Get to know our Journey to the Borderlands

Date: May 19, 2026

Time: 4:00 PM- 5:00 PM PDT | 7:00 PM- 8:00 PM EDT

Platform: Zoom (Meeting ID and Password will be provided upon registration)

Are you curious about the realities of life along the U.S.–Mexico border? Can you imagine building genuine connection with people whose perspectives differ deeply from your own?

Join us for a 60-minute Zoom call to learn about a powerful journey into the Arizona–Mexico border region. This immersive experience offers the opportunity for personal growth, deeper awareness of our implicit biases, and a more nuanced understanding of one of today’s most complex and debated issues. Travel through the striking landscapes of the Sonoran Desert and engage directly with those most impacted by border policy and migration. Participants will hear from a wide range of voices, including activists, Border Patrol agents, ranchers, artists, musicians, local tribal members, and migrants themselves. Through these encounters, we practice the core of Compassionate Listening: meeting others with openness, curiosity, and a willingness to be changed.

This journey is led by experienced facilitators rooted in both the region and the practice of storytelling and dialogue. Robert Neustadt, Professor of Spanish at Northern Arizona University, has guided students to the border since 2010; his work explores migration through music, poetry, and performance. He is joined by Kirsten Szykitka, a certified Compassionate Listening facilitator who has led cross-cultural programs around the world. Together, they create spaces for participants to engage across difference, guiding both exploration and reflection.

We’ll also be available to answer your questions about hotels, transportation, flights, food and snacks, what to wear, and anything else you’d like to ask.

Please join us on May 19. We look forward to seeing you!