CISWH News: Prof. López Joins BU Team Helping Migrant & Displaced Communities at Texas Border
Prof. Luz M López has joined a BU team studying best practices to support migrants at the Texas border. The work is a part of the Border Studies Program that provides support to migrants who face traumatic conditions at the border. The BU team includes Dr. Carrie Preston, cofounder of the Initiative in Forced Displacement and director of the Boston University Kilachand Honors Program; Prof. Muhammad Zamad, professor of biomedical engineering; dual degree student Sharette Bello-Suazo (MSW’22, MPH’22); and nine students from the Kilachand Honors Program.
Excerpt from “CISWH’s Prof. López Joins BU Colleagues and Students to Support Migrant Communities at Texas Border,” originally posted in CISWH News:
‘[Our Texas partners] wanted a social work perspective and clinical mental health support. They learned about the work I had been doing previously with trauma and immigrants and refugees, and I was very happy to collaborate,’ said Prof. López.
Displaced people come to the United States border escaping violence, fear, and trauma, only to be faced with more of the same upon arriving in Mexico and the U.S.
‘Some are in tents on the border. Some are in detention centers in very difficult conditions, and some are hosted by families or organizations in the area. The goal of this trip is to interview those who are displaced and learn more about the conditions so we can determine how we can contribute and fill in gaps,’ Prof. López added.”