Recognizing My Voice and Agency in Shaping the Future of My Community

By Loretto Justice Fellow Anamaria Solis (bachelor’s of social work student, graduating May 2025)

When I first began my social work education, I volunteered in case management at Sacred Heart’s migrant shelter. While I knew I was making a difference in people’s lives, I often left feeling drained. Despite the impact I was having, I realized my work was disconnected from the larger, systemic change I wanted to pursue. These feelings stood in stark contrast to the energy, fire and urgency I had felt during policy-focused events like Social Work Advocacy Day. I realized I was seeking the opportunity to tackle the root causes of inequality, instead of just addressing the immediate symptoms of these injustices.

This realization sparked a shift in my focus. I knew I needed to find an internship where I could engage directly with advocacy and policy work, but such opportunities are rare for social work interns. That’s when Loretto offered the chance I had been looking for. Joining the Loretto Justice Fellowship has been crucial in bridging my passion for advocacy with my social work skills (such as community mobilization), setting me on the path toward meaningful, systemic change. 

Through the Fellowship, I began working at Abara, which provided me with an invaluable entry point into social justice advocacy, centered on the rights and well-being of asylum seekers. Every day at Abara reaffirms that this is the path I’m meant to follow. From writing grants and crafting shelter protocols to presenting on current trends along the border, I feel the fire in my stomach. Abara has shown me that my perspective is valued, and my work can make a real impact on my organization and community. For example, creating shelter protocols allows me to safeguard future Abara volunteers and interns while ensuring that social work values, such as cultural humility, are upheld. Educating participants in our border encounter programs about immigration policies empowers me to equip fellow advocates with the tools needed to foster more inclusive and equitable spaces for asylum seekers in their communities. I especially love the work we do at shelters —such as facilitating therapeutic creative workshops and organizing haircut days — helping to restore some of the dignity that can be lost in the asylum seeker’s harrowing journey to the U.S. These small acts of care and compassion not only support individual asylum seekers but also contribute to strengthening the fabric of my community.

After the election, I found my determination faltering, as I was surrounded by a haze of emptiness and isolation. However, my role as a Loretto Justice Fellow at Abara offered a new perspective. I saw the mobilization and coalition-building happening within El Paso’s local immigration nonprofit landscape. I met with organizations like the Office of New Americans and witnessed our community’s unwavering commitment to protecting asylum seekers’ rights. I saw how my community stood tall, resilient in its dedication to the spirit of welcome. Through my work at Abara, I found hope, renewing my drive to keep fighting. 

When the promise of America felt increasingly out of reach, I realized that the promise doesn’t lie in distant politics — it lies in people like me. The work I do with Abara is not just an individual effort; it is a commitment to the American ideals of a nation that opens its doors to those in need. I feel this commitment in local migrant shelters, where I am often one of the first non-border-official individuals asylum seekers interact with. I’m humbled by the opportunity to welcome them to their new home and in doing so, I am reminded of the values my community holds dear. These values stem from El Paso’s deep-rooted immigrant identity, which is built on its rich multicultural, bilingual and binational foundation. At times when progress feels especially out of reach, I draw strength from an idea shared during a Loretto Justice Fellowship trauma-informed Zoom session: Systems are simply collections of people, and through social work, I have the power to support and uplift individuals. Change starts at the local level, in places like migrant shelters, at nonprofits like Abara and in communities like the Loretto Justice Fellowship.