Abstract

The current political climate has forced many US immigrants to go underground amidst an environment of violence and fear. Our international, undocumented, and first-generation students in higher education are no exception. Lehigh University, through intentional recruitment of international students, has contributed to this diversity of its community within and beyond the institutional border. This article describes a case study on programming developed between Lehigh’s diversity committees and the NAACP that brought communities together to learn about the plight of immigrants in the local communities. The event supports the idea that simple gestures that create a safe space for dialogue provide constructive dialogue that builds community and bridges divides.