FIGHTING ANTI-IMMIGRANT BIAS, ONE FAMILY TREE AT A TIME [NationSwell]

If all Americans were to trace their family history back just a few generations, the overwhelming majority would discover that they’re the products of immigration.

And that would be a good thing, says the journalist and amateur genealogist Jennifer Mendelsohn.

“Every American story, except for the slaves brought here forcibly and Native Americans, goes back to a boat,” Mendelsohn tells NationSwell. “I want people to let go of their immigrant biases by recognizing their own immigrant roots.”

Mendelsohn is trying to drive that point home, especially to those who carry the torch for anti-immigrant policies, such as ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, and instituting a travel ban from Muslim-majority countries. She is the creator of the hashtag #ResistanceGenealogy, which earlier this year exploded in the Twitterverse for its clap-backs against politicians agitating for more restrictive immigration policies.