When a planeload of people arrived unexpectedly on Martha’s Vineyard last month, it was inspiring to see how everyone rallied to provide support. The residents of the island were uniquely prepared to respond to the plight of the migrants because they are comfortable, they are connected and they are well resourced.
As people continue coming to New England, we need to prepare so that we can all respond like the folks on Martha’s Vineyard and offer new arrivals the welcome that they deserve.
With our relatively moderate temperatures and abundant fresh water, the Northeast is predicted to be one of the places in the U.S. that will be most habitable as the planet warms. That makes it an ideal destination for people fleeing natural disasters. We’re already seeing people move east to get away from droughts and wildfires. And in coming weeks we’ll likely get a surge of Puerto Ricans seeking refuge after Hurricane Fiona, just as many did after Maria.
The influx will come from both sides of the spectrum. There will be many needy people, like those who arrived on Martha’s Vineyard. But there will be many wealthy people as well. Already, we’ve seen how COVID-19 lockdowns and remote work inspired people to leave big cities and settle in small towns and rural areas, making rental and house prices skyrocket. We’ll have migration within New England as well, as oceans rise and coastal areas become unlivable.
So how can we prepare to welcome people, while keeping our communities strong and our environment healthy? How can we be like the people on Martha’s Vineyard: comfortable, connected, well-resourced and ready to respond?
Few of us will ever be as financially comfortable as they are, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m referring to the comfort that comes from not being afraid. The comfort that comes from knowing your neighbors, from feeling confident that you’ll be taken care of.
We get that comfort from building connections and developing resources. If we know that our community feeds the poor, supports the elderly and cares for the sick, we become less afraid — for ourselves and of others. So let’s prepare to welcome those who are bound to come by strengthening our community resources. Support mutual aid networks. Give money to charity. Volunteer. Share.
And while we’re at it, let’s change zoning to allow for denser, affordable housing and limit rent increases, so that everyone in our growing population can live in dignity. Let’s invest in public transportation and renewable energy and upgrade our sewer and water systems, so we don’t overburden the environment. Let’s conserve land, for agriculture and biodiversity. Let’s stop building in flood zones, and think about how to help people move if they need to.
New England is a wonderful place to live, and we need to make sure it stays that way. More migrants are coming. Let’s prepare to welcome them.
Gretchen Siegchrist lives in Holyoke.