Service Through a Lens of Kindness

The following article, by alumnus Luke Dolan '19, appears in the current issue of Saint David's Magazine:

Every morning I would start off with a coffee and then commute to work. By the time I arrived at the Red Cross building in Midtown, there would be a line of asylum-seekers stretching down 49th Street and onto 10th Avenue; many had been camping on the street since midnight in the hope of receiving an appointment at our overcrowded Asylum Application Help Center. I had the privilege of helping those lucky enough to navigate the NYC appointment scheduling system with their asylum cases. My days were spent interviewing refugees and organizing their accounts into a clear narrative for their asylum application. The process was simple: I would speak to an asylum-seeker about their reasons for fleeing their country, translate their story from Spanish to English, chronologically organize their experiences, then write a narrative for their application.  The work was incredibly demanding, and there were nights I was unable to sleep after hearing harrowing stories, but I understood these feelings of shock as the inevitable consequence of working in service of people who have been the victims of some of humanity’s worst moments. 

I was honored when I was asked by Saint David’s to provide a reflection on my experiences as both a volunteer and legal assistant, and I thought it would be an opportune moment to look back at my work through the context of Dr. O’Halloran’s theme for this year, kindness. With a presidential election this year, increasing domestic polarization, and growing global conflicts, kindness is an increasingly necessary skill in our modern world. I believe that kindness is formed at the intersection of intellectual curiosity and communication, two themes present in every facet of Saint David’s.

Before ever working to address the immigration crisis in New York, I had the privilege of visiting the Mexican-American border. While there, I was able to talk to ranchers, nuns, migrants, and many other people who all had differing opinions on migration. Through these conversations, I sought a better understanding of the needs of those affected by immigration, and began to realize that while many groups disagreed, no group was entirely right. Many ranchers in Arizona felt that the United States did not have sufficient border security, and many others felt that the United States was not doing enough to support refugees and asylum-seekers. I do feel that we need to divert more resources towards supporting refugees, but I also feel that border security is one of the hallmarks of any advanced nation. 

My intellectual curiosity—initially developed at Saint David’s—is what drove me to seek out these differing viewpoints, but I believe true kindness lies in synthesizing them. Through my own experiences talking to hundreds of people affected by immigration as well as leaders of several service-based initiatives, I learned that acts of kindness and service largely exist in dialectical truths—solutions where no one side is totally correct. While there are many things we can do that undoubtedly promote the universal dignity of human life, most issues are far less clear and require discernment to join seemingly opposite beliefs. 

While critical analysis is certainly an important skill in the manifestation of kindness, there are far more simple—yet equally as important—acts of kindness which present themselves as options to us every day and are necessary in any critical analysis. In my experience writing asylum applications, the first minute of an interaction with a client is the most important. Coming from Saint David’s, I was taught the value of a firm handshake and eye contact since shaking hands with Dr. O’Halloran on my first day of kindergarten. When meeting with a client, that same firm Saint David’s handshake (and the accompanying eye contact) was the determining factor in how comfortable they would be during this several-hour process. This small, universally recognized act of kindness and mutual respect showed my willingness to help and my recognition of this person as someone deserving of my respect. 

While critical analysis is necessary to be a leader within service initiatives, simple everyday acts of kindness are the bedrock upon which all human connections are built. While on the border, I utilized the handshake to help build connections with ranchers and migrants who were perhaps reluctant to share their personal experiences with a teenage boy from New York City. Furthermore, throughout my work in New York City, there were many times where I was unable to communicate with a client simply because they spoke French or Russian or another language I did not know. 

While we used professional translators to translate their accounts, the only medium I could use to personally greet my client was the handshake, simply because of its sheer power as a symbol of kindness transcending linguistic barriers. While I never had an interest in immigrants’ rights during my time at Saint David’s, the lessons I learned there have continued to serve me far more than any professional training I have received. This year’s theme of kindness is truly fitting because there is no aspect of Saint David’s that does not emphasize the fundamental intellectual and interpersonal skills required to be a kind man.

Luke credits his fluency in Spanish to the Spanish immersion program at Saint David's. He is also a graduate of Regis ('23) and a freshman at Cornell University.

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