Please Don't Jump!

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In June, an anonymous undocumented immigrant posted the following message on PostSecret.com, an online site for people to reveal their deepest secrets to the virtual world confidentially: “I have lived in San Francisco since I was young… I am illegal… I am not wanted here. I don’t belong anywhere. This summer I plan to jump off the Golden Gate.”

Within weeks, thousands mobilized on Facebook creating a group entitled, “Please Don’t Jump.” Strangers expressed their deep concern and sympathy for this unknown person, posting their own stories/secrets and writing letters of encouragement. The creator of the group writes, “Life WILL get better. You are wanted. We all want you here.”

For this anonymous person, it took contemplating suicide to receive acknowledgement and justification for his/her need to belong in this country. The simple act of revealing his/her secret to the world allowed tens of thousands of people to connect with him/her on a very basic level—that we all deserve a sense of belonging, a sense of origination. With few, yet powerful, sentences, this person was able to shed a bit of light on the estimated 11 to 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the shadows of our society—many of whom are unable to openly voice their concerns and fight for their rights.

I don’t know if this anonymous person saw the Facebook group, or if it prevented him/her from jumping that bridge, but many were touched by his/her words. And some good came out of it.

To the undocumented person who wanted to jump: If you’re still around, we’re still fighting for you. Please know that we care.

To learn more about this story, please view Time magazine's video, “PostSecret Suicide: Please don’t jump.”