• Home
  • Advertising
  • Support Us
  • About us
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Digital Archive
Saturday, July 19, 2025
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
lgbtq-san-diego-county-news-logo-475x166
DONATE
  • A&E
    • Theater Reviews
    • Art
    • Film
    • Music
    • Books
    • Q Syndicate
    • Celebrity Features
  • News & Features
    • Cover stories
    • News Briefs
    • Court News
    • Politics
    • Elected Official Reports
      • Summer Stephan
      • Chris Ward
    • Obituaries
  • Food & Drink
    • Restaurant Reviews
  • Opinion
    • Publisher’s Point
    • Editorials
    • Guest Editorial
    • Community Voices
  • Lifestyle
    • Health & Fitness
    • Travel
  • Columns
    • The Shoulders I Stand Upon
    • Conversations with Nicole
    • Curtain Call
    • Back Out With Benny
    • Trans Talk with Connor
    • Out of the Archives
    • Pozitively Michael
    • Black Lives
    • Powerful Black Women
    • Digital Vault
      • Big Mike and Friends
      • Foodie Flashes
      • Positive Thoughts
      • Houston We Have a Problem
      • Life Beyond Therapy
      • Let’s Fitness Together
      • Queer Parenting
      • Notes from Toni
      • The Frivolist
      • C…Community
      • Frankly Speaking
      • Generation Stew!
      • Gettin’ Ziggy With It
      • Hot Dish
      • My Good Tootie
      • The C Word … Community
  • Business
    • Business Profile
    • Equality Business Directory
    • LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce
  • Out & About
    • Calendar
    • Pride
Subscribe
lgbtq-san-diego-county-news-logo
  • A&E
    • Theater Reviews
    • Art
    • Film
    • Music
    • Books
    • Q Syndicate
    • Celebrity Features
  • News & Features
    • Cover stories
    • News Briefs
    • Court News
    • Politics
    • Elected Official Reports
      • Summer Stephan
      • Chris Ward
    • Obituaries
  • Food & Drink
    • Restaurant Reviews
  • Opinion
    • Publisher’s Point
    • Editorials
    • Guest Editorial
    • Community Voices
  • Lifestyle
    • Health & Fitness
    • Travel
  • Columns
    • The Shoulders I Stand Upon
    • Conversations with Nicole
    • Curtain Call
    • Back Out With Benny
    • Trans Talk with Connor
    • Out of the Archives
    • Pozitively Michael
    • Black Lives
    • Powerful Black Women
    • Digital Vault
      • Big Mike and Friends
      • Foodie Flashes
      • Positive Thoughts
      • Houston We Have a Problem
      • Life Beyond Therapy
      • Let’s Fitness Together
      • Queer Parenting
      • Notes from Toni
      • The Frivolist
      • C…Community
      • Frankly Speaking
      • Generation Stew!
      • Gettin’ Ziggy With It
      • Hot Dish
      • My Good Tootie
      • The C Word … Community
  • Business
    • Business Profile
    • Equality Business Directory
    • LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce
  • Out & About
    • Calendar
    • Pride
DONATE
No Result
View All Result
lgbtq-san-diego-county-news
DONATE
No Result
View All Result
Home Community

Journey of Compassion on the Mexican Border

By Big Mike Phillips

05/06/2021
in Community, Cover stories, Feature, Featured, Features
0
0
SHARES
574
VIEWS

I believe there are so many wonderful individuals in the world that have made a positive difference in so many lives. In fact, it is a privilege for me to be a part of a community that can share their hearts, mind, love, and hard work to build human acceptance for another human being. It makes no difference where you are from, being in need and having to ask complete strangers for help is not easy.

My friend Jack Nooren invited me to join him to travel to Tijuana, the border town in Mexico to help feed a group of refugees that have made it this far, asking for asylum to come into the United States. We pulled up to a camp literally full of hundreds of tents side by side; watched as the people gathered and waved to Jack, knowing he is coming with food. Jack delivers food every single day and they know, trust and love seeing him. He treats them all with compassion, dignity, and makes every single person feel that they are valuable. Jack bought around 500 tents so that those who had nothing would have some sort of dwelling while there. I personally have never done anything like this or witnessed anything so heartbreaking, but at the same time witnessed the love of what just one person can do. This journey has opened my heart and has allowed me to see so much more. Thank you, Jack. I did not witness or see any “drug dealers, criminals or rapists,” instead I saw people who are frightened, lonely, and committed refugees who have walked hundreds of miles, with hopes of a better life for themselves and their families. The United States is not the only country that takes in refugees; in fact, we are one on a list of 14 developed counties that do. With Mexico being our neighbors, they work their way to the United States. Recently, when migrants started to accumulate at the border, Jack and others felt empathetic and decided to set up a kitchen to provide nutritious meals. Now they are hosting nearly 2,500 refugees in this camp and provide nutritious meals every day with the help of other partnerships. Initially, Jack purchased the meals for the first few weeks, however a great friend of his, Claye Cantwell, who owns Top-Notch Catering, graciously offered to cook these healthy and nutritious meals that Jack delivers to the border camp. Jack also receives help from World Central Kitchen, an amazing nonprofit organization along with many other people who have donated food and financial aid. They can always use more, as the camp keeps growing.

