Baltimore nonprofit uses soccer to help immigrant and refugee students feel safe
A nonprofit in Baltimore uses soccer to ensure that immigrant and refugee children of all ages have a sense of belonging.
Given the political climate, "Soccer Without Borders" is doubling down on its mission.
For the students, the nonprofit's programs are a critical community for them.
Building a community
Kevin was one of the many students playing with "Soccer Without Borders" in Southeast Baltimore on Thursday. He's been a part of the program for three years, and it's how he found his community.
Off the field, though, "Soccer Without Borders" has also been helping him with his schoolwork and to learn English.
"When we're playing, we have to be talking in English," he said. "When we do presentations, we have to talk English."
Carson McFadden, the Maryland Hub Director, is one of the people running the practices, games, leagues, and other programs for the more than 700 students playing this year.
McFadden describes the community "Soccer Without Borders" as a family.
"You see, over time, they're learning the language at a lot higher level, they're more confidently speaking English, they're building community for themselves," McFadden said.
"Soccer Without Borders" runs all year, even in the summer when school is out. The nonprofit also operates in California, Colorado, and Massachusetts.
Being a safe space
"Soccer Without Borders" programs are entirely free and provide not only a no-cost childcare option for families, but also a space for these students to feel safe.
The play can be a nice distraction for the students' problems, McFadden said, but not everything can be forgotten on the field.
President Trump's aggressive deportation campaign and other immigration policies have been top of mind for students in the programs this year.
"We just took a lot of [these students] on a camping trip a couple of weekends ago," McFadden said. "We had a bit of time to reflect on the past year...[think about] what our goals are. Some of the boys [said], 'Our goal is to stay in the United States.'"
In response to these feelings, McFadden said "Soccer Without Borders" has been stepping up to make sure they're meeting students' emotional needs.
The effort isn't lost on the students. For a lot of them, they come back year after year because of the community they get from it.
"[Being a part of Soccer Without Borders] means you have support and people who have your back," said Nura Mahommed, who has been playing with "Soccer Without Borders" for the last seven years.