Authorship attributed to Christie Duncan-Tessmer
Because of our lawsuit, organizations that support immigrants in Philadelphia have reached out to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting to be in relationship. One of the things I’ve learned is that a result of our government’s current approach to immigration is that immigrant-owned shops are struggling—staff and customers are afraid to go to them. This suggests one faithful response to the question, “What can I do?”: shop at immigrant-owned stores.
The Religious Leaders Council in Philadelphia embraced this idea and has now organized two walks. Earlier this week, about 15 people from diverse faith backgrounds and age groups (both a stroller and a walker were in use!) walked along a commercial corridor in South Philadelphia. They entered shops, spoke with staff and owners, and made purchases.
At each stop, groups of 3–4 people went in together. The exact words we used varied, but generally, we offered a greeting and shared that we are people of faith who love our neighbors. When I introduced new walkers to the process, I told them what matters most is that we are connecting from a place of love. The rest is just details.
We’ve found a few things that help:
- Carrying a simple sign communicates our message clearly. At our first walk, someone held a sign that said “We Are All Immigrants.” Cars honked and waved. This week, I carried the AFSC sign “Quakers Welcome Migrants with Dignity” and had two conversations about it before the walk even began.
- Translation and accompaniment from neighborhood residents are very helpful. This week, staff from SEAMAAC—the region’s largest refugee-founded organization—spoke with shop owners ahead of time, guided us to specific stores, introduced us, and translated. Their deep knowledge of the community, culture, and languages helped everyone feel connected.
- When no one is available to introduce us, a flyer that explains who we are can be helpful.
I bought vegetables I’d never seen before, fish sauce not sold at Whole Foods, and a length of fabric. I also found a place to take my clothes for alterations. At one hair salon, the owner shared that she charges as little as possible—accepting whatever customers can afford. It reminded me of early Quaker shopkeepers, who were the first to display a fixed price so that people knew they wouldn’t be taken advantage of. This shopkeeper does the opposite—adjusting prices to make sure everyone can afford to look and feel their best.
Next steps include organizing another walk with a larger group, inviting media to join, and writing up a guide so others can replicate this loving act of public witness in their own communities.
