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New American Freedom Summer Hundreds of college students, labor activists, and community organizers came together during the summer of 2004 to train in non-violence and civil rights history. These New Freedom Summer Volunteers traveled to Ariizona and Florida to continue the drive for complete enfranchisement and a more inclusive democracy. Volunteers registered voters, provided outreach for progressive ballot initiatives, and responded to the local concerns of the communities in which they worked. I went to Arizona to document the work of the New American Freedom Summer along the US-Mexico Border in Nogales and Douglas Arizona. Groups were also active in Phoenix and Tucson, registering new voters and working with Police, Firefighters, Nurses, Teachers, and thers fighting to defeat a divisive and dangerous anti-immigrant iniative titled Protect Arizona Now (PAN). Ultimately the initiative passed, was immediately stopped by court injunction to scrutinize its compatibility with our state and federal constitutions. The Volunteers in Arizona received a first-hand education in the hardships that migrants face to enter the U.S. looking for work, and they fought hard for lifesaving humanitarian efforts to lessen the suffering of those who cross. They found strength in their own community and reason for optimism with growing stacks of voter registration tallies. I spent three weeks in Arizona, staying with volunteers and communities of faith in the desert. Here is what I saw:
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