it inspired in my life in the last two years. Although I am working through the Spring Hill College Italy Center, this blog is not linked to Spring Hill College or the study abroad program. This is my voice.


Although our daily tasks and routines as interns will vary from day-to-day, here is a general explanation of the organizations that we will be working with during this summer.

Caritas

Caritas is defined as Christian love for humankind, or charity, which rings true to the organization’s mission and values. Caritas is an international Catholic agency helping the poor and homeless, both locals and refugees alike. Caritas shares the mission of the Catholic Church to serve the poor and to promote charity and justice throughout the world.

Caritas Italiana was founded in 1971. This was done to answer the call of Pope Paul VI with the hope to promote charity with a commitment to raising public awareness. Today, Caritas Italiana is a pastoral organization of the Italian Bishop’s Conference and connects 220 diocesan Caritas. With this, it is engaged in a multitude of areas, including: old and new forms of poverty, peace, civil service, immigration, mental health, and homelessness.

While in Brindisi, we will assist local activists at the Caritas community. We will provide daily meals and various forms of assistance to migrants and low-income Italians.

For more information, visit: http://www.caritas.org

CARA

CARA, or Cara interchangeably, translates in Italian to “dear.” These are identification centers for immigrants without documents, who are seeking to receive a permit to stay in the country or political refugee status. The legitimization of a refugee’s status is controlled at these welcome centers. Each center was set up by the Italian state.

Three days a week, we will serve at the CARA in Restinco, which is a short bus ride from our apartment in Brindisi. We will work with the psychologists, interpreters, cultural mediators, language teachers, and legal facilitators who currently help at the CARA.

CARA Writing Workshop

Bologna (2015): Intercultural dinner of Italians, Americans, and Ghana immigrants

When we have completed our shadowing of legal professionals at the CARA for the day, we will work on cultural engagement programs with members of the local community. Alessandra (a fellow intern) and I have been paired together to work on writing workshops. We are thrilled and inspired to help the men at the CARA to express and unmask their emotion from their journey to Brindisi through multiple platforms, including short stories, poetry, and rap.

CIE

Although this center has not been confirmed as a site to work at during the internship, I do find it important to explain that it exists and its function within the city.

CIE is an acronym for “Centro di Identificazione ed Espulsione” (Center for Identification and Deportation). These were originally intended to serve as temporary detention centers, where illegal immigrants (i.e., immigrants without papers) were policed and identified. Eventually, the reception camps formed into detention facilities, which have extended the detention times to a maximum of 18 months.

There is much debate for the role of both the CIE and CARA in the overall immigration crisis. I am enthralled to hear the perspectives from both Italians and immigrants.

I find it important to note here that I am not a journalist. I am an activist.

I am not in Brindisi to exploit any individual’s story with the hopes that I will rise in success; I am driven with love for those who feel loveless, with a voice for those who feel voiceless, and with faith for when it seems like all faith has been lost.

Signing off,

the chameleon