‘Empathy Caravan’ supports immigrants during stops in Potsdam, Massena, Canton, Ogdensburg

From a story in North Country This Week, August 7, 2025

POTSDAM—Nearly 50 people gathered at Ives Park Wednesday morning to show support for immigrants and international students in the North Country. 

The “Empathy Caravan” stopped in Potsdam Aug. 6 as part of a 1,000-mile, statewide journey meant to highlight the social and economic impacts immigrants and international students bring to our communities. 

The caravan, which also made stops in Massena, Canton, and Ogdensburg on Wednesday, is being led by the Rural and Migrant Ministry and began over the weekend on the south fork of Long Island. 

In Potsdam, village Mayor Alexandra Jacobs Wilke said “to be here is to meet people from across the globe,” and emphasized the value immigrants and international students bring to local universities and our rural healthcare system.

“This shouldn’t need saying, but these are exactly the types of strivers that our nation needs,” Wilke said.

She continued, “in the village of Potsdam, our arms will always be open, no matter where you come from.”

Tom Langen talked about the interactions he has with international students in his role at Clarkson University. 

“We talk about why they’re here,” Langen said, noting that most come because they believe in the opportunities, values, and freedom represented by the American way of life. “They do care about that stuff,” Langen said. 

Langen noted that the current national political climate has fostered fear among much of the international student community and has led to repression of free speech among non-citizens. 

“Our students are scared,” Langen said, afraid of being “lost in a gulag” or being otherwise unable to finish their course of study. 

“It is incumbent on us to help” and ensure equal protection under the law, Langen said. 

Potsdam United Methodist Church Pastor Heidi Chamberlain recounted how a group of Clarkson graduate students from Zimbabwe have enhanced the congregation at  her church this year.

She said the Zimbabweans have also displayed how “discriminatory practices” being carried out by the federal government have engendered fear amongst non-citizens. 

“Potentially losing international students through negligent and abusive immigration practices and procedures is a loss to our shared world community,” Chamberlain said. 

“We simply cannot allow our global perspective to be diminished in this way,” she said in closing.

Empathy Caravan in Potsdam, NY. Photo courtesy of Susan Mitchell.