Shaping Change: "Renewed Purpose Through Healing: K’illari's Immigrant Journey”
In January’s Virtual Sanctuary, we were blessed with the opportunity to meet Giancarla (Killari) Rojas, she/they because she brings her accentors everywhere she goes. This is her story about shaping change over the last years.
Line drawing image of Killari facing the sky with a landscape view of a mountain and clouds. In the upper right corner a moon shining and star. In cursive their name joins the mountain line.
When Killari first stepped away from immigration work three years ago, she never imagined she'd return. The burnout was profound. Years of sharing their deeply personal story with no aftercare or support had taken a toll on her body and mental health.
"Sometimes, I can’t even read the stories written about me in the news from over a decade ago, I cringe. The pain I unveiled in telling my story was profound. My story wasn’t just a narrative; it was my truth. Sometimes, it felt like I was taking off my clothes just to show my vulnerability and to prove to the U.S. government and the public that I had done nothing wrong, that I was not criminal"
she reflects.
“After sharing my story, reporters and other “pro-immigrant organizations” would just say, ‘Okay, thanks.’ No follow-up, no closure; it felt so extractive. To them, it was just another story for publication."
Healing through freedom of movement.
Through travel to more than 40 countries and deep self-discovery, K’illari found restoration and a new perspective on her role in the movement. Today, she’s returning to immigration advocacy this time, entirely on her own terms. "I'm coming back because, once again, my community is being terrorized by the misinformation," she explains, describing calls from teacher friends whose students fear ICE raids in their classrooms.
“From experience, I know how cruel nonprofit immigration work can be. You are expected to work 40+ hours, respond to every “rapid response” with little to no rest. Now I know what I don't want to do and what I will not tolerate. I don’t know if I want immigration to be “my career” again, but I do want to help with all the experience I gained."
Her vision for community organizing has evolved. Rather than waiting for political solutions, K’illari advocates for grassroots action, particularly in combating misinformation. She has witnessed how AI-generated fake news about immigration raids can devastate local businesses and spread fear through communities.
The journey hasn’t been without guilt especially around taking time to travel and heal while family members couldn’t. But as K’illari notes,
"My parents worked so hard for decades, and I take it upon myself to make the best of any situation. They didn’t come this far for us to stop now. Their daughters deserve to live to their full potential and, most importantly, to care for themselves."
Her healing has rippled outward—she’s watched as cousins and friends, inspired by her travels, have started to travel the world despite their fears rooted in family immigration history.
Community remains at the heart of her journey.
Looking ahead K’illari has found a new purpose in environmental justice, particularly in clean energy access and care for Pachamama (Mother Earth)—a mission deeply inspired by her Indigenous roots and global travels.
"Even though it feels like the ship is sinking, I’m staying in the U.S. This is my home. My family, my friends, my community are here, and I am here to stay," she affirms in response to the ever-changing political climate.”
Recently, she participated in a virtual sanctuary space, finding a renewed connection in sharing vulnerabilities and New Year’s resolutions with others. "What a lot of people need and are searching for is community," she reflects.
"It was refreshing to have a space to be a little vulnerable, to connect with others."
These moments of genuine connection remind her why she’s returning to community work — not as a career, but as a calling. Her message and affirmations for anyone moving through change or burnout:
"Self-love will save you every time."
"You don’t need to punish yourself. It’s okay to rest. Please, rest."
"Rest is an act of resistance."
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