Shaped by struggle but defined by strength: Durham community shows solidarity against ICE

Across the school, classrooms were  oddly empty. Students left campus in a mass exodus, heading towards the heart of downtown. Their goal: to protest the presence of ICE in the triangle.

Operation Charlotte’s Web was the first of two ICE operations that brought agents into Durham, giving rise to fear amongst the Latino community. Many people were driven to abandon their daily routines, whether that meant calling out of work, missing school, or shifting church services to online. In Durham Public Schools, roughly 30% of students were reported absent in the days following the arrival of ICE. Local communities were not content with cowering in fear, however. Banding together, they demonstrated unity in the face of an attempt to fracture the local community. The ensuing protest 

“For many people, school is the one place they know what to expect, and to have that routine disrupted by an intentionally divisive effort to tear apart families is awful,” Millie Rosen, a 7th grade math teacher at DSA, expressed.

Even ordinary errands such as buying groceries pose a risk to undocumented individuals, and ordering through services like Instacart can easily become a financial burden. To ease the stress on families, Rosen led an effort alongside several other DSA teachers to make the experience a little easier.

“I'm Jewish, and I take pretty seriously the values of justice, tzedek, and community, kehillah,” Rosen commented.

Partnering with the Durham Community Care Collective, teachers were able to collect resources such as food and diapers and distribute them to over 20 families. When ICE was spotted on the streets surrounding DSA, teachers and community members stood guard outside the school to ensure students got to their cars safely.

“I would hope someone would do the same for me if I needed support,” Rosen added.

The inclination to help was not limited to just teachers; many students also took it upon themselves to take action. Students from across Durham worked together with other organizations and local government to plan a protest downtown in late November.

“It was really just amazing how well people were able to organize such a powerful voice in a small amount of time,” Emanuel Corona, a senior at DSA, commented.

Many students were there in honor of their parents who are undocumented and unable to attend themselves. These students delivered heartfelt appeals to their community, calling them to action.

“The most significant form of protest we can do is engage in our culture, not letting [the current administration] suppress it…today we gather here to show them how strong our community is,” one student announced at the protest.

The protest lasted into the night, with people of all ages, occupations, and ethnicities joining together and marching through the streets of downtown. Music and dance was ever-present, serving as a sign of solidarity and resistance. Corona himself attended the protest from 11 am to 9 pm.

“What motivated me in particular to take action is the fear that was brought to our community because of ICE,” Corona added.

Some students had to work against their school administrations, risking consequences for leaving school and encouraging others to do so. However, this did not hold students back. They were determined to serve their community and use their voices.

“I was more than satisfied with what was done that day, honestly one of the most inspiring events I was able to be a part of,” Corona concluded.