My only complaint about volunteering today is the weather

Summary

The author reflects on their experience volunteering to assist with the administrative processing of TPS and EAD applications for new arrivals in Chicago, noting the challenges of language barriers and the resilience of the migrants.

Abstract

The author shares their personal account of volunteering at an event aimed at helping new migrants navigate the complex process of applying for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Employment Authorization Documents (EAD). Despite their limited Spanish proficiency and shyness in public speaking, they were able to contribute significantly to the effort. The migrants, having endured arduous journeys across multiple countries, waited for six hours to complete their paperwork, meet with attorneys, and access other services, leaving the event ready for employment. The author is moved by the migrants' resilience and contemplates the importance of learning English for their future prospects in Chicago, envisioning their progress in the next 3-5 years as they strive for the American Dream.

Opinions

The author expresses humility about their Spanish language skills and shyness when speaking in public.
They are impressed by the well-organized and welcoming nature of the event for the migrants.
The author acknowledges the significant trauma and endurance of the migrants, who have traveled extensively to reach Chicago.
There is a sense of admiration for the migrants' resilience and the potential they have to contribute to the city's future.
The author believes that learning English is crucial for the migrants' success and social mobility in the United States.
They also note the complexity of the English language but remain optimistic about the migrants' ability to master it given the right learning opportunities.

My only complaint about volunteering today is the weather

My Spanish is not that great, and I am relatively shy when speaking in public…especially with native Spanish speakers. For me, I can get about three layers into a conversation before I have to end it because I have exhausted my capacity for verbal communication. I can greet, see how someone is doing, and then direct them to their next destination with ease and precision…and not much more than that.

Today, my time and expertise and knowledge were utilized in the best possible way today to facilitate the lengthy administrative processing of TPS and EAD applications for new arrivals to Chicago, and the United States more broadly.

For all the trauma these folks have been through WALKING across sometimes 9 countries to get LITERALLY dropped off here, it was an awesome experience to be a part of a well-organized and welcoming presence for them. They waited in different queues for SIX HOURS while their paperwork was processed, they met with attorneys, applied for jobs, translated birth certificates, and (I want to say “all”) other related services…and they left ready for hire.

Imagine going from a legally unrecognized migrant to eligible candidate for hire in the City of Chicago in the same time it takes you to register your Buick at the BMV.

What I am left thinking about is what comes next for these folks? Yes, they are able to work and they some have new tentative jobs before they leave…and they are returning to staying in a shelter. Transformation is a process, and it is frequently a painful process. What I saw today were the faces of adults and children who are currently and have been enduring a significantly painful experience for lengths of time I heard ranging from as short as a week and as long as 9-months. What I also saw were the faces of the future of Chicago whose resiliency will carry them far in their pursuit of upward social mobility. At the heart of it all, however, is learning to comfortably communicate in English.

Learning a new language is a process one begins once they know the first word of another language. From there, we build our vocabulary and ability to conjugate and connect adjectives and make paragraphs and all other things related to that language.

It is estimated that the “average” human being can learn a new language to communicate nearly fluently in 3–5 years.

In that time, imagine where these folks will go if they take the time to learn and practice English. Some people I know characterize English as a cruel and unforgiving language that betrays its own rules and makes things up as it goes along, and to an extent they are not wrong. I feel that if provided an ideal learning opportunity that in 3–5 years, most of the people I met today will have a degree of mastery of the English language and a stronger foothold on their American Dream.