What if a piece of the border wall could become a place where people gather instead of a barrier that keeps them apart?
That question inspired one of the most meaningful projects to emerge from the Border Wall Transformation Project: the Table of Amistad. Created from one of the original sections of the U.S.–Mexico border wall, the table represents a powerful transformation—not only of steel and concrete, but of the stories and possibilities they hold.
Designed by artist Michael Leaf, the Table of Amistad is the first completed project in a larger effort to preserve and reimagine sections of the original border wall. Rather than allowing these historic materials to disappear, Friends of International Friendship Park and Museum of Us are giving them new purpose as places of gathering, conversation, education, and community.
Reimagining What the Border Wall Can Become
For decades, Friendship Park has represented the possibility of connection across borders. Even as physical barriers grew taller and access became more restricted, the park continued to remind visitors that relationships, culture, and shared humanity cannot be defined by a fence.
When sections of the original border wall were removed, Friends of International Friendship Park recognized an opportunity to preserve an important part of the region’s history while creating something that reflected the organization’s mission.
Instead of seeing the wall only as a symbol of division, the organization asked a different question:
How can these materials help bring people together?
The answer became the Table of Amistad.
Why a Table?
Throughout history and across cultures, tables have brought people together. Families gather around them for meals. Friends meet over coffee. Community leaders hold conversations that shape the future. Difficult discussions often become easier when people sit together face to face.
Transforming a section of the border wall into a table sends a powerful message.
A structure originally designed to separate people has been reimagined as a place where dialogue, understanding, and community can grow. The table invites people to pause, sit together, listen, and share experiences.
It reminds us that while walls can divide landscapes, they do not have to define relationships.
A Community Vision
The Table of Amistad did not emerge from one person’s idea alone.
Before work began, Friends of International Friendship Park convened a Community Advisory Council made up of artists, educators, historians, and community members. Over an 18-month planning process, the council explored how preserved sections of the original border wall could best serve future generations.
Rather than treating the wall as an artifact to be displayed behind glass, the council envisioned projects that would encourage participation, learning, and conversation.
The Table of Amistad became the first realization of that vision—a project that transforms history into something people can actively experience.
More Than Public Art
While the Table of Amistad is undoubtedly a work of art, it is also an educational tool.
Visitors are invited to reflect on the history of Friendship Park, the changing landscape of the border, and the communities whose lives have been shaped by this place. Sitting at the table encourages people to engage in conversations about identity, belonging, family, culture, and the future of the border region.
Like Friendship Park itself, the table creates space for dialogue rather than division.
It demonstrates that preserving history does not mean preserving conflict. Instead, history can become the foundation for understanding, healing, and collaboration.
The Beginning of Something Bigger
The Table of Amistad is only the first chapter of the Border Wall Transformation Project.
Plans are already underway to create additional gathering tables and public installations using other preserved wall panels. Through a community Request for Proposals (RFP) process, artists and organizations will help transform these historic materials into spaces that reflect the diverse communities connected to Friendship Park.
Future installations are expected to appear throughout the United States, Mexico, and Kumeyaay lands, creating a network of places where people can gather to learn, reflect, and celebrate the values of friendship and cooperation.
Together with museum exhibitions, educational programming, and public art, these projects will continue expanding the story of Friendship Park far beyond its physical location.
A Place to Begin a Conversation
The Table of Amistad reminds us that every meaningful relationship begins the same way—with people willing to sit together and listen.
For Friends of International Friendship Park, that simple act reflects the heart of our mission. We believe that community is built through conversation, understanding grows through shared experiences, and lasting peace begins when people choose connection over division.
By transforming a section of the border wall into a place of welcome, the Table of Amistad offers a hopeful vision of what is possible. It preserves an important chapter of our shared history while inviting future generations to write the next one together.
As the Border Wall Transformation Project continues to grow, the Table of Amistad will stand as a lasting reminder that even the strongest barriers can become places where friendship begins.