Join Peace Action New York State (PANYS) for an online discussion on military recruitment practices targeting low-income and immigrant youth and how to respond with sustainable options.

Leading the discussion will be author Sofya Aptekar, an Associate Professor at CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. She will be joined by Ramón Mejía, National Organizer for the Grassroots Global Justice Alliance.

While the popular image of the US military is one of citizen soldiers protecting their country, the reality is that nearly 5 percent of all first-time military recruits are noncitizens. In Green Card Soldier, Sofya Aptekar talks to more than seventy noncitizen soldiers from twenty-three countries, including some who were displaced by conflict after the US military entered their homeland. Their stories—stitched through with colonial legacies, white supremacy, exploitation, and patriarchy—show how the tensions between deservingness and suspicion shape their enlistment, service, and identities.

Ramón Mejía enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 18 to support his family. His experience in the invasion of Iraq in 2003 led him to convert to Islam and develop into an outspoken advocate and organizer against U.S. wars and the growing militarization of our communities.

Giving voice to a little-heard group of immigrants, Green Card Soldier shines a cold light on the complex workings of US empire, globalized militarism, and citizenship. It highlights the need for united action to defend immigrant and LGBTQ rights, end white supremacy and promote anti-militarism.