Families Together

Get Inspired: They Called Him Papu

Families belong together. Our families may make us laugh, bring us comfort, and teach us about who we are. We're inviting your family to think about fighting discrimination against immigrant families and ways we can support each other. Check out this StoryCorps episode honoring the life of Ricardo Ovilla, a Mexican immigrant who never failed to put a smile on his granddaughters faces.

Martha and Marina remember their grandfather with a Winnie the Pooh type twinkle in his eye. Despite being a US citizen, Ricardo was constantly afraid of the threat of deportation due to discrimination based on the color of his skin.

This story was produced by StoryCorps, an audio recording organization dedicated to preserving and sharing humanity's stories in order build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world. We love their inspiring work!

Let’s Talk

After listening to the story about Ricardo Ovilla and his family, use the questions below to kick-start a great conversation with your family:

• What caught your attention about Ricardo's story? What made you smile?

• Why did Ricardo carry his passport? What did his passport represent?

• Did Martha and Marina's stories about their grandfather remind you of an elder in your life? How so?

• Bonus! Reach out to a grandparent or older adult in your family to learn more about your family's history!

Do Something: Family Care Day

Caring for yourself is caring for your community. Pick a day this weekend to have a family care day. Check in with everyone's needs. How is everyone feeling? What could you all do together to uplift each other.

Brainstorm what self-care looks like for your family! Kids and adults need time to refresh, recharge and unwind from our busy days. Action for Healthy Kids has simple steps you can take to make self-care a priority at home.

Do you need a comfortable meal? A good laugh? Remember that everyone likes to be supported in different ways. It's important to talk about what others need and how they like to receive care so that you know how to help them and they know how to help you!

Community Connections: Immigrant Families Together

Keep Immigrant Families Together. Immigrant Families Together is an organization dedicated to reuniting families at the border, providing financial and legal aid to immigrant families who have been detained, and providing humanitarian aid to asylum seekers.

Families supporting families. Check out Immigrant Families Together's Etsy Market and shop kid-made art that supports keeping families intact at the border. If you're feeling crafty, you can create products to sell on their Etsy shop too! Contact the Etsy shop or email donations@immigrantfamiliestogether.com to sell your handmade wares and support immigrant families.