Volunteers supply art, music and games to help Central American migrants seeking asylum

Parents in the caravan of mostly Central American migrants camped at the plaza outside the El Chaparral port of entry, a border crossing located west of the U.S. port of entry at San Ysidro, did what they could to survive and provide for their children as they waited to request asylum from U.S. border authorities during the first week of May.

Pablo Sauceda, 20, saw the caravan on his local news channel and felt compelled to help. With a deck of cards, he entertained migrants and made the children smile with magic tricks.

Monica Curca of the Orange County-based nonprofit Activate Labs arrived May 2 and distributed canvases, brushes and paint, which the children used to draw hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. Activate Labs has organized and advocated for refugee communities in Southern California for the past three years with the Refugees Welcome Project.

Donations including clothes, toys and food flowed in since the caravan of about 400 people arrived in Tijuana on April 28.

By the morning of May 4, all asylum seekers in the caravan had crossed into the United States.

Drew A. Kelley is a contributing photographer to Times Community News.