Fiji-Indian. Radical. Forced Migrant. Juris Doctor. Reluctant Dreamer. Aspiring Terrorist. Undocumented. Unafraid. Unapologetic. Unashamed.
Isabel Castillo, Roxana Bendezu, Prerna Lal, Lizbeth Mateo and Marybeth Onyeukwu are staging a sit-in in D.C. to demand unmarked licences for their community.
Take Action: “Mayor Gray: Don’t Racially Profile Our Immigrants!”
Call the Mayor’s office @ 202-727-6101 or 202-741-0922 or 202-727-6300
“Hi, I was calling to ask that Mayor Gray to amend the driver’s license bill. Undocumented immigrants living in the District will be racially profiled with his marked license plan. Why is the Mayor setting a bad example for the rest of the nation? I urge Mayor Gray to reconsider his proposal and support one city, one license for all.
Sign the petition: http://action.dreamactivist.org/dc/license/
It’s one city, one license people.
If you are a victim of domestic violence and call the cops to get a restraining order on your spouse, you can rest assured that you will end up in deportation proceedings, along with your children. This is the 14 year old and the mom that ICE is deporting TONIGHT at 9 PM EST while Obama and Senator Menendez stand on the sidelines, contrary to statutory exceptions such as VAWA. So much for prosecutorial discretion.
Never forget.
My name is Fredi Reyes. I am a 15-year old United States citizen, born in New York on November 23, 1996. I’m a freshman high school student at East Davidson High School and I’m currently undergoing the worst crisis of my life. This isn’t some teenage fit over popularity or how good I look, or the clothes I wear. Along with my mother, I am facing deportation from my only home.
Calling Young South Asians: Apply Now for DC Desi Summer
Friday, July 13th to Sunday, July 15th, 2012
Washington, DC
For more information and to apply: http://dcdesisummer.weebly.com/apply.html
First priority deadline: May 15th
**For young South Asian Americans age 15-20**
(with origins in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and the diaspora)
Free (We cover meals, but participants arrange for transportation and housing). Limited number of scholarships available.
DC Desi Summer (DCDS) is a weekend-long youth leadership and empowerment program. Spearheaded by the volunteer DCDS Collective, DC Desi Summer provides a radical and inclusive space for youth of South Asian heritage to examine key social justice issues and take action! Community activists, advocates, and academics will facilitate workshops and activities that focus on topics, such as sexism, racism, capitalism, and the nuts and bolts of organizing for justice.
I will be teaching this summer. More information about organizers here.
Sometimes, I feel excluded even within the LGBTQ community. I remember the gay clubs in West Hollywood that would deny my friends and I entrance because of our Mexican matriculation. And I remember the faces they would give me, one of confusion and then of disgust that seemed to be thinking: “Mexican, Illegal, Fake.” How are we fighting for acceptance in the LGBTQ community when many do not accept their queer brothers and sisters who are also oppressed as undocumented immigrants? […] My struggle and voice as an undocumented Latino gay man hopes to bring together not only my LGBTQ community of color but to show how crucial it is for both movements to accept the fact that LGBTQ issues are irrefutable immigrant rights issues. Alone, we’re vulnerable. Together, we are stronger. To ostracize one from another is something we can no longer afford to do.
Two years ago, the strongest mujer I have ever met and the woman that gave me the strength to fight for who I deserve, passed away from lung cancer. That mujer was my mother. Mi madre.
Every day of her life she dedicated her time to her children and husband, from going to work at a plastic factory, making dinner, to fighting cancer every day to live just one more day of her life. The sacrifice she made, leaving everything behind… her family, my family. Not only for a better education, but to be able to put a plate of food on our table. That sacrifice was to come to this country. She is buried in the land of freedoms where she is considered a criminal according to those who don’t remember the history of those native to this country.
Rosario, Sara and Janet, three brave women, took part in a peaceful demonstration to urge NY Governor Cuomo to stand up for undocumented youth by adding the NY Dream Act into the State Budget. The NY Dream Act would allow these three women and thousands of similar youth to have access to state financial aid to achieve their college educational goals. Instead of having Governor Cuomo stand with us, he continues to stay silent and not take action.
Rosario, Sara and Janet decided that the inaction of Governor Cuomo to be the voice for students was enough to prompt action. Currently, Rosario, Sara and Janet risked everything to bring the voice of undocumented youth to Governor Cuomo to take leadership and state publicly that everyone should have access to college education, regardless of immigration status. There is nothing that stops Immigration from taking action even after their release….see more pictures here
URGENT TAKE ACTION FOR THE NEW YORK DREAM ACT
URGENT:
1,000 calls to Gov Cuomo for the NY DREAM Act by THIS FRIDAY!
Take 2 minutes to call his office and let Cuomo know by tomorrow (Friday) how important this bill is to all NYers! We’re trying to get at least 1,000 calls made to his office by tomorrow, so make sure your friends and family members are calling as well.
DIAL THIS NUMBER: *1-866-452-1134* It will route you directly to one of his offices. Please hold until someone picks up or leave a message.
Script:
“Hi, My name is (name) and I live in (city). I’m calling to urge Governor Cuomo to include the New York DREAM Act, which opens up the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) to undocumented youth, in the executive budget so that it can pass this year. The bill number is A.06829/S.04179”Sign the petition:
http://action.dreamactivist.org/nydreamact/
Facebook:
Like Governor Cuomo’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/GovernorAndrewCuomo
and post a comment on his wall. You can use the sample below or write your own!
“In your State of the State you promised to be the lobbyist for the students. Passing the New York Dream Act is an opportunity to make good on that promise. There are thousands of undocumented youth in New York State yearning to go to college, but are lacking the financial resources to do so. These are students that have grown up in New York and have graduated from our high schools. I urge you to include the New York DREAM Act, which opens up the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) to undocumented youth, in the executive budget!”Twitter:
Twitter petition @NYGovCuomo to put the @NYDreamAct in the executive budget by April 1st http://act.ly/5oe < click,sign & RT
THANK YOU,
The New York State Youth Leadership Council
Out of the shadows and into the streets!
On March 14 2012, Tania Chairez and Jessica Hyejin Lee, openly undocumented and unafraid mujeres, blocked traffic in an act of civil disobedience in front of ICE headquarters in Philadelphia. They risked deportation to free Miguel, another undocumented youth who has been in ICE detention for more than 8 months, separated from his wife and U.S. citizen son.
Photo Credit: Jessica Hyejin Lee
Jessica and Tania were released but Miguel was not; please still click the above link and sign the petition for ICE to release him!
Out of the shadows and into the streets!
On March 14 2012, Tania Chairez and Jessica Hyejin Lee, openly undocumented and unafraid mujeres, blocked traffic in an act of civil disobedience in front of ICE headquarters in Philadelphia. They risked deportation to free Miguel, another undocumented youth who has been in ICE detention for more than 8 months, separated from his wife and U.S. citizen son.
Tania’s Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prqQMROMzFU
Jessica’s Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJg5LfmDcnU
