For an internationally acclaimed political cartoonist familiar with discomfort, Pedro Molina did not anticipate the physical shock of his first few days in Ithaca. He arrived from Nicaragua with support from Ithaca City of Asylum. It was the dead of winter, and he knew very little about the area. Having been invited to teach a course at Ithaca College, Pedro perused photos online before his arrival. Unfortunately for his expectation-setting, all the photos he saw contained summer scenes. “Beyond the weather, I soon felt very welcome,” he says with a laugh.
Much has changed for Pedro since that first winter. Apart from his professional work, Pedro is part of a team that hosts a weekly show about Nicaragua on YouTube and publishes cartoons across numerous media outlets, covering both Nicaraguan and global events. His voice is critical given his intimate understanding of the circumstances in Nicaragua: Not only are there no newspapers in circulation in Nicaragua, but international organizations such as the Red Cross have been forced to leave the country.
Pedro came to Ithaca after Nicaragua’s dictatorship began targeting journalists, human rights advocates, and what he calls, “anyone with an opinion.” He recalls a bittersweet feeling on his first night in Ithaca as he lay in bed and finally felt safe. He pulled out his tablet and began drawing, sad to be so far away from his country, “but also with a good feeling that I was still useful for my people— [the Nicaraguan government was] trying to stop me from doing this, and there I was, continuing the work.”
Six years after his arrival, Pedro has settled into the community and expanded his reach in many ways. He is one of the most recent appointees to the Board of Directors of Ithaca Welcomes Refugees, which he has called instrumental in his resettlement. He explains the evolution of the support he has felt by IWR: At first, it provided him with critical services such as those of a translator and procurement of winter clothing; over time, IWR became one of the largest foundations of his social circle. Now, he wants to utilize his seat on the IWR Board to give back to the local community.
Pedro sees his role on the IWR Board as contributing his firsthand experiences to conversations, so that IWR can assist refugees proactively, recalling his own needs as a new arrival. With the Trump administration’s changes to national immigration policy, including refugee resettlement, Pedro feels concern for other refugees within and outside of Ithaca: “Even if you know you’re in a place where nothing has changed [like a sanctuary city], you feel like people are looking at you differently.” With this in mind, Pedro articulates the importance of sharing with the community how important IWR’s work is, and, plainly, “How good [IWR] is at this work.” Pedro specifically highlighted Global Roots Play School, which provides refugee parents with childcare while they take English language classes, as well as IWR’s simple but critical act of providing winter clothing to him.
“Several times since the start of the Trump administration, Pedro has been the first person to alert IWR to new executive actions and changes to federal policies, before I have known about them and before some of our immigration law partners have heard about them,” says IWR Executive Director Casey Verderosa. “The nature of Pedro’s work, his clear concern for the welfare of refugees and immigrants in the US, and his firsthand experiences make him an invaluable part of this organization as we all work together to help people rebuild their lives.”
Pedro dipped his toe into IWR board work little by little. He got to know board members at IWR social events. He accepted an offer to speak about his experience alongside IWR at a community event. He met with board members individually before joining, to understand their work and see what he could bring to the table. At his first meeting, he met the entire board and felt comforted by their welcoming spirit and genuine desire to know more about him.
When asked what he would say to a refugee who may be more introverted, shy about public speaking, or reluctant to join a nonprofit board, Pedro explains that he would encourage them to use the gift of their voice. “The best way to defend your rights is to use them while you can,” he says. “If you aren’t going to [use them] for others, at least do it for yourself.”