This all started when Jack heard how some of the LGBTQ+ refugees were getting beaten up. He learned about Casa de Luz approximately three years ago. It is a LBGTQ+ collective house much different from a shelter. At Casa de Luz, they become partners with refugees and migrants, as they do not just help them with their housing and life’s essential needs after a long voyage from their home country; Casa de Luz also helps them find legal assistance with their asylum application. The collective housing helps them find sponsorship in our country, which is required to find asylum in the United States. They are dedicated as they advocate for them politically and constantly working to improve their lives. Notice the key word is “HELP.” The collective house is in Playas Tijuana; it is near the beach and they have rented an old nightclub that has outgrown its needs. As Jack is in real estate investments, he decided to look for a more permanent home and found three condominiums that were for sale. He made an offer and the owners accepted it. Two of the condos will become dormitories with 22 bedrooms and one of the condos will become a guest house, which will also be available to people who wish to check out their programs and like to contribute. Also, welcoming Airbnb guests who are willing to pay with the money going back into the program. There is some extra land on the property that will allow them to build two large rooms; it will have a kitchen, dining hall and a room for social gatherings, where the resistance can watch TV and movies together. Jack is hopeful that by late summer, all construction will be completed. Fundraisers are being planned to buy new bunk beds, a TV, furniture, and appliances. They do not discriminate and always welcome your generosity. Jack recently started a 501(c)(3) under the name Casa de Luz SD. They will have a board consisting of great people with strong leadership and fundraising skills. Their new website is under construction which will have a donation link. (Casa de luz.com).

Jack shared with me: “In my life, I’ve been very blessed with two beautiful children, a successful career and wonderful friendships. When I came out late in life, I had a great support system that I still rely upon. Our life here is so good that we sometimes do not realize how great we have it. We dwell on not getting our meal on time at a restaurant or having to stand in line at the Apple store to get your new $1,000 iPhone. There so many people living with real hardship since they cannot live openly within their sexual orientation, and fear persecution every single day as there’s no police protection. There is so many people at the border with an extremely hard past looking for a brighter future. If we become more empathetic, we can help so many people finally see light at the end of the tunnel. I have received so much love and kindness and appreciation from so many new friends I have met at the border. I strongly encourage anyone interested in getting involved to reach out to me.” Jack Nooren: [email protected] or text 858-750-5000.

Until we have walked in their shoes, then we have no idea what it is like to be helpless, only hoping and praying that the strangers they meet will treat them with dignity as human beings and help them finish their journey toward a better life. I believe in my heart that we all deserve that.

Jack Nooren
Next Post

Motherhood and Building a Loving Family: The Monica and Britney Fontanoza Family

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

THANK YOU!!!! Please Stay Tuned!

LGBTQ San Diego County News is Updating!

After a necessary pause for my healing, I am making important adjustments and updates to the company and website.  These changes are vital for the survival of our community’s only LGBTQ newspaper.

I appreciate your patience and support. Stay tuned for more updates, including a relaunch of the website, and the return of our print edition in the near future. Give at LGBTQSD.news/Support

Still here, still fighting. Onward!

SUPPORT OUR PAPER!

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

READ PAST DIGITAL ISSUES

lgbtq_san_diego_county_news

© 2024 LGBTQ San Diego County News. All rights reserved.

Navigate our site

  • About
  • Support Our Newspaper
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • A&E
    • Theater Reviews
    • Art
    • Film
    • Music
    • Books
    • Q Syndicate
    • Celebrity Features
  • News & Features
    • Cover stories
    • Gay News Briefs
    • Court News
    • Politics
    • Elected Official Reports
      • Summer Stephan
      • A Note from Assemblymember Chris Ward
    • Obituaries
  • Food & Drink
    • Restaurant Reviews
  • Opinion
    • Publisher’s Point
    • Editorials
    • Guest Editorial
    • Community Voices
  • Lifestyle
    • Health & Fitness
    • Travel
  • Columns
    • The Shoulders I Stand Upon
    • Conversations with Nicole
    • Curtain Call
    • Back Out With Benny
    • Trans Talk with Connor
    • Out of the Archives
    • Pozitively Michael
    • Black Lives
    • Powerful Black Women
    • Digital Vault
      • Big Mike and Friends
      • Foodie Flashes
      • Positive Thoughts
      • Houston We Have a Problem
      • Let’s Fitness Together
      • Life Beyond Therapy
      • Queer Parenting
      • Notes from Toni
      • The Frivolist
      • The C Word … Community
      • Frankly Speaking
      • Generation Stew!
      • Gettin’ Ziggy With It
      • Hot Dish
      • My Good Tootie
  • Business
    • Business Profile
    • Equality Business Directory
    • LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce
  • Out & About
    • Calendar
    • Pride
  • About
    • Advertising
    • Support Our Newspaper
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Archive

© 2024 LGBTQ San Diego County News. All rights reserved.