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"I'm being taken, please fight for me."

This is the text that came through on Ryan Davis' phone on Aug. 12 from his former student Armelle Bondonga Bradshaw.

Armelle and her husband Terrance had gone to their final marriage-based green card interview. They had already received approval from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on their marriage-based petition, an important step in Armelle's path to a green card. Still, ICE detained her. Armelle's husband and toddler were forced to say goodbye and leave the immigration office without her.

Before they took her phone and other personal items, Armelle sent Ryan that text.

You see, before Armelle was a wife and mother, she was Ryan's student. When Armelle first arrived in the United States with her family, she was just shy of 9 years old and they lived in Maine. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Armelle and her family moved to Louisville, Kentucky. That's when she ended up in Ryan's math class. Ryan also happened to be new to Waggener High School as a teacher.

Around this same time, the school district was piloting a new program called Justice Now, where each school would have its own team to do community-oriented projects. Ryan wanted Waggener to be one of the pilot schools and volunteered to be the teacher sponsor. It wasn't long until Armelle joined the program.

Armelle did things a teacher might normally do. She encouraged other students. She would tell them, "You should lead this part of the meeting." Ryan remembers the group was preparing for one Zoom call and he assumed he would introduce everyone to their guest. Armelle stopped him. "No, we're student-led," she told him. She took the lead, then turned around and pushed the other students to do the same.

The Justice Now high school program evolved thanks to the dedication of these young people. Together, they founded Future Ancestors, a youth-led organization that expanded beyond their high school to include students from across the school district. They put young people at the center of community action.

For six years, Armelle and her peers have organized the Race4Justice, raising money for community nonprofits while honoring Breonna Taylor's life. Breonna Taylor was murdered in her home by Louisville police in March 2020.

The group also expanded its work to include additional service projects, and thanks to Armelle, a citywide youth summit that brings together multiple youth organizations.

This is how the community came to know and love Armelle. Organizations both supported Future Ancestors and benefited from it. While The Future Ancestors raised money for the community, Armelle also mentored younger students, and that didn't stop after she graduated. While some participants moved on to other interests, Armelle continued to volunteer with The Future Ancestors throughout college. She took a leadership role alongside Ryan, her former teacher, and later even returned to Waggener High School as a substitute teacher.

Students involved with Future Ancestors say they gained a sister in Armelle. Carmen Espinoza Sissoko and Destiny Peabody joined in high school. They are in college now and help lead the group these days. They describe Future Ancestors like family, and Armelle was someone they could turn to for advice, encouragement or even a ride.

The last time they saw Armelle was July 30. They had all gathered together for a year-end celebration. Armelle, Destiny and Carmen presented awards to the younger members. Ryan gave Armelle an award, too. The Armelle Bradshaw Keystone Award will be given to students in future years. But the first one went to Armelle, "because of her centrality to holding everybody up," Ryan said.

After the celebration dinner, Armelle drove Carmen home. Later, she texted Carmen to remind her to reach out if she needed anything. Carmen said Armelle wrote that "she loves me so much and that she's always here for me."

Then, on Aug. 12, Armelle was detained by ICE. That's when Ryan received that text, and he had to tell The Future Ancestors what had happened.

Carmen said the news was a shock. "I'm Afro-Latina. I have a Hispanic background. I've been profiled before," she said. What's happening to Armelle is the nightmare Carmen didn't think would come true, especially this close to home. "Armelle is someone who pours into her community with everything that she does, everything that she is," Carmen said, and "she did not deserve this."

Armelle remains in detention today.

Armelle was doing what our United States government asked her to do. She had shown up to her green card interview with her husband and child. They had even received approval of their marriage-based petition from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. They were following the process available to them. Still, ICE detained her.

Her detention isn't something happening just to Armelle. It has far-reaching effects. It is happening to her husband, her baby, the students she mentors, her colleagues and the community she helped build.

Ryan said, "As a teacher, the biggest hope that you ever have for your students is that they will go on to live happy and full lives."

Ryan got to watch Armelle grow from a student in his classroom into a leader he could work alongside. To have all of that taken away is, in his words, "devastating."

So Ryan is fighting for Armelle, just like he told her he would.

He has spoken out at press conferences and on social media. He has helped raise money for her legal fees and he brings donations from the community to Armelle's husband and child. He has helped lead letter-writing campaigns and circulate petitions to put pressure on elected officials and keep Armelle's story fresh in their minds.

"But I still feel majorly helpless," Ryan said. "Helpless and at the same time inspired by the community's outpouring." Everyone who knows Armelle knows she belongs here, and they remain hopeful she will return home to her family soon.

Do you know anyone who's doing cool things to make the world a better place? I want to know. Send me an email at Bonnie@WriterBonnie.com. Also, stay in the loop by signing up for her weekly newsletter at WriterBonnie.com. To find out more about Bonnie Jean Feldkamp and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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