Point of Entry

Abstract

America’s process of nation-building has been one of inclusion and exclusion. Ideas about who does and doesn’t belong here are ever-contested and ever-changing with the political, economic, and social tides of history. Sean and I have a love for elders and their stories. We chose to collaborate on this series as both a logical continuation of our “Elders of Baltimore” project — a social media platform focusing on Baltimore seniors — and as a poignant way to disrupt hateful rhetoric about immigrants, which has been on the rise. We hope the likenesses and words of these incredible individuals remind us of our collective humanity and dignity — including those whom we might have regarded as “other” — and demonstrate that the shortest distance between any of us might just be a shared story.