Eight Annual Immigration Summit

Saturday, October 5. 10am - 4pm
Seattle University, Student Center Le Roux Conference Center (STCN 160)

Immigration Summit - Vigil Mass
4pm, Chapel of St. Ignatius, Fr. Alejandro Olayo-Méndez and Fr. Arturo Araujo presiding

This year we welcomed keynote speaker Dr. Alejandro Olayo-Méndez, SJ, from Boston College’s School of Social Work. In addition to hearing from Dr. Olayo-Méndez, his gallery show “ In Search of a Dream” will showcased photography documenting life on the border for migrants.

The summit included:

• Morning prayer with Bishop Schuster
• Keynote speaker Dr. Alejandro Olayo-Méndez, SJ, Boston College School of Social Work – “People, Places, and Circumstances: Finding Hope along Migration Routes in Mexico”
• Chris Koehler, Archdiocese of Seattle, Immigrant and Refugee Ministry – “The PNW Context: Welcoming the Migrant and Refugee”
• Dr. Amanda Heffernan, SU Assistant Professor – “Bridging the Gap: An Authoethnography of Asylum Accompaniment”
• A presentation by members of the Tacoma Refugee Choir
• The summit concluded with a Vigil Mass at 4pm in the Chapel of St. Ignatius

The annual Immigration Summit was co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Seattle - Immigrant and Refugee Ministry, and Seattle University’s Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture and followed the 2024 National Migration Week, September 23-29, and the World Day of Migrants & Refugees: “God Walks with His People” on September 29.

_{Top row: Dr. Alejandro Olayo-Méndez, SJ, Dr. Amanda Heffernan, Chris Koehler, Bishop Schuster
Bottom Row: Arturo Araujo, SJ, and Dr. Jeanette Rodriguez}