Las Cruces, NM – On this edition of PUENTES a la comunidad, bridges to the community, host Emily Guerra spoke with Las Cruces based non-profit organization “All Relations United” Board Co-Director, Bryan Brewer. He is of the Oglala Lakota tribe and former President of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. They bring awareness and assistance to Native American Veterans, Montagnard Veterans from Vietnam and Deported Veterans with their program, “Stand Up for Our Veterans.”
Brewer says the City of Las Cruces is the first city in the nation to pass a proclamation supporting deported veterans. Mayor Ken Miyagishima and City Council proclaimed March 15, 2021 as “Honoring Our Deported Veterans Day.”
On Memorial Day Brewer and other members of All Relations United went to Juarez, Mexico to gather with deported U.S. veterans in honor of the fallen and forgotten. The Las Cruces Sun-News posted an article about the event and of some of the “honorably discharged” veterans deported to Juarez. Facebook also has a page about the Deported Veterans Support House – Juarez Bunker @DVSHJuarez. More information at allrelationsunited.org; and NPR.org an NPR story aired June 21, 2019 - "Deported U.S. Veterans Feel Abandoned by the Country They Defended."
