Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail with Anthropologist and Author Jason De León

Stories of Transformation

Jason De León is an anthropologist, author, and activist with a meaningful mission. His work focuses on the global community of migrants who flee their homelands in search of a better life. His latest book, "Land of Open Graves: Life and Death On The Migrant Trail" focuses on the growing rate of migrants fleeing Mexico through the Sonoran Desert - a territory shared by the United States territories of Arizona and California. Particularly, the book tackles the troubling statute called "prevention through deterrence," which is the United States policy that aims to deter migrants not through walls or border patrol, but through the perceived impasse of the brutal, 70-mile stretch of the desert that stands in the way.

In addition to his literary endeavors, Jason De León is a MacArthur Genius Award Winner who has written academic articles on the topic of undocumented migration. He is an accomplished human rights activist, serving as President for the Colibrí Center for Human Rights. He is also executive director at the "Undocumented Migration Project" - a non-profit, anthropologically-minded organization which hopes to shed light on the phenomenon of clandestine migration of Latin Americans into the United States. Though the current situation is bleak, and the future is not bright in regards to social or circumstantial change, Jason and his colleagues hope that their work can not only magnify the lives and stories of these human beings caught in a difficult situation, but to shed the labels and inspire empathy for them far and wide.

In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we discuss Jason De León's latest book, "Land of Open Graves" - the "culmination of six years of research" by De León to uncover the reality on the ground at the United States-Mexico border. Jason shares some of the countless artifacts that he found in his research mission through the Sonoran Desert. We also discuss the current situation unfolding on the border of Mexico and the United States - the sobering reality of the human trafficking "industry". Finally, Jason shares his outlook on the future of the issue of clandestine migration, and what we can do to help make the world a better, more welcoming place for all.

For full show notes

podcast — Baktash Ahadi

Connect with Jason De León
Website: https://www.jasonpatrickdeleon.com/
Facebook: Jason De León
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason.de.leon/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jason_p_deleon/

Resources
Purchase Jason De León's book, "Land of Open Graves: Life and Death Along The Migrant Trail"

The Land of Open Graves: Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail (Volume 36) (California Series in Public Anthropology)

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Credits
Hosted by: Baktash Ahadi
Baktash Ahadi

Produced by: Joseph Gangemi
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-gangemi-audio/

Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-a-91081b56/

Theme music by: Qais Essar
www.therabab.com

Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi
https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/masheed

Episode Music Credits
"Finding My Memories" by Sivan Talmor
"Stay" by Yotam Agam
"Early Morning Haze" by Yehezkel Raz