In August 2022, the first bus of immigrants arrived in Chicago. That year, Texas Governor Greg Abbott began sending groups of immigrants to sanctuary cities across the U.S. Since then, more than 51,000 immigrants have arrived in Chicago.

Abbott and other red-state governors hoped to undermine our city’s commitment to welcoming immigrants by overwhelming us with new arrivals. But it didn’t work. Instead, our communities mobilized—organizing to provide shelter, food, warm clothing, and legal support for our new neighbors.

Our free store, La Tiendita, began with volunteers collecting donations from neighbors and distributing them at migrant shelters in Chicago police stations. In April 2024, we moved into our new home inside the Coppin Community Center—a Washington Park-based nonprofit that has long served South Side residents. By joining forces, we committed ourselves to serving all Chicagoans, not just new arrivals.

Over the past three years, local services have been stretched thin, and frustration has grown over how resources are allocated. Longtime residents have rightly criticized the city for neglecting disinvested communities for decades. But the “migrant bus crisis” also revealed something powerful: we can reimagine how our city cares for its people.

That’s why we created Manos Entrelazadas South Side Alliance (MESA)—to build on what we’ve learned and create a more equitable Chicago. Our mission is to support everyone on the South Side, new arrivals and longtime residents alike. Rather than competing over limited resources, we believe that by standing together, we can build a future rooted in care, justice, and collective belonging.