Guadalupe Montana-Balbuena, a criminal justice major at WNMU, will share her experiences from the Washington, D.C., Spring Lobby Workshop at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall, 3845 Swan Street, at 6 p.m. this Sunday, April 7.

Lupita is from Carlsbad, NM, and transferred to Western from NMSU. She heard of the opportunity to participate in the workshop in Dr. Damon Bullock's class - and went for it! With the support of numerous members of the local community, Lupita was able to register and attend the four-day workshop put on by the Friends Committee on National Legislation on March 28-31.

Along with more than 400 other young adults from across the country (including several others from New Mexico), Montana-Balbuena learned the basics of advocacy over a weekend. Then on Monday and Tuesday, they went to Capitol Hill to visit the offices of the New Mexico Congressional delegation, including the newly-elected Congresswoman from NM Congressional District 2, Rep. Xochitl Torres Small.

All of the participants asked their Senators and Representatives to support more humane practices in the treatment of detained immigrants at the border. Coming from a district that is actually on the border, the task was close to Lupita's heart: "Being the proud daughter of two immigrants, a first generation American and coming from a mixed status family has ignited a passion in me to speak up with AND for migrants!"

Spring Lobby Weekend was a great experience for Lupita and she is taking this opportunity to share it with the community that supported her participation.