I had the privilege of speaking with my longtime friend Anton Flores-Maisonet about his remarkable new book, Welcome, Friends: Stories of Hope and Hospitality with Immigrants. The conversation was as rich and moving as the book itself—full of insight, moral clarity, and the kind of grounded hope that comes from twenty years of walking alongside immigrants and refugees in Georgia.
Anton and I talked about the evolution of anti-immigrant sentiment from dehumanization to what he calls "demonization," the daily practice of accompaniment at immigration courts, and what it means to create "moral dissonance" through embodied hospitality. Drawing from his work as a social worker, community organizer, and Friend-in-Residence at Atlanta Friends Meeting, Anton brings readers into contact with the sacred work of radical welcome.
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In our conversation, he reflected on his role as both advocate and host, the theological foundations of his work, and why relationship-building matters more than policy arguments when it comes to immigration. And we talked about vulnerability—why, as Anton put it, "hospitality is not for the weak, but it is for the vulnerable."
Anton also offered a crucial diagnosis about what we’re seeing in the United States right now. "We're past dehumanization," he told us. "We're seeing a sharp turn toward demonization." This isn't just about seeing people as less than human anymore—it's about projecting onto immigrants that "they are the cause of all of our ills, that they are evil."
If you're interested in immigration, faith-based organizing, or just trying to understand how to respond to crisis with compassion and hope rather than fear, I hope you'll listen. Anton's voice is a powerful one, and this conversation reminded me again that we all have a role to play in creating the "more beautiful world that our hearts know is possible."
Get Welcome, Friends from Amazon or your favorite local bookstore. You can also learn more about Anton's ongoing work at CasaAlterna.org. Anton is also available for virtual or in-person events, or for more information about nurturing hospitality in your own community. Reach out to Anton at info@casaalterna.org.
About the Book: Welcome, Friends is a book shaped by open doors, shared meals, late-night tears, and the unshakable belief that love crosses borders. In these pages, Anton Flores-Maisonet weaves powerful stories of welcoming immigrants—from the grief-soaked silence of detention centers and immigration courts to the everyday grace of a welcome table set for strangers who become friends. With the clarity of a social worker, the tenderness of a father, and the conviction of a faith-rooted activist, Anton invites us into the sacred work of radical hospitality.
About Anton Flores-Maisonet: Anton is a writer, spiritual director, and co-founder of Casa Alterna, a community of radical hospitality with immigrants. Anton lives with his wife, Charlotte, at the Atlanta Friends Meeting, where he serves as Friend-in-Residence. His life and work are shaped by grief, grounded in faith, and sustained by a hope that welcomes—even in the hardest places.
Thank you to Anton for this rich conversation, and to the thirty people who spent their Tuesday evening with us, asking thoughtful questions and engaging deeply with these urgent topics.
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Live conversations like this are only possible because of your support. If you believe in keeping this work free and open to the public, consider becoming a paid subscriber. You can read more about the mission and focus of this newsletter and learn why, after three years, I finally decided to offer a paid option. If you already support this newsletter financially, thank you.
